Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Garden
4.5
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:30 PM
About
Red Butte Garden is the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain West and, together with the University of Utah, is the state arboretum. The Garden has welcomed guests since 1985 and consists of over 21 acres of developed gardens and five miles of hiking trails winding through an extensive Natural Area. All just minutes away from downtown Salt Lake City. The Garden is renowned for plant collections, themed gardens, over 560,000 springtime blooms, gorgeous private rental spaces, a world-class summer concert series, and award-winning horticulture-based educational programs.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Neighbourhood: East Bench
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See what travellers are saying
- Teresa Lewis WattsBozeman, Montana974 contributionsGorgeous, whimsical, fragrant, delightful!21 acres of unique & surprising plants—herbs, trees, flowers—it’s an amazing array of great choices & creative inspiration for home gardens & landscaping ideas! I loved it! The honey bees & bumble bees create beautiful humming filling the air, & along with all the flower scents, it’s an incredible sensory experience! I was here on Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday…It was a cooler, rainy day off & on, & it was magical!Visited May 2023Travelled soloWritten 29 May 2023
- I’m always hungryCottonwood Heights, Utah2 contributionsRed Butte is a beautiful retreatWe went for an evening stroll through the gardens. It was much different than I expected but I loved it. You can wander around as you please, stay as long as you want, sit and enjoy the flowers and views on the many benches scattered through the gardens. I saw a few people reading in various locations, which makes me want to go back and spend a good portion of a morning-midday there with a book abcs some snacks. The fragrance garden was my favorite. We ended our walk with the sunset over the city and the gift shop.Visited June 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 3 June 2023
- ChrisWendiClovis, California14 contributionsSpectacular display of BeautySolo visit and wanted a safe place to walk alone and see nature. This was just perfect. Found delightful surprises around every turn. The grounds were impeccably kept with so many surprise details in each beautifully designed space. Water features, singing birds , butterflies & bees doing their thing in a little slice of the garden of Eden. The terraces are set up with beautiful visitas for relaxing after a short hike up. Especially enjoyed the small lake with water swooping barn sparrows and dragonflies. Found benches to rest and lay on along the way. Felt extremely safe as a solo walker and spent 3 full hours taking in all the splendor. The rose garden outdoor house was spectacular and in full bloom. At one point I turned the corner into a fairytale and uttered out loud “I can’t even” and laughed to myself as I was so overwhelmed with the abundance of beauty and tranquility. I knew I would enjoy a park but had no idea I would enjoy it this much. HIGHLY recommend to solo travelers, couples and families. I heard one young boy tell his grandparents that they needed to take the secret passageway into the oak tree canopy. It was so magical for all ages. If you doubt going…don’t! Just do it and breathe in the beauty with all your senses.Visited July 2023Travelled soloWritten 5 July 2023
- Utrocket71Toledo, Ohio369 contributionsWe had a very nice relaxing visitThis was a great way to end our vacation out west. We had 3 hours to kill before our flight left SLC. The staff were very cordial and helpful. The layout was very well thought out. There was plenty of places to rest or have lunch. Very scenic views. The gardens were very well maintained and there were a lot of workers very busy attending to the flowers, plants, etc. very worth while visit. We enjoyed it immensely.Visited August 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 10 August 2023
- Mark HIrvine, California238 contributionsGreat garden! AHS Garden Program memberOur favorite outdoor spot in the SLC area! Free admission for American Horticultural Society (AHS) members and reciprocally with other botanic gardens. There are paths leading back into the wild land up canyon behind the garden. The garden faces southwest and has a more Mediterranean climate than nearby locations. In the winter, the main paths are usually open and safe to walk because they are free of ice; visit the conservatory to warm up. In summer, it gets hot!Visited January 2024Travelled soloWritten 27 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
925 reviews
Excellent
680
Very good
196
Average
37
Poor
4
Terrible
8
Mark H
Irvine, CA238 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
Our favorite outdoor spot in the SLC area! Free admission for American Horticultural Society (AHS) members and reciprocally with other botanic gardens. There are paths leading back into the wild land up canyon behind the garden. The garden faces southwest and has a more Mediterranean climate than nearby locations. In the winter, the main paths are usually open and safe to walk because they are free of ice; visit the conservatory to warm up. In summer, it gets hot!
