In mid Oct. I'll be staying in SLC 2 nights and then driving to Park City for 3 nights. I want to do the Alpine Loop Dr. and wasn't sure whether that was best done from SLC, or from Park City. Thanks.
Park City and SLC in Oct.
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If you follow this webpage's advice - start near Heber - which is about 20 minutes from Park City, and it goes past Sundance ski resort. http://www.allparkcity.com/scenic_drives/alpine_scenic_loop.php
FYI - Park city is about 45 minutes or so from SLC.
We also liked driving from the back side - via dirt road - from Park City/Deer Valley over to the other ski areas - Solitude and Brighton - but that probably depends on the weather in October as to whether or not it's open.
Did that a few years ago - so ask around about the current status of that road/drive.
Actually - while you are in SLC - one afternoon/evening - you could drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to see Snowbird and Alta (30 plus minutes) - and another afternoon - up Big Cottonwood Canyon to see Solitude and Brighton (less than minutes).
http://saltlakecity.about.com/od/sportsrecreation/tp/Salt-Lake-City-Utah-Ski-Resorts.htm
It's route 224 from Brighton to Park City - or vice versa:
It's less than 15 miles and a beautiful drive - weather permitting. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1253&bih=658&wrapid=tlif134852838518710&um=1&ie=UTF-8&gl=us&daddr=Deer+Valley+Ski+Areza&saddr=Brighton+ski+area&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=IYBhJu9YNYjv;IUIvT4RXJHzY&sa=X&ei=EOlgUJOWCoPniwLR94GYBA&ved=0CCEQ9w8wAA
sylvester,
Normally Utah's fall colors are at peak the last week of Sept and first week of Oct. This year, the oaks and maples (orange and red) started changing at the first week of August!! I've never seen them change so early and people who know said it's because of the severe drought we've had this year. They just decided to go dormant early.
The aspens started changing last weekend and are going very fast. I think you are going to miss the peak colors, but the leaves in the valley are starting their change now.
The Alpine Loop is a fabulous drive. You can do it several ways. Go south out of SLC and east into American Fork Canyon, up and over to Sundance in Provo Canyon, or the reverse. Be sure to have Sunday Brunch reservations at the Tree Room in advance!
You could also start in Park City, go up over Empire Pass (where Levi Leipheimer won the final stage of the Tour of Utah this year), down to Midway. Then head up the dirt road past Soldier Hollow over to Cascade Springs and on to Sundance. (I like the Alpine Loop better.)
Bring a warm coat, hat and gloves. October can be any kind of weather you can imagine.
Have fun