Park City's Olympic Legacy: Visiting Utah Olympic Park with Kids

Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, and I may earn a commission from Booking.com, Mavely, and CJ partner links at no extra cost to you.

Where Olympic Dreams Come Alive

Kimball Junction stays on Booking are the closest base. Utah Olympic Park - built for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and now ramping up again for the 2034 Games - is one of Park City's most exciting family attractions. Team USA athletes still train here. Your kids can get a taste of the Olympic feeling on a Tuesday afternoon for the price of a museum ticket. Liam has been begging for the bobsled since he was eight.

Summer Activities

Extreme Zip Line - Soar over the Olympic ski jumps on one of the steepest zip lines in the country. Kids must be at least 45 inches tall.

Summer Bobsled - Ride a wheeled bobsled down the actual Olympic track at speeds up to 60 mph. Thrilling but well-controlled. Kids sixteen and under ride with a pilot. Worth thinking about whether your kid is the kind who tolerates fast or the kind who freezes.

Rope Course and Drop Tower - An aerial adventure course with varying difficulty levels. Great for building confidence. Bring sport sunglasses for the outdoor activities.

The Alf Engen Ski Museum

Inside the park, this museum covers the history of skiing in Utah and the 2002 Olympics. Interactive exhibits let kids try virtual ski jumping and learn about winter sports science. Free with park admission and a perfect rainy-day activity.

Winter at the Park

In winter, you can watch freestyle skiing and ski jumping athletes train on the real competition hills - this is one of the small free wonders of Park City. Bring a thermos. Stand at the rail. Watch the future of the sport throw doubles into a foam pit thirty feet from you. The Nordic trails are groomed for cross-country skiing - a wonderful family activity that is gentler on the body than downhill. Pack hand warmers for spectating on cold training days.

Practical Info

The park is about five minutes from Main Street, off the Olympic Parkway exit. Summer season runs June through September. Buy tickets online in advance for the best prices. Budget about half a day to do everything. Make sure everyone has a good water bottle. Hydration at altitude is non-negotiable, especially after three runs on the bobsled with sweaty kids. Pack a compact first aid kit. With kids on a ropes course, scrapes happen. Comfortable hiking shoes for the trails around the park. Kids' headphones for travel days.

One Real Warning

The Olympic Park sits up against open foothills where moose are real residents and not photo opportunities. We have run into them on the access trails three different summers. Give them fifty yards of space, full stop. If a cow with a calf is between you and your car, wait it out, do not try to walk past. And altitude here is no joke for sea-level visitors. Drink water on day one, do the easy stuff first, save the bobsled for day two.