Written 27 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
misanthropicdreamer
San Francisco, CA545 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
There are some negative reviews and I imagine that they came at the wrong time of year. We just spent a lovely morning in September and found the garden to be wonderful. The paths are clean and paved, the surrounding mountains are impressive, the millions of flowers and plants are well labeled and well tended. There are so many mini gardens like a fragrant flower garden, a herb garden, a drought tolerant garden etc. There are cute animal water fountains, lots and lots of comfortable seating and lovely bench swings that are super fun to sit in while in the lovely gardens. Tickets are super cheap. The only thing this time of year is that after the early hours the temperature gets unbearably hot.
Written 2 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TJtravelerX
Tijuana, Mexico284 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
A must visit. Please schedule a visit and enjoy it. It is a gem in the city and if you like nature, this is a wonderful place. We enjoy it very much
Written 21 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Utrocket71
Toledo, OH369 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
This was a great way to end our vacation out west. We had 3 hours to kill before our flight left SLC. The staff were very cordial and helpful. The layout was very well thought out. There was plenty of places to rest or have lunch. Very scenic views. The gardens were very well maintained and there were a lot of workers very busy attending to the flowers, plants, etc. very worth while visit. We enjoyed it immensely.
Written 10 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pamela
10 contributions
Jul 2023
The garden is a great place to walk around, plus in the summer it's open late, so a good way to close out a day.
Written 23 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChrisWendi
Clovis, CA14 contributions
Jul 2023 • Solo
Solo visit and wanted a safe place to walk alone and see nature. This was just perfect. Found delightful surprises around every turn. The grounds were impeccably kept with so many surprise details in each beautifully designed space. Water features, singing birds , butterflies & bees doing their thing in a little slice of the garden of Eden. The terraces are set up with beautiful visitas for relaxing after a short hike up. Especially enjoyed the small lake with water swooping barn sparrows and dragonflies. Found benches to rest and lay on along the way. Felt extremely safe as a solo walker and spent 3 full hours taking in all the splendor. The rose garden outdoor house was spectacular and in full bloom. At one point I turned the corner into a fairytale and uttered out loud “I can’t even” and laughed to myself as I was so overwhelmed with the abundance of beauty and tranquility. I knew I would enjoy a park but had no idea I would enjoy it this much. HIGHLY recommend to solo travelers, couples and families. I heard one young boy tell his grandparents that they needed to take the secret passageway into the oak tree canopy. It was so magical for all ages. If you doubt going…don’t! Just do it and breathe in the beauty with all your senses.
Written 5 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rina P
Miami, FL3 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Beautiful family day out! The waterfall and small lake area were our favorites and the herb garden too. Great for little kids and if you need to use a stroller. Lots of places to sit and relax and soak up the beauty.
Written 27 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I’m always hungry
Cottonwood Heights, UT2 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
We went for an evening stroll through the gardens. It was much different than I expected but I loved it. You can wander around as you please, stay as long as you want, sit and enjoy the flowers and views on the many benches scattered through the gardens. I saw a few people reading in various locations, which makes me want to go back and spend a good portion of a morning-midday there with a book abcs some snacks. The fragrance garden was my favorite. We ended our walk with the sunset over the city and the gift shop.
Written 4 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Teresa Lewis Watts
Bozeman, MT974 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
21 acres of unique & surprising plants—herbs, trees, flowers—it’s an amazing array of great choices & creative inspiration for home gardens & landscaping ideas! I loved it! The honey bees & bumble bees create beautiful humming filling the air, & along with all the flower scents, it’s an incredible sensory experience! I was here on Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday…It was a cooler, rainy day off & on, & it was magical!
