Back
Big Cottonwood Canyon, Wasatch Mountains, Utah
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped

Drives Utah Salt Lake and the Wasatch

Big Cottonwood Canyon

UT 190 · Canyon mouth → Brighton

Sweeping9.7 mi15 min2,800 ft climbHigh point ≈ 8,700 ftOne way
Scan to drive it in CarvePoint a phone's camera here. It opens ready to drive.
Drive it in Carve, free

Opens this route in the app, or where to get it.

Drive this road
in the appOpen

The drive

Highway 190 runs from the canyon mouth at the edge of Salt Lake City up Big Cottonwood Canyon beside the creek. It climbs close to 4,000 feet through tight curves and cliffs, passes Solitude, and ends at Brighton, where the road loops. It is 9.7 miles and about 15 minutes.

Guardsman Pass to Park City leaves near the top and is its own drive. The canyon road is open all year, since it serves the ski areas.

In winter the drive depends on snow and avalanche control.

Along the way

  1. Canyon mouth
  2. Solitude
  3. Brighton
Elevation
2,800 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 8,700 ft
Canyon mouthBrighton
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Canyon mouthBrighton
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • UDOT enforces a traction law in winter and may close the canyon for avalanche control.
  • Highway 190 continues to Guardsman Pass, which is a separate seasonal road with its own closures; this drive stays in the canyon.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check UDOT Traffic.

Questions about this drive

How long is Big Cottonwood Canyon?

Highway 190 from the canyon mouth to Brighton is 9.7 miles and takes about 15 minutes.

Is Big Cottonwood Canyon open in winter?

Yes, but UDOT enforces a traction law and may close the canyon for avalanche control.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

Free on iPhone and Android. CarPlay and Android Auto come with Apex.

Download on theApp StoreEarly access onGoogle Play

More drives near here

All 34 drives in Utah ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

+ Plan a new route
Map of Big Cottonwood Canyon, from Canyon mouth to Brighton