Hiking trails near Salt Lake City take hikers above the city skyline, near gorgeous Lakes, along steep mountainous terrain, deep into the gorgeous green forests and so much more. With so much to hike from city to forest to mountain, this attracts a large amount of other hiking enthusiasts. With so many hikers that call Salt Lake City home, also means a lot of hiking groups you can choose from.
Here is a list of the top 8 Salt Lake City hiking groups in the area. Each group has its own goals and focus, so be sure to try out multiple hiking groups to find one that fits you the best! From making friends to hiking the toughest trails, these groups offer a variety of wonderful outdoor experiences:
- Hiking and Nature Club – 1,129 Members
- Wasatch Hiking & Outdoors Group – 14,551 Members
- Wasatch Mountain Club – 5,976 Members
- Explore Wild Utah – 1,849 Members
- Outdoor Thrillseekers – 4,680 Members
- Utah Outdoors – 13,019 Members
- Adventure SLC – 9,023 Members
- SLC Active Ladies! (Ages 25-35) – 142 members
Hiking and Nature Club
Cost to Join: Free
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Hiking-and-Nature-Club/
Description: The Hiking and Nature Club has 1,129 members and consistently meets. They have between two and three hiking events each week that average around 10 attendees per event. This group has had over 98 events in the past with mostly hiking but with biking mixed in.
Wasatch Hiking & Outdoors Group
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/wasatchhiking/
Description: The Wasatch Hiking & Outdoors Group is the largest hiking group in Salt Lake City with over 14,000 members strong. They feature hikes for people of all skill levels, camping trips, road trips, and various social gatherings. Their events take place throughout Wasatch Front which include Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, and Utah counties. In the past they have hosted over 948 events with events on a weekly basis.
Wasatch Mountain Club
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/Wasatch-Mountain-Club/
Description: The Wasatch Mountain Club is also a large club with over 5,976 members. This group focuses on safe participation and wilderness preservation throughout the Wasatch Mountains and beyond. They have hiking, backpacking, camping, canyoneering, biking, ice climbing, snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and so much more. What doesn’t this group do? This group typically has one or two events scheduled each month.
Explore Wild Utah
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/explore-wild-utah/
Description: Explore Wild Utah has 1,849 members and wants to bring people together who love the great outdoors. They hike all over the place from cities, mountains, and deserts. They also have trips for biking, canyoneering, backpacking, and climbing. They typically have one event each month.
Outdoor Thrillseekers
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/outdoorthrillseekers/
Description: Outdoor Thrillseekers is a group for those that want exciting outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, snowshoeing, white water rafting, kayaking, canyoneering, tubing, skiing, snowboarding, camping, backpacking, and so many other events. This group typically hosts two events a month.
Utah Outdoors
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/utahoutdoors/
Description: Utah Outdoors is the second largest group with more than 13,000 members. Their goals are to explore the canyons, deserts, and mountains of Utah and nearby states. They are focused on adventure, community, and education. They have had over 3,376 events in the past and host multiple events a week.
Adventure SLC
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Sandy, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/AdventureSLC/
Description: Adventure SLC is a group for the casual to the extreme. Their goal is to get like minded people together into nature and give back to the cause. They have 9,023 members and have had more then 950 events in the past. They typically have one event a week.
SLC Active Ladies! (Ages 25-35)
Cost to Join: Free
Location:Salt Lake City, UT
Link: https://www.meetup.com/SLC-Girls-Workout-Group/
Description: SLC Active Ladies is a group that focuses on working out, hiking, mountain biking, backpacking and more for women between 25-35. They have had 30 events in the past with one event each month.
Why should you join a Salt Lake City hiking group?
Discover New Trails
If you are new to Salt Lake City or you are getting started with hiking, then it can be overwhelming with the number of trails to choose from. By joining a hiking group you can narrow down your options and even discover new trails that you might have otherwise missed. Local hikers will show you the true hiking gems that may not be listed on blogs or websites.
Build a Routine
If you are looking to build a hiking routine and are trying to find a consistent group to hike with then joining a Salt Lake City hiking group is a great idea. There are many groups that meet on a weekly basis and even some that meet multiple times a week. This is a great way to build a consistent hiking routine. By hiking consistently you will build up endurance for your hikes and be able to hike even more trails!
Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone
Another great reason to consider joining a local hiking group is to go beyond your comfort zone. If you are used to local or shorter hikes there are groups that hike longer and more challenging hikes. By hiking these more challenging hikes with others you can get assistance and tips from other more experienced hikers. Some hiking groups also plan trips out of town that may be new to you, which is another great opportunity that hiking groups provide.
3 things to consider when joining a Salt Lake City hiking group
Where do they meet?
A key consideration when picking a hiking group is to find out where their past hikes have been and where their upcoming hikes are. You don’t want try to join a hiking group that meets on the north side of the 80 or the opposite end of the 215. By finding out where they meet you can choose a group that meets at a location that is convenient for you so you are more likely to show up!
How often do they meet?
The next key consideration is to find out how often the hiking group meets up. If you are looking for a more consistent group, then find groups that meetup on a weekly basis. There are some groups that only have events once a month or once every few months, so keep this in mind when looking for groups.
Where do most of their hikes take place?
Another key consideration to think about is where do their hikes take place. Are the hikes more local and thus easier to show up to or are they scheduled to have more out of town hikes that require a one or two hour drive. Different groups focus on different areas, so be sure to find out where their past and upcoming hikes will take place.
Summary
Salt Lake City hiking is absolutely wonderful taking you from local urban hikes, up to the shores of gorgeous blue lakes, into the deep green forests, and along the ridges of massive peaks. By joining hiking groups you can share the views and experiences of all of these fantastic trails.
All of these groups provide a wonderful experience with shared hiking and will help you meet your individual goals whether it be to hike consistently, go on epic out of town trips, or to find groups that will push you to the limit!
