A Symphony of Disappearing Sounds for the Great Salt Lake

 A Symphony of Disappearing Sounds for the Great Salt Lake is a great temporary art exhibit by artist Olafur Eliasson. It was being showcased nightly 9-9:30 between March 26th and April 4th 2026 in Memory Grove Park. It is a large sphere that is displaying a really fun light show set to music and sounds of the Great Salt Lake. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, other than dealing with the traffic and crowds for it haha. You would have thought it was a rock concert for how busy it was.

Quick Details:

Length: We had to park up at The Capitol so we did about 3/4 of a mile out and back.
Trail Type: DR3.
Difficulty: Little bit of a climb, DR3
Elevation Gain: About 80 feet.
Restroom: Yes, but I am not sure if it is open in winter.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info: As mentioned, this is a temporary exhibit between 3/26/26 and 4/4/26

To Get Here:

Take i15 to 600 South heading east. Turn left on State Street. Follow that all the way up to the State Capitol. Find parking closer to the southeast side if possible. The trail down into Memory Grove is near the southeast part.

Downtown Salt Lake City (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

The Astra Tower (PSP) Salt Lakes new tallest building. Oh, and yes. That is rain. Tonight was supposed to be the last rain free night of the week, which was why we decided to come. But uh, yea we got rained on a little bit.

The Utah State Capitol (PSP). It is quite pretty at night.

The Trail/show:

The East Senate Building and the Capitol Dome behind it. That light on the top is a 1990’s replacement. The original 1916 Capitol Dome Light is down in the basement.

The sphere below glowing orange before the show started.

I didn’t take any pictures of the switchbacks as we were in a steady stream of people heading in. You can see what they look like from our last time here. They have regularly spaced lights so it wasn’t too bad.

It took us a little longer than expected to get here so the show started while we were about 3/4 of the way down.

It was really neat the way the light patterns moved around the sphere creating 3D layers.

Quick video to get a sense of what’s happening.

Super pretty.

Oblivious assholes that decided to just stand right in front of it despite tons of people sitting behind them.

I really enjoyed all the fun colorful patterns.

Eventually I decided to move out into the road. I wish I had done it a little sooner.

It is similar to the neat spheres we have seen in some museums like Clark Planetarium.

More fun images.

Another quick video.

More color.

Wow! That was fun!

Just a plain white sphere when nothing is playing.

Some acknowledgements.

The sphere again, and just a small portion of the crowd. There were a lot more people than I thought there would be. But again, according to the weather this was supposed to be the last non rainy night for the week.

We debated about just leaving, or maybe waiting for most of the crowd to leave… but uh… most people were still just hanging out so we decided we may as well leave.

Again, no pictures of the switchbacks due to being funneled up them with a lot of other people like sheep. Bahhhh.

The Capitol again.

The dome above the East Senate building.

The new Museum of Utah is coming along. It looks like it is set to open in late June.

The capitol though a rain soaked window (PSP).

Then I rolled the window down haha (PSP).

The front (PSP).

Downtown (PSP).

The new Mammoth puck in front of the Delta Center (PSP).

Well that was fun! I wish we had managed to make it work when we were down here just a few days ago rather than making a special trip, but whatever. It was neat, and worth the special trip. The music was a little noise heavy at times (like not natural noise), but I liked the beat of it, with some of the natural noises of the Great Salt Lake. I particularly liked the frogs (wish I had recorded that part). I am not sure if this was the best park for this kind of exhibit, but I can’t think of any other one that would have been better so yeah. But hey, it was free! 9 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, parking up at the Capitol required going down the switchbacks, DR3