One Of The Best Sunset Spots In America Is A Peaceful Utah Peak Just Outside Of Salt Lake City

Sometimes, an immaculate sunset is enough to draw you to a particular place, and America's western region is full of locations to perfectly frame a sunset view. Many come to Death Valley's best sunset viewing spots just to see the lavish colors and magic hour scenery. Meanwhile, at Lake Tahoe, travelers head to the best beaches to catch the spectacular sunset. Though both of these destinations are, no doubt, gorgeous backdrops for when night falls, neither quite made it to the list of best sunset spots in the U.S. ranked by Plum Guide. One peaceful spot in Utah, however, did: Ensign Peak.

Ensign Peak is quite small compared to what you might expect of Rocky Mountain-striped Utah, at around 5,000 feet in elevation (the nearby Twin Peaks, by contrast, reach well over 10,000 feet high). But when you reach the top of Ensign Peak, you'll see why it earns high praise without needing to be so high physically. There's a lovely picnic area at the top, marked by an interesting stone monument with a unique connection to the area's Mormon history. You can see out across the Salt Lake Valley, including nearby Salt Lake City's lights flickering on as the sky grows dark and the Great Salt Lake framed by the Wasatch Mountains. Because the peak's trail is relatively short to reach the summit, you don't need to be the most experienced hiker to cash in on these world-class views, too.

You won't have any difficulty finding your way to Ensign Peak's prime vantage point, as the trail up is easy to follow and well marked. The trail is just over a mile and takes most hikers an hour or two. Once the trail turns from concrete to dirt, you'll come to a fork, at which you should turn right to get to the peak. From here you go up a steep portion, cross a small pass, and then the Ensign Peak stone monument comes into view — follow the monument to reach the top.

Once you get to the monument, notice how its stones seem to be mismatched and from different sources. In fact, that's intentional. The stones were gathered from different sections of the Mormon Trail (the historic route traced by the first Mormons to reach Utah) to make this monument, and the structure commemorates one of the most important lookout points of Mormon history. When the Mormons arrived here in 1847, their leader, Brigham Young, climbed the peak to scope out the valley and plan the building of Salt Lake City. He reported seeing the peak in a vision in which he was told to build under the peak.

You can see across the entire valley from here, just as Young and his cohorts did when mapping out the city. Facing south, you'll see Downtown Salt Lake City, with the striking white dome of the Utah State Capitol visible in the foreground. To the west, you can see the Great Salt Lake reflecting the golden light, with Antelope Island and the mountains beyond. And to the east are the higher peaks of the Wasatch Mountains, forming a colorful wall in the sunset's glow.

Ensign Peak's trailhead is in the residential area just north of the Utah State Capitol building, tucked behind a church parking lot. The parking lot can get full, but there's usually plenty of street parking available. It's about a 17-minute drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport to the trailhead. The trail is open all year (with great views at any season), but bear in mind that while the summer season is popular, it gets very hot. It's a good idea to bring sunscreen, lots of water, and potentially some binoculars for the views.

If you want to extend your hike, you could go back down to where the pass is along the trail. A wide path going north from here connects to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail for a longer, more varied hike. This trail climbs along the ridges of the Foothills Natural Area, where you'll find many other trails branching off. Alternatively, you could descend back into the city and explore Salt Lake City's walkable main street and eclectic arts scene. About a 10-minute drive from the Ensign Peak trailhead, Handle Bar is a trendy dining spot with 4.5 stars on Google reviews, perfect for grabbing a post-hike bite or craft beer.