This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
To get there • From Foothill Drive, head east on Wakara Way, heading toward the entrance to Red Butte Gardens. Take a right onto Colorow Drive, just before the garden entrance and park on the street. The trail head is at the side of the road.
The hike • The Living Room is good for a quick hike that's close to downtown and offers an impressive view, but the elevation gain puts the hike solidly into the "moderate" difficulty range.
At the trail head, take the path east to the shoreline trail. Cross over the path and head to the Skyline Nature trail. At the posted sign, take the well-defined path north and east before climbing up several switchbacks heading north toward Georges Hollow.
It should look as though you're headed deeper into the canyon. At the mouth of Georges Hollow, there are several trails that seem to stem from the path — stay on the trail to the right. It will veer left again up along the ridgeline and lead you to the living room.
Views of the valley open up around 0.85 miles. At the 1-mile mark, you reach an area the locals call Finger Rock. Continue along the ridgeline, which requires some relatively easy scrambling. There is no sign indicating where The Living Room is, but once you turn the corner around the sandstone rocks at about the 1.3-mile mark, you'll see stone shapes that resemble benches.
Kick back on a sandstone sofa and enjoy beautiful views of the Salt Lake Valley while clicking a rock remote and resting your feet on a stone stool.
At your feet, you can see the valley, the Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrh Mountains.
Return the way you came.
Marissa Lang Destination Living Room
Hiking time 2 hours
Round trip miles 4 miles
Elevation gain 1,100 feet
Difficulty Moderate
Trail head restrooms No
Dogs allowed Yes
Bikes allowed No
Fees No