Written 29 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
George C
London, UK21 contributions
May 2023
I enjoyed my visit to this garden immensely. It has wonderful views, hiking trails, cosy sitting areas, and beautiful plants. I highly recommend visiting this place.
Written 12 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What is a good time to arrive to get in line for a concert at Red Butte.
Tony
Miami, FL24 contributions
Save the ticket. Take your blanket, cheese, good Brunello and enjoy the concert from the hill that overlooks the stage.
kevinb
Chicago, IL9 contributions
Are the pathways wheelchair accessible and do they have wheelchairs available?
Red Butte G
Salt Lake City, UT
Yes, most paved paths throughout the Garden are wheelchair accessible.
Fabianajung
Fresno, CA5 contributions
Will we be able to see flowers in april?
Hot-Tati
Gilbert, AZ780 contributions
That's a good question because our weather has fluctuated so much it's really hard to say
elayne l
24 contributions
How far is it from the airport?
mathlady27
Keene, NH6 contributions
About 20 minutes by car. It is on the eastern side of the city near the university.
Thanksgiving, the garden is beautiful when it's winter time?
Barbara S
Salt Lake City, UT52 contributions
It's still pretty in the winter, especially after a fresh snow. You will need to bundle up, wear boots and expect a snowscape. The view from there is amazing year around. There are usually indoor activities scheduled during the winter months.
When is the best time to visit the sight?
Barbara S
Salt Lake City, UT52 contributions
I love the garden in the spring when the wisteria is in bloom. June is also beautiful when the rose garden is breathtaking and fragrant. It can get very warm in July and August. I visit in the evening during those months.
Hokiedokie
57 contributions
How long should we plan to spend here?
jefforylong
Salt Lake City, UT2 contributions
Yes I could answer that. You could spend 4 to 6 hours if you wanted I beautiful. One issue is the weather. It gets hot up there during the late summer. I have videoed a few weddings and the temp in the sun was 102. Go in the evening or morning. Maybe the day you go it will be nice.
You know this place is only a few miles from the zoo and the pioneer monument also so you have multiple things to do up there on the valley east bench.
Jordan T
1 contribution
What time do people generally start lining up to get into the sold out concerts?
runsuerun60
Salt Lake City, UT226 contributions
Not sure but at least and hour and a half. We went to a non sold out concert and there was a huge line an hour before.
Diving is Life
324 contributions
Is there a cafe or any food on site?
Red Butte G
Salt Lake City, UT
Our gift shop has iced coffee in bottles, coca cola products and candy bars and nut/raisin/chocolate mix snacks. Next door to Red Butte Garden is a cafe. At the bottom of Wakara Way is a Corner Bakery.
Wanda O
Salt Lake City, UT4 contributions
Are we allowed to bring a dog?
jefforylong
Salt Lake City, UT2 contributions
Well You should I have seen some funny looking people up there. But It really not a good place for dogs. There are birds and other animals up there and are off the paved path's. You are not suppose to go off the paved and gravel trails which could smash the vegetation. Snakes ? could be up there if the trails are not managed. Dog might get hurt. To hot to leave it in the car too.
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Claim your listingRed Butte Garden - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Red Butte Garden
- Hotels near Red Butte Garden:
- (1.01 km) University Guest House & Conference Center
- (0.89 km) Salt Lake City Marriott University Park
- (2.75 km) Hampton Inn & Suites Salt Lake City/University-Foothill Dr.
- (5.49 km) Inn On The Hill
- (5.68 km) The Grand America Hotel
- Restaurants near Red Butte Garden:
- (0.18 km) The Museum Cafe
- (0.59 km) PHC Dining Hall
- (0.89 km) Wakara Bar
- (0.89 km) Thistle & Thyme
- (5.62 km) Eva's Bakery