Living Room Trail
Steep social trail to a stone furniture viewpoint above the University of Utah — informal, beloved, and one of the best sunset perches on the Wasatch Front.
A moderately steep trail through scrub oak to a stone-furniture 'living room' perched above the University of Utah with views of the entire Salt Lake Valley and downtown skyline. Built and maintained informally by locals.
Quick stats
- Distance
- 3.4 mi round trip
- Elevation gain
- 1020 ft
- Time
- 1.5–2.5 hrs
- Difficulty
- Moderate · family-friendly
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov
Know before you go
Located on University of Utah / state land. No formal trail designation or maintenance.
No hiking permit required.
The route
Sustained steep grade. The social trail braids in multiple places — some routes are steeper than others.
- 0 mi · Colorow Road Trailhead — Street parking near the Natural History Museum.
- 0.5 mi · Scrub oak zone — trail braids begin — Multiple social trails diverge. Any uphill route reaches the destination.
- 1.7 mi · The Living Room viewpoint — Stone furniture on ridgeline bench. Panoramic west-facing view.
When to go
Exposed south-facing slopes make summer hiking punishing. Spring wildflowers along lower trail. Snow-free earlier than canyon trails. Excellent sunset hike spring and fall.
Safety & hazards
Upper trail is fully exposed with no shade. South- and west-facing slopes absorb significant heat in summer. Carry more water than the distance suggests. The sustained steep grade in summer heat is the primary risk.
Eroded social trail with loose dirt and rock on steep sections. Trekking poles helpful on the descent.
Wildlife & geology
Transitional foothill habitat between Great Basin shrubland and mountain scrub oak zone. The scrub oak provides limited shade in the lower sections.
Wildlife you might see: mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Woodhouse's scrub-jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii).
The trail climbs through Triassic sedimentary rocks on the west flank of the Wasatch Range. Ancient Lake Bonneville shorelines are visible on the surrounding terrain.
History
Named for the stone furniture — chairs, couches, and tables — built by hikers at the viewpoint over the years.
The hillside was open range before the university expanded. The social trail developed organically from foot traffic.
An informal, community-maintained viewpoint. The stone furniture is periodically rebuilt by volunteers after storms or vandalism.
Nearby hikes
- Ensign Peak Trail — Salt Lake City Foothills
- Mount Olympus — Wasatch Front