Day Trippin' › Utah › From Salt Lake City › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Salt Lake City: 31 places, 11 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 84101.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Dog Lake (Millcreek Canyon), 31 min east of Salt Lake City.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0
#1 · State park · 1 hr 1 min northwest
A big island in Great Salt Lake reached by a causeway, with free-roaming bison, pronghorn, salty beaches, sunsets and trails.
Heads-up: Dogs on a 6-ft leash, but not on the beach, the Frary Peak Trail or the Sentry Trail. Biting gnats in late spring. Stop at Fielding Garr Ranch.
Photo: Mark Goebel from Taos, New Mexico, USA, CC BY 2.0
#2 · Swimming · 2 hr 6 min north
A huge turquoise lake on the Utah-Idaho line with sandy beaches at Rendezvous Beach and a marina at Garden City.
Heads-up: Dogs are allowed on leash in the Rendezvous campground but not on the beach areas. Rentals in Garden City.
Photo: Bureau of Reclamation, CC BY-SA 2.0
#3 · Swimming · 39 min northeast
A reservoir in a quiet mountain valley south of Morgan, with a swim beach, boat rentals and fishing.
Heads-up: No lifeguards. SR-65 over Big Mountain from Salt Lake is usually open only from about Mother's Day to Thanksgiving and is steep and twisty; use the Morgan route with RVs. Dogs on a 6-ft leash (may…
Photo: Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0
#4 · Swimming · 53 min southeast
A reservoir below Mount Timpanogos with beaches, boat and kayak rentals and good wind for sailing and paddleboarding.
Heads-up: Island Beach is gravelly. Rentals from Deer Creek Island Resort. Dogs on a 6-ft leash; allowed on boats but not in the water.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
#5 · Town · 2 hr 4 min north
A small lake town on the west shore of Bear Lake, known for raspberry shakes, boat rentals and summer beach days.
Heads-up: Raspberry Days in early August is very busy. Paved Bear Lake pathway runs along the lake shore.
Photo: Staplegunther (talk)David Jolley, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Swimming · 2 hr 4 min southeast
A large reservoir near Duchesne (formerly Starvation State Park) with a sandy swim beach, warm summer water and big desert views.
Heads-up: Summer water is in the low 70s. No dogs on the beaches or swimming areas; leashed dogs OK in camping areas. Quiet compared to Wasatch Front parks.
Photo: James Brooks from Juneau, Alaska, CC BY 2.0
#7 · Swimming · 2 hr 7 min south
A small lake near Sterling, south of Manti, with a beach, paddling and a golf course next door.
Heads-up: Only electric trolling motors and non-motorized boats on the lake. Leashed dogs allowed.
Photo: Mega Hammond, CC BY-SA 2.0
#8 · Swimming · 2 hr 16 min southeast
A warm-water desert reservoir by Huntington with a beach, bass fishing and boating under red buttes.
Heads-up: Leashed dogs allowed. Paddle board and kayak rentals in summer.
Photo: vicki watkins from USA, CC BY 2.0
#9 · State park · 2 hr 55 min southeast
A shady riverside park in Green River with a golf course, boat ramp and river float access.
Heads-up: Leashed dogs allowed. Town is known for summer melons.
Photo: vicki watkins, CC BY 2.0
#10 · Swimming · 2 hr 56 min east
A reservoir just north of Vernal with a sandy beach, a swim dock and fishing.
Heads-up: Swim in designated areas; no lifeguards. Close to town, good for a quick swim. Dogs on leash.
Photo: Argyleist at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
#11 · Bike trail · 33 min south
A long, mostly paved trail that follows the Jordan River about 40-45 miles from Utah Lake to Great Salt Lake, past parks, ponds and nature areas.
Heads-up: Flat and good for family bike rides. Many trailhead parking spots. Some sections are quiet, ride with a group.
Photo: Glennfcowan, CC BY 3.0
#12 · Scenic drive · 1 hr 26 min east
A high road from Kamas over Bald Mountain Pass into the Uinta Mountains, past dozens of lakes, waterfalls and viewpoints.
Heads-up: Driving through is free, but you need a pass to park at sites (fee tubes, ranger offices or online). Interagency passes accepted. Bring layers, it's over 10,000 ft.
Photo: US Bureau of Reclamation, Public domain
#13 · Lake · 1 hr 40 min southeast
A high mountain reservoir known for trout fishing, boating and ice fishing.
Heads-up: Cold water; summer swimming is chilly. Restrooms and water shut off in winter.
Photo: Matthew.kowal, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · Viewpoint · 1 hr 59 min northwest
A famous earthwork made of black basalt rock that coils out into the pink-tinged north arm of Great Salt Lake.
Heads-up: About 15.5 miles of gravel road past the Golden Spike visitor center; the last miles are rough, high clearance helps. Follow the small signs, not phone maps. No restrooms or cell service. Visibility…
Photo: Meservy (talk), Public domain
#15 · Lake · 2 hr 2 min north
A high lake in Logan Canyon with a nature-trail loop around the shore, summer wildflowers and the start of the trail up Naomi Peak.
Heads-up: The side road off US-89 is not plowed in winter and may stay closed into June. Parking fills on weekends. Dogs on leash.
Dog Lake (Millcreek Canyon) (31 min), Silver Lake (Big Cottonwood) (39 min), Jordanelle State Park (40 min), Cecret Lake (Albion Basin) (42 min), Provo River Parkway (43 min), Rockport State Park (44 min), Homestead Crater (47 min), Mantua Reservoir (58 min), Crystal Hot Springs (1 hr 2 min), Lake Blanche (1 hr 5 min), Fifth Water Hot Springs (1 hr 14 min), Yuba State Park (1 hr 37 min), Mystic Hot Springs (2 hr 34 min), Moon Lake (2 hr 43 min), Millsite State Park (2 hr 50 min), Fish Lake (2 hr 55 min)
Our top picks are Antelope Island State Park (1 hr 1 min), Bear Lake State Park, Utah (2 hr 6 min), East Canyon State Park (39 min), Deer Creek State Park (53 min) and Garden City (2 hr 4 min). The page lists 31 places in all.
31: 11 under an hour away, 8 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 84101.
Dog Lake (Millcreek Canyon), about 31 min east of Salt Lake City.
7 need no pass or fee, including Fish Lake, Garden City and Spiral Jetty. Fees change, so check each place.
17 of the 31 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.