Park City, Utah

Park City
Overlooking Park City in November 2013
Overlooking Park City in November 2013
Location in Summit County and the state of Utah
Location in Summit County and the state of Utah
Coordinates: 40°39′01″N 111°30′05″W / 40.65028°N 111.50139°W / 40.65028; -111.50139
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
CountySummit
Wasatch
Founded1869[1]
Named forParley's Park
Area
 • Total19.99 sq mi (51.77 km2)
 • Land19.99 sq mi (51.76 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation6,936 ft (2,114 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total8,396
 • Density420.1/sq mi (162.21/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (Mountain)
ZIP Codes
84060, 84068, 84098
Area code435
FIPS code49-58070[4]
GNIS feature ID2411372[3]
Websitewww.parkcity.org

Park City is a city in Utah, United States. The vast majority is in Summit County with some portions extending into Wasatch County.[5] It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is 32 miles (51 km) southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and 20 miles (32 km) from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 8,396 at the 2020 census. On average, the tourist population greatly exceeds the number of permanent residents.

After a population decline following the shutdown of the area's mining industry, the city rebounded during the 1980s and 1990s through an expansion of its tourism business. As of 2021 the city brings in a yearly average of $529.8 million to the Utah Economy as a tourist hot spot, $80 million of which is attributed to the Sundance Film Festival.[6] The city has two major ski resorts: Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort (combined with Canyons Village at Park City) and one minor resort: Woodward Park City (an action sports training and fun center). Both Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resorts were the major locations for ski and snowboarding events at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Although they receive less snow and have a shorter ski season than do their counterparts in Salt Lake County, such as Snowbird resort, they are much easier to access.

In 2015, Park City Ski Resort and Canyons resorts merged, creating the largest ski area in the U.S. In all, the resort boasts 17 slopes, 14 bowls, 300 trails and 22 miles (35 km) of lifts.

The city is the main location of the United States' largest independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival; home of the United States Ski Team; training center for members of the Australian Freestyle Ski Team; the largest collection of factory outlet stores in northern Utah; the 2002 Olympic bobsled/skeleton/luge track at the Utah Olympic Park; and golf courses. Some scenes from the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber were shot in the city. Outdoor-oriented businesses such as backcountry.com, Rossignol USA, and Skullcandy have their headquarters in Park City. The city has many retailers, clubs, bars, and restaurants, and has nearby reservoirs, hot springs, forests, and hiking and biking trails.

In the summertime, many valley residents of the Wasatch Front visit the town to escape high temperatures. Park City is usually cooler than Salt Lake City as it lies mostly higher than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level, while Salt Lake City is situated at an elevation of about 4,300 feet (1,300 m).

In 2011, the town was awarded a Gold-level Ride Center designation from the International Mountain Bicycling Association for its mountain bike trails, amenities and community.[7] Park City Municipal, along with Basin Recreation manage bike trails in Park City.

Park City is served by The Park Record (the oldest continually published non-daily paper in Utah, and one of the oldest in the U.S.), TownLift (online news), and KPCW (a local NPR news/radio affiliate).[8]

  1. ^ "Park City: History". Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Park City, Utah
  4. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Wasatch County, UT" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  6. ^ http://www.sundance.org/pdf/festival-info/sff15-economic-impact-report.pdf Archived May 11, 2021, at the Wayback Machine>
  7. ^ "Park City (UT) Gold-level – International Mountain Bicycling Association". Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  8. ^ Noaker, Nan Chalat (December 2, 2015). "Nevada media company acquires The Park Record". The Park Record.