5 Best Things to Do in Brighton, UT

© Jeremy/stock.adobe.com

Brighton Ski Resort is low-key mountainside resort located in Brighton, Utah, in Big Cottonwood Canyon, about 30 miles from Salt Lake City, a 7-minute walk from the Silver Lake Information Center and seven miles from Wasatch Mountain State Park. . It is operated and owned by Boyne Resorts. Established in 1936, Brighton Ski Resort was the first ski resort in Utah, and among the oldest in the States. The resort lodge offers modest dorms with bunk beds, as well as private rooms with rustic furnishings and handmade quilts. Suites have living areas. The guests enjoy complimentary continental breakfast, free Wi-Fi, a hot tub, a guest lounge and a cozy common area in the lobby with a fireplace.

8302 S Brighton Loop Rd, Brighton, UT 84121, Phone: 801-532-4731

© Scott T. Smith/Danita Delimont/stock.adobe.com

Wasatch–Cache National Forest is a1,607,177-acre national forest located mostly in northern Utah, with smaller portions in southeastern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming. This vast backcountry with snow-covered peaks is just a short drive from the busy, thriving Salt Lake City. The forest includes a range of ecosystems including seven Wilderness areas. Its spectacular recreation opportunities make the Wasatch-Cache National Forest one of the most frequently visited outdoor areas in the nation. During the warm seasons, Albion Basin produces a magnificent show of rare and colorful wildflowers. Pineview Reservoir, with its cool waters and sandy beaches, attracts 750,000 visitors every year. People from nearby cities come to the forest to hike, ski, have a picnic, enjoy wildlife, drive the scenic byways, ride snowmobiles and horses, hunt, fish, bike and more.

Richmond, UT 84333

© Jeremy/stock.adobe.com

Snowbird is a small community near Brighton, Utah, in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. At the heart of the community is Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, an alpine skiing and snowboarding area established in December 1971. Little Cottonwood Canyon and the town of Alta were thriving during the silver mining boom in the area and Little Cottonwood Canyon became one of the largest producers of silver ore in the Wasatch Mountains. The resort primarily works in the winter with a range of facilities. It is mostly known for its fine winter powder skiing and snowboarding. In other seasons, the resort is visited by hikers, mountain bikers, fishermen, and mountain vacationers. The resort includes ski lifts, hotels, condominiums, spas, restaurants, medical services and other resort-related businesses. The resort is located almost entirely on National Forest Service land.

Snowbird, Utah

© jonbilous/stock.adobe.com

Silver Lake is a beautiful body of water located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon near Brighton, Utah. The lake is encircled by a boardwalk so it is easily accessible to the young, old and those with disabilities. The boardwalk is about a mile long and has several benches, picnic tables and a dock used by boaters and fishermen. The lake and its surrounds are a popular hiking destination in the spring, summer and fall. The lake is frozen and covered by several feet of snow in the winter and is part of the system of cross-country ski trails. The lake is full of trout and is re- stocked every year. It is a great spot to bring the kids to catch the planter rainbows. Utah Outdoor Activities offer organized fishing adventures on the lake.

© Silver Fork Lodge and Restaurant

Silver Fork is a rustic lodge with a restaurant snuggled in a forested valley about a mile from Solitude Mountain Resort ski lifts and 13 miles from the downtown Park City. The lodge is located at the site of the historic general store established in the 1850s to supply silver miners working on the mountain. The lodge has cozy, wood-paneled rooms with free Wi-Fi and en suite bathrooms. There is a two-bedroom suite with bunk beds. There's no TV or air-conditioning. The guests enjoy free parking, ski shuttle, a sauna, a hot tub, a guest lounge with TV and breakfast served in a rustic lodge restaurant. The dining room has many details that remind guests of its rich history such as the original wood beams from the Cardiff Fork Mine, an old sepia tone photograph from the general store, glass tile from the 1940’s decorating the bar and many other treasures. The restaurant produces exceptional international menu and has a respectable wine selection.

11332 Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd, Brighton, UT 84121, Phone: 801-533-9977