Guides
12 Utah Parks with the Best Walking and Biking Trails
By Parks of Utah · March 17, 2026
Utah's park trail system is more varied than most people realize. You can push a stroller around a flat paved loop in Salt Lake City, walk a gravel path along a creek in Cottonwood Heights, ride your bike through a red rock canyon in Cedar City, or hike into the Wasatch Range from a playground parking lot in Provo. We grouped 12 of our favorite trail parks by what kind of experience you're looking for.
Paved Loops for Strollers and Bikes
These four parks have smooth, well-maintained paved paths that work for strollers, tricycles, joggers, and family bike rides. If you're looking for something flat and easy with kids in tow, start here.
Sugar House Park
The 1.4-mile paved road loop at Sugar House Park is one of the most popular walking routes in Salt Lake City. The terrain is gently rolling, not flat, but easy enough for kids on bikes. The loop doubles as a park road, so you'll share space with the occasional car driving slowly through. At 110 acres it's the largest park in SLC, and the loop connects directly to Parley's Trail, an 8-mile paved path running between the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and the Jordan River Parkway. Bonus: the sledding hills in winter are proof it's not flat.
Liberty Park
Salt Lake's oldest park has a flat paved loop of about 1.5 miles plus a separate 1.5-mile woodchip jogging path running parallel to it. Liberty Park is genuinely flat. If the rolling hills at Sugar House intimidate your toddler on a balance bike, this is your spot. The 80 acres include a pond, Tracy Aviary, tennis courts, and the Seven Canyons Fountain splash pad. The woodchip path is softer on knees if you're jogging while the kids ride ahead on the paved loop.
Layton Commons Park
Layton Commons packs a lot into 47 acres — splash pad, skate park, amphitheater, and about 1.3 miles of paved trail winding through the park. The highlight is a boardwalk section that crosses over a wetland area along Kay's Creek, where you can spot ducks and the occasional heron. The trails are wheelchair and stroller accessible with gentle grades throughout. Summer concerts and food truck nights at the amphitheater are a solid reason to come back in the evening.
Dry Creek Park
Dry Creek Park in Lehi is only 14 acres, but the real draw is what the trail connects to. A paved half-mile path crosses bridges over a small creek lined with large trees, then feeds into the Dry Creek Trail corridor — which links to the Murdock Canal Trail (17 miles, fully paved) and the Porter Rockwell Trail. You could start at the playground and end up on a serious family bike ride. The park itself also has a 12-hole disc golf course if you need a reason to come back.
Nature Trails and Creek Corridors
These parks trade pavement for gravel, dirt, and boardwalks. The trails wind through natural terrain — ravines, wetlands, creek banks — and the pace slows down. Expect wildlife, bridge crossings, and the kind of quiet you don't get at a splash pad.
Dimple Dell Regional Park
This is the showpiece. Dimple Dell stretches over 630 acres of natural ravine in Sandy with more than 15 miles of unpaved trails winding through scrub oak and cottonwood groves. Dry Creek runs through the park — recent restoration work has extended its flow to nearly year-round, so spring runoff isn't the only time you'll see water. Deer, foxes, and hawks are common. There's no playground, but kids who like exploring trails and throwing rocks in the creek will be perfectly happy. The Wrangler Trailhead at 1300 East has parking, restrooms, and picnic tables.
Crestwood Park
At 58 acres, Crestwood Park is the largest park in Cottonwood Heights and a genuine neighborhood gem. A 1.3-mile gravel loop follows Little Cottonwood Creek through a natural stretch along the creek, with a footbridge crossing partway through. The trail is nearly flat and wide enough for strollers, though the gravel surface means road bikes won't love it. Beyond the trail there's a playground, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and the Crestwood Outdoor Pool in summer. The kind of park where you bump into your neighbors.
South Ogden Nature Park
South Ogden Nature Park covers 57 acres with nearly 80% preserved as natural space — unusual for a city park. A 1.1-mile paved loop circles a scenic marsh that's a magnet for ducks, geese, and herons. The trail is flat and stroller-friendly, with mountain views of the Weber River canyon as a backdrop. The park also has a splash pad and playgrounds for multiple age groups, so you can mix a nature walk with playground time without driving to a second park.
Roosevelt Nature Park & Cottonwood Creek Trail
Our pick for the best rural trail park in the state. Roosevelt Nature Park in Duchesne County has a creek-side trail shaded by cottonwood trees, with multiple bridge crossings that kids love running back and forth across. The trail mixes paved accessibility paths with single-track hiking routes. There's also an ADA-accessible fishing pond, an amphitheater, and picnic pavilions. Habitat restoration along the creek banks is ongoing, so the scenery keeps getting better. If you're road-tripping through the Uinta Basin, this is worth a stop.
Connector Trails and Parkways
These parks are gateways. The trails here connect to longer networks — river parkways, mountain trailheads, canyon corridors — so a quick family walk can turn into a real adventure if you keep going.
Jordan River Parkway Trail
The Jordan River Parkway is part of one of the longest paved urban trails in the United States, stretching over 45 miles from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake (some sources cite over 60). The Midvale section alone is 2.6 miles, flat, paved, and tree-lined alongside the river. Restrooms, water fountains, and picnic areas dot the route, with trailhead access at Gardner Village, 7100 South, and 7800 South. One note: the 7800 South underpass may close seasonally when river levels rise from Utah Lake releases, so check before you plan a long ride through that section.
Rock Canyon Park
Rock Canyon Park sits at the mouth of Rock Canyon in Provo with a large shaded playground, climbing wall, and direct trailhead access into the Wasatch Range. The Rock Canyon Trail extends 5.8 miles with nearly 1,800 feet of elevation gain — serious hiking, but the first mile is gentle enough for families. The trailhead was renovated in 2024 with expanded parking, year-round restrooms, and an amphitheater. Families often combine a morning playground session with a short hike up the canyon. The views of Utah Valley on the way back down are worth the climb.
Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park
Cedar City's Ann J. Gardner Canyon Park is the trailhead for the 2.7-mile Cedar Canyon Trail, a paved path following Coal Creek through red rock canyon scenery. Bridges cross the creek, interpretive signage explains the local flora, and there's a man-made waterfall at the eastern end that kids find mesmerizing. The trail is at least 6 feet wide, wheelchair and stroller accessible, and has earned 4.5 stars from nearly 500 reviews on AllTrails. The park itself has restrooms, a playground, and pavilions. If you want a Southern Utah trail experience without the national park crowds, this is it.
Utah Lake Shore Trail
The Utah Lake Shore Trail in Vineyard is a 4.2-mile paved loop along the east shore of Utah Lake with continuous water views. The trail starts at Sunset Beach Park (restrooms, pavilions, a sand playground) and passes Vineyard Beach with covered picnic tables and boat launch access. The surface is smooth and the grade is gentle — great for bikes and strollers. Fair warning: there is almost no shade along the route, so hats, sunscreen, and water are essential. This trail is part of an ambitious 98-mile shoreline loop planned around the entire lake, with about 18 miles complete so far.
Find More Trail Parks
These 12 are a starting point. Utah has hundreds of parks with walking trails across all 29 counties. Browse our full directory of parks with walking trails to find one near you.