See Utah’s Natural Beauty Without Leaving The City When You Walk The Ogden River Parkway
One of the best things about living in Utah is our proximity to beautiful, natural spaces. Even in our cities, the mountains are just moments from our front doorsteps, and our city parks provide even more green space.
Ogden has a pretty path that cuts right through town, and it’s just begging to be explored. Check out the Ogden River Parkway:
The nine mile out-and-back Ogden River Trail starts at the mouth of Ogden Canyon and stretches all the way down to 21st Street Pond, with an option to continue along the Weber River Parkway to extend your journey.
The top of the trail is located right next to the Dinosaur Park, across from Rainbow Gardens.
The trail is paved the entire way, and it's perfect for strolling or biking. You can choose to spend the day tackling the entire trail, or just complete a small section.
You'll find trailheads at any of the spots we mention here.
The trail follows the Ogden River, which provides a picturesque backdrop for your journey through the city.
The Ogden River Parkway crosses the river several times...
...and also has tunnels under Harrison, Monroe, Washington, and Wall, so you'll avoid traffic during your journey.
From the top of the trail, you'll skirt around the Dinosaur Park (we highly recommend a visit), then you'll soon come to Big D Park.
This large, grassy park is used for several different sports, and also offers picnic areas, a playground, and restrooms.
Continue on to Ogden Botanical Gardens, a lovely little oasis with several different gardens covering 11 acres.
Your next stop is Lorrin Farr Park. Named after Ogden's first mayor, it's a shady space with a skate park and swimming pool. When the weather's hot, this is the perfect place to cool off.
Across Washington Boulevard, you'll find Slackwater Pizza & Pub.
This beloved pizza place is right along the trail, and it's a great spot to fuel your adventure.
After a tasty pizza, you'll be ready for a bit more exercise. High Adventure Park has several cool climbing structures and playgrounds, as well as river access for wading and splashing. Shady benches provide spots to relax and take it easy, too.
21st Street Pond is the end of the Ogden River Parkway trail, and it's a picturesque place for the end of your journey. The paved path circles all the way around the large pond, then you'll come to the end of the trail.
From the pond, you can extend your journey down the Weber River Parkway! The paved trail continues on for another five miles, and Fort Buenaventura is just 1.5 miles from the pond.
Have you hiked the Ogden River Parkway? We’d love to see your photos in the comments!
Learn more about Rainbow Gardens in our feature article here.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.