This meadow is filled with wildflowers and is great for families or with a dog very close to downtown Salt Lake City. It is an easy 2.6 miles round trip to the meadow, but you can go further to the Ensign Peak loop. This is also the same trailhead as Meridian Peak.

Trailhead

Tunnel Springs is a park and nature area in North Salt Lake. Tunnel Springs has two parking lots. One paved next to the tennis courts and one off an improved dirt road, but any car should be able to do either.

Tunnel Springs is popular with photographers, hikers, and mountain bikers. Head along the trail to the south.

Within a few minutes you get some nice city views and some smaller flowers.

You can look towards up to the foothills or towards the Great Salt Lake.

Take the main trail that heads gradually up the hill around the corner. If you look back behind to the northwest, then this is the view.

You still get city views.

You will see the radio tower up ahead.

In the image above, do you see the lighter colored section near the cyclist’s helmet? That is the flower field. So turn left at the junction and then you will arrive at the meadow.

Most of the meadow is filled with lupines. I believe they are Silvery Lupines.

There are also some balsamleaf arrowroot, which are the yellow flowers.

Please don’t trample the flowers, but depending on where you stand you may get some nice views.

You can continue along that path to the burnt hillsides and beyond on the Ensign Peak Loop or you can turn around. If you go back to the junction and then to the top of the meadow along the other trail, you see some Indian paintbrush wildflowers with the lupines.

Stats: Distance – 2.6 miles roundtrip
Approximate hiking time – 1 to 2 hours
Elevation gain – 460 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – well maintained trail of dirt and rocks.
Bathrooms – Yes (near playground)
Seasons to hike – March – November (wildflowers bloom in late May)
Permits needed – None
Pets allowed – Yes

Other nearby hikes are