Red Butte Garden is a 100-acre botanical garden and arboretum located in the foothills of the Wasatch Range at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. This 2026 visitor guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, transport or parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips.
This guide was updated in March 2026 to reflect the current $18 adult admission price and the seasonal shift to 9:00 a.m. opening hours for the spring season.
Quick facts about Red Butte Garden
| Category | Details |
| Opening hours | 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (March schedule) |
| Ticket prices | Adults $18, Seniors $15, Youth (3-17) $10 |
| Address | 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108 |
| Nearest public transport or parking | Free on-site parking available |
| Typical time needed to visit | 2 to 3 hours |
Red Butte Garden opening hours
Red Butte Garden operates on a highly seasonal schedule, opening at 9:00 a.m. and closing at 5:00 p.m. daily throughout March. Hours extend to 7:30 p.m. in April and September, and to 9:00 p.m. from May through August (with an early 7:00 a.m. opening on Thursdays).
Winter hours from October through December are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., while January and February open later at 10:00 a.m. The garden is strictly closed on Thanksgiving Day and from 24 December through 1 January, and closes early at 5:00 p.m. on days when outdoor summer concerts are scheduled.
5 great Salt Lake City experiences to book
- 🦬 See Antelope Island’s bison herd – on a Great Salt Lake wildlife tour.
- 🚌 See Salt Lake City’s highlights on a bus tour – and hear the Tabernacle Choir.
- 🏜️ Be dazzled by the bright white Bonneville Salt Flats – on a half day adventure.
- 👻 Hear SLC’s spookiest tales – on an after-dark ghost tour.
- 🍽️ Take a food tour – and taste Salt Lake City’s finest flavours.
Red Butte Garden ticket prices
Admission requires purchasing a general entry ticket upon arrival at the visitor centre.
Standard daily admission costs $18 for adults (ages 18-64), $15 for seniors (65+), military personnel, and non-University of Utah students, and $10 for youth (ages 3-17). Children aged two and under enter for free. Red Butte Garden is not included in the Visit Salt Lake Connect Pass, which instead covers nearby regional attractions such as the Natural History Museum of Utah, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, and This Is The Place Heritage Park.
Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in March 2026.
How to get to Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Garden is located on the eastern edge of the University of Utah campus. Driving or using a rideshare service is the most direct method, following Wakara Way eastbound until it ends at the entrance.
For public transport, visitors can take the UTA TRAX Red Line to the University Medical Center Station. From there, the University of Utah operates a free “On Demand” campus shuttle that can be requested by phone to drop visitors directly at the garden entrance.
Why book the Salt Lake City Guided Bus Tour?
- 🏛️ Temple Square Exploration: Experience the heart of the city with a guided walk through this iconic 10-acre complex, featuring the Salt Lake Temple, beautiful gardens, and historic architecture.
- 🎵 The Tabernacle Organ: Step inside the world-famous Tabernacle to see one of the largest pipe organs in existence and learn about the legendary Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
- 🏔️ Utah State Capitol: Visit one of the nation’s most beautiful statehouses for a tour of its grand interior and a chance to capture panoramic views of the entire Salt Lake Valley.
- 🚜 This Is The Place Heritage Park: Discover the history of the American West at the historic site marking the end of the 1,300-mile Mormon Pioneer Trail.
- 🏅 Winter Olympic Legacy: See landmarks from the 2002 Winter Games, including the Olympic Cauldron Park, while hearing insider stories about the city’s transformation into a global sporting destination.
Parking at Red Butte Garden
Free on-site parking is available for all visitors directly outside the Walter P. Cottam Visitor Center.
The paved surface lot is shared with the adjacent Natural History Museum of Utah and provides ample space for standard vehicles. Additional designated parking areas are opened further down the hill during the busy summer concert series.
How long to spend at Red Butte Garden
Visitors typically need between two and three hours to fully explore Red Butte Garden.
This allows enough time to walk the paved paths through the themed botanical spaces, visit the greenhouses, and hike a portion of the unpaved natural area trails extending into the foothills.
Accessibility at Red Butte Garden
Red Butte Garden provides wide, paved, accessible pathways throughout the central themed gardens and around the visitor centre.
Complimentary manual wheelchairs are available to borrow at the front desk on a first-come, first-served basis. However, the upper natural areas and foothill hiking trails feature uneven dirt and gravel surfaces with steep inclines that are not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
Inside / what to see at Red Butte Garden
The site spans 100 acres, combining cultivated botanical spaces with preserved natural foothills. Visitors enter through the Walter P. Cottam Visitor Center, which houses a gift shop, indoor event spaces, and access to the main courtyards.
Themed areas include the Fragrance Garden, the Rose Garden, and the Children’s Garden, which features interactive water elements and a splash pad during the warmer months.
Over 3,000 species of plants and trees are cultivated across the property, focusing strongly on water-wise, regional, and high-elevation horticulture suitable for the local climate.
The upper portion of the estate consists of an expansive natural area featuring several miles of hiking trails. These dirt paths offer unobstructed panoramic views over the Salt Lake Valley and out to the Great Salt Lake.
During the summer, the terraced outdoor Amphitheatre hosts a popular, separately ticketed live music concert series, drawing national touring artists to the botanical setting.
Practical visitor tips
| Category | Tip |
| Timing | Visit during weekday mornings to enjoy the quietest trail conditions and secure the closest parking spaces. |
| Crowds | Half-price admission is offered in December, January, and February, making these colder months popular for budget-conscious local walkers. |
| Layout | The garden sits on a hillside with a significant elevation gain, making comfortable walking shoes and a water bottle essential. |
| Entry process | General admission tickets are sold at the front desk inside the visitor centre and do not require advance booking. |
| On-site logistics | Picnics are welcome on the grounds, but outside alcohol is strictly prohibited outside of the ticketed summer concert events. |
Frequently asked questions about Red Butte Garden
| Question | Answer |
| Is Red Butte Garden suitable for children? | Yes, the site features a dedicated Children’s Garden with interactive elements and wide, safe paths for families. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Red Butte Garden? | No, standard daily admission tickets can be purchased on-site upon arrival. |
| Is Red Butte Garden open on Sundays? | Yes, the garden is open on Sundays year-round, following the standard seasonal hours. |
| Are bags allowed at Red Butte Garden? | Standard day bags, backpacks, and picnic coolers are permitted during regular daytime visiting hours. |
Things to do near Red Butte Garden
- Natural History Museum of Utah
- This Is The Place Heritage Park
- Utah’s Hogle Zoo
- Fort Douglas Military Museum
- Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park
More Utah travel
Other Utah travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Driving Utah Highway 12 – one of America’s most spectacular drives.
- Practical guides to the Navajo Loop Trail, Inspiration Point and Rainbow Point in Bryce Canyon National Park.
- First time visitor’s guide to Dead Horse Point State Park.
- How to see Delicate Arch.
- Antelope Island – the wildlife refuge of the Great Salt Lake.
