Mount Wire is a steep but pleasant hike that’s great for a quickie, outdoor adventure. This small mountain overlooks the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, which means for urban dwellers, Mount Wire is conveniently close, and can be hiked every season of the year, even in winter. Unfortunately, Mount Wire isn’t much to look at (it suffers from Brown Mound syndrome.) But what this little hill lacks in prestige, it more than makes up for with steep trails, nice views of the valley, and a spacious top with plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the fresh air. Plus, Mount Wire is dog friendly!
The hike to Mount Wire begins at the top of Research Park at the University of Utah near Red Butte Gardens, just south of the new Utah Museum of Natural History. Most people park their cars on the street and take one of many trailheads to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Just as there are tons of options for trailheads, there are also many ways to ascend to the top of Mount Wire.
The typical way to hike Mount Wire is via the famous “Living Room” – that ever popular setting half-way up the slopes of the mountain where furniture built from stone provides a comfortable place to watch the sunset with a picnic or bottle of wine. From there, the trail continues up the small valley behind a sub peak where the Living Room resides, then around the north side of Mount Wire to the top. This standard route is less steep than other paths, but is longer and requires more time.
If you need a quicker route, or are looking for a major leg workout, you can march up a trail that climbs straight up the mountain’s west face. This trail is steep… and loose. In fact, the route is so steep, that you’ll want to bring trekking poles along just for balance on the crumbling dirt. While the trail certainly is direct, you’ll quickly found yourself far above the valley floor in no time.
As you ascend Mount Wire, you’ll travel through sage and gamble oak that litter the sides of the mountain among open views of the surrounding Wasatch and Oquirrh Mountains. The Great Salt Lake glitters in the distance, and the low hum of a teeming city provides the soundtrack for a bruiser of a leg-burning stomp fest.
After about an hour or two, depending on the route you take to the top, you’ll reach the 7,137 foot summit of Mount Wire. Two defunct passive microwave repeaters are the main feature of the summit, which were once used to bounce radio signals over the mountains to remote parts of Utah. Also at the top is a old air beacon used long ago by pilots flying over the area.
After taking pictures of these structures and having a snack, you can descend back down the way you came, or choose a different trail to the base of the mountain. Either way, if you point your hiking boots down the west face, you’ll end up back at the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and your car. Just watch out for those loose rocks on the steep sections.
Thanks for this little story… I always wondered what the box on the hill was. BTW, your web site has a permanent tab on my browser. Thanks for all the write ups!
Wow! We’re honored to have a tab on your browser! Thanks for reading and for the compliment.