Meridian Peak

With rolling hills, open fields, and elevated westerly views of Salt Lake Valley, Oquirrh Mountains, and the Great Salt Lake, the Tunnel Springs Parks area is one of the best spots near Salt Lake City for catching a sunset. Because of that, you’re likely to see multiple professional photographers near the trailhead at sunset shooting family portraits, wedding photography, and more.

One of the best vantage points in the area is Meridian Peak. The trail to it is difficult, with 700 ft of elevation gain in about 0.7 miles. Still, the views from the top are gorgeous when there is a good sunset, and they make it all worth it!

To do the route, start at the Tunnel Springs Trailhead and go along the wide dirt path for approximately 0.7 miles. Then, take the much smaller trail on your left that follows a ridge up to the peak. Once you’ve reached the peak (and have caught your breath!), retrace your steps for about 0.1 miles and head down another ridge back to the flat open field, where you can return to the trailhead.

Getting there

The trailhead is located at Tunnel Springs Park and has two parking areas. The first one is a paved lot in front of two tennis courts. The second lot is reached via a gravel road east of the tennis courts that’s about 0.1 miles closer to the trail, but sometimes a gate blocks its access.