Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Almost no other trail gives you this much history for this little effort. Brigham Young and his advisors came up here after the July 1847 arrival because the view beat what they had seen from Emigration Canyon, and they roughed out a plan for the city from the top. A monument at the trailhead remembers emigrants who died on the trek from Nauvoo, and a pillar and interpretive signs at the summit name what you are looking at, from the Oquirrhs to the Great Salt Lake. There is no shade, so bring a hat.
The Trail
Ten-minute historic climb Brigham Young used to survey the valley. City-light sunsets.
Pack Loadout (Easy)
Water bottle, sunscreen, hat, snacks, comfortable shoes.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Bountiful Pond (Fishing, 8 mi) · Millrace Pond (Taylorsville) (Fishing, 9 mi) · Willow Pond (Murray) (Fishing, 10 mi) · Farmington Pond (Fishing, 13 mi)
More hikes nearby: Grandeur Peak (West) (Hike, 9 mi) · Mount Olympus (Hike, 12 mi) · Lake Blanche (Hike, 15 mi) · Bells Canyon Waterfall (Hike, 16 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Ensign Peak hike?
- 0.9 miles round trip with 374 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Ensign Peak?
- Easy. Kid rating: 5 out of 5.
- When should I hike Ensign Peak?
- Best season: All year.
- Why hike Ensign Peak?
- A very short walk gets you a real payoff here. The trail is open year round and closes at 10 p.m., which makes it the standard spot for watching the valley lights come on. Dogs are welcome on leash, and there is no shade at any point, so summer afternoons are rough.