Things to do in Kimball Junction: A Wetland Preserve, Olympic Venues and Trails
A plain guide to Kimball Junction, Utah: Swaner Preserve, the Utah Olympic Park and state parks a short drive away.
8 Oct 2026
Kimball Junction sits where Interstate 80 meets State Route 224, at about 6,500 feet. It is the first stop for many people heading into Park City, and the Wasatch Mountains rise to the west. The place is named for William Henry Kimball, who ran a stage stop here. It is a busy crossroads, but two large public places sit right beside it.
Outdoors
Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter covers 1,200 acres at the entry to Park City. It is a wetland, with trails open to visitors and good bird watching. Utah State University runs the site and uses it for research. The EcoCenter offers guided walks for children and adults, along with family activities and summer camps.
The preserve has about 10 miles of trails. It protects high alpine wetlands, and 533 acres sit under a federal wetland easement that began in 2001. The story starts in 1993, when a local ranch partnership gave 190 acres in memory of Leland Swaner. More land was added over the next few years, and by 1999 the preserve passed 1,000 acres. The EcoCenter building opened in 2008. It covers 10,000 square feet and earned a LEED Platinum rating for green design in 2009. Inside is a climbing wall with a wetland theme. The preserve became part of Utah State University in 2010.
Wear shoes that can handle damp ground, and bring binoculars.
Places to see
The Utah Olympic Park is a venue of nearly 400 acres, built for the 2002 Winter Games. It has one of only four sliding tracks in North America and six Nordic ski jumps, and it is a training site for athletes. Visitors can walk through the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum. Both are in the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center at the park. The same building also holds the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame and the PSIA Ski Hall of Fame, and the museum keeps a library for visitors. The Olympic Park is an official training site for the U.S. Olympic committee, so you may see athletes at work. There are also zip lines and a mountain coaster.
For families
Both places suit children. At Swaner, the programs are built for young people. At the Olympic Park, the museums, the ziplines and the mountain coaster make a half day.
A short drive away
Rockport State Park is on a reservoir near Peoa. It offers boating, fishing for trout and bass, camping, hiking, biking and kayaking. It is also an International Dark Sky Park, so it is a fine place to look at stars. Winter brings ice fishing. The park has more than 100 campsites in five campgrounds, an archery range with life-sized animal targets, and rentals of canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.
The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail runs nearly 30 miles from the mountains near Park City to Echo Reservoir. It is Utah's first non-motorized rail trail, and it follows the old railway bed through Wanship and Coalville. People bike, ride horses, hike and cross-country ski on it. It drops from about 6,900 feet to about 5,280 feet along the way.
Jordanelle State Park, in Wasatch County, has three areas on a large reservoir and is also a Dark Sky Park. Hailstone has picnicking, camping and boating. Rock Cliff has the nature center, and Ross Creek is for day visits. The park is close to Park City and to the venues used in the 2002 Games.
When the weather turns
Try the museums at the Utah Olympic Park. The EcoCenter at Swaner is also indoors, with its exhibits and climbing wall. Check each site's own page for what is open.
Getting around
A transit center at Kimball Junction connects to Park City and Salt Lake City. Park City is about 15 minutes away by road.
Good to know
The preserve is wetland. Stay on marked trails.
Mountain weather changes fast. Pack a layer in every season.
Check each site's own page for current hours and trail news.
Find local businesses
Planning a visit, or live nearby and need a hand with something? Browse the local businesses listed in the Park City and Summit County guide to find who serves Kimball Junction and the towns around it.
Useful links
About Kimball Junction: the town at a glance
Own a business in Kimball Junction? Claim or add your listing, free
By Thomas Hassett and Eric Andrews, Local Business America
Photo: Schmiebel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources: Wikipedia, "Kimball Junction, Utah" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimball_Junction,_Utah); Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, USU Extension (https://extension.usu.edu/swaner); Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation (https://utaholympiclegacy.org/); Wikipedia, "Utah Olympic Park" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Olympic_Park); Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, USU Extension, "Mission & History" (https://extension.usu.edu/swaner/mission-and-history); Alf Engen Ski Museum, "Olympic Park" (https://engenmuseum.org/olympic-park/); Utah State Parks, "Rockport State Park" (https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/rockport/); Utah State Parks, "Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail" (https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/historic-union-pacific-rail-trail/); Utah State Parks, "Jordanelle State Park" (https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/jordanelle/). Wikipedia text is available under CC BY-SA.