By The DMG Park City Team
By late June, Park City's ski runs have turned into a lift-served bike park, the Deer Valley amphitheater is booking concerts, and Main Street closes to cars on Sundays for an open-air market. Days sit in the 70s and 80s and nights turn cool, and the list of things to do runs longer than it does in ski season. The hard part is fitting it into one trip. Here are the best things to do in Park City once the snow is gone.
Key Takeaways
- Park City has more than 400 miles of trails, the first IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center in the world, for biking and hiking.
- Jordanelle Reservoir and the Provo River cover water sports and fly fishing minutes from town.
- The ski resorts and the Utah Olympic Park run alpine coasters, ziplines, and bobsled rides all summer.
- Main Street hosts markets, festivals, and concerts from June through September.
Mountain Biking and Hiking
Park City's trail network is what fills the town from June to October. More than 400 miles of interconnected singletrack earned it the world's first IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center rating, and most of it links up, so you can pedal from Old Town to the ridgeline without loading a car. Round Valley's rolling loops on the north side suit beginners and trail runners, while the Mid Mountain Trail contours the resorts near 8,000 feet for a longer day. Both Park City Mountain and Deer Valley run lift-served bike parks if you would rather ride the chair up and descend.
Where to Ride and Hike
- Round Valley: flowy, beginner-friendly loops and running trails.
- Mid Mountain Trail: a long contour near 8,000 feet across the resorts.
- Lift-served downhill parks at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley.
- Trailheads on the free bus lines, so a car is optional.
Water Sports at Jordanelle and the Provo River
About fifteen minutes east of Main Street, Jordanelle Reservoir is the closest big water, with a state park, marinas, and rentals for paddleboards, kayaks, and boats. The Provo River, which feeds and drains the reservoir, is one of Utah's best fly-fishing rivers and stays cold and productive through summer. When flows are up, rafting outfitters run guided trips on the Provo and the nearby Weber River.
Ways to Get on the Water
- Paddleboard, kayak, or boat at Jordanelle Reservoir.
- Fly fish the Provo River, a blue-ribbon trout stream.
- Rent gear or launch from Jordanelle State Park's marinas.
- Book a guided raft trip on the Provo or Weber River.
Summer at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley
The ski resorts stay open all summer; they just trade snow for wheels and warm-weather rides. Park City Mountain runs the Alpine Slide down its lower slopes and the Alpine Coaster through the trees, plus a zip line at the base. Deer Valley opens its lifts for scenic rides and lift-served mountain biking, and keeps its mid-mountain lodge open for lunch with a view.
What the Resorts Offer in Summer
- The Alpine Slide and Alpine Coaster at Park City Mountain.
- A base-area zip line at Park City Mountain.
- Scenic chairlift rides and lift-served biking at Deer Valley.
- Mid-mountain dining at Deer Valley for lunch with a view.
The Utah Olympic Park
Built for the 2002 Winter Games, the Utah Olympic Park is still a working training center and one of the area's best half-day stops. Visitors can ride a bobsled down the actual Olympic track, fly a series of ziplines off the ski-jump towers, and work through a ropes course, then tour the free museum. In summer you can often watch freestyle skiers train by launching off ramps into a splash pool.
At the Olympic Park
- A summer bobsled ride on the Olympic track.
- Ziplines off the ski-jump towers and a ropes course.
- The free Olympic and ski museum.
- Freestyle aerial shows over the splash pool on weekends.
Main Street: Dining, Galleries, and Summer Events
Historic Main Street runs through Park City's old mining core, packed with restaurants, galleries, and shops in century-old buildings. In summer the street itself becomes the venue: the Park Silly Sunday Market closes it to cars on Sundays, Savor the Summit lays a single long dinner table down the center in late June, and the Kimball Arts Festival brings close to 200 artists in early August. Up the hill, the Deer Valley Music Festival runs orchestral and headline concerts at the Snow Park amphitheater through July and August.
What to Do in Town
- Dine and gallery-hop along Historic Main Street.
- Shop the Park Silly Sunday Market on summer Sundays.
- Plan around Savor the Summit or the Kimball Arts Festival.
- Catch a concert at the Deer Valley Music Festival.
Golf, Ballooning, and Scenic Drives
For a slower day, the valley has its own pace. Several golf courses, public and private, play through the summer at altitude, where the thin air sends the ball farther. Hot-air balloons lift off at dawn, stables run trail rides into the foothills, and once the snow clears, the drive over Guardsman Pass toward Big Cottonwood Canyon climbs past wildflower meadows to the crest of the Wasatch.
Slower-Paced Summer Days
- Golf at the area's public and private courses.
- A sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the valley.
- Trail rides and guided ATV tours into the foothills.
- The Guardsman Pass scenic drive after the snow clears.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do in Park City in the summer?
The headliners are the 400-plus miles of biking and hiking trails, water sports at Jordanelle Reservoir, the Alpine Slide and Alpine Coaster, the Utah Olympic Park, and the markets and concerts on Main Street.
Is Park City worth visiting in the summer?
Many locals rank it above winter. The weather is mild and dry, lodging costs less than in ski season, and the trails, water, and events run all summer.
What can you do in Park City without skiing?
Nearly everything the area is built around: mountain biking, hiking, golf, fly fishing, the Olympic Park, Main Street dining, and outdoor concerts, all spring through fall.
Contact Us Today About Life in Park City
Plenty of people come for a summer week and leave wondering what it would take to have the trails and Main Street fifteen minutes from home. Whether you are visiting or starting to look, we can steer you toward the neighborhoods closest to what you actually want to do.
We are proud that the Dawn McKenna Group is the #1 mega team in Park City, Utah, so when a summer trip turns into a home search, you will have people who know every trailhead and neighborhood. Reach out to us, The DMG Park City Team, and let's find your place in the mountains.
We are proud that the Dawn McKenna Group is the #1 mega team in Park City, Utah, so when a summer trip turns into a home search, you will have people who know every trailhead and neighborhood. Reach out to us, The DMG Park City Team, and let's find your place in the mountains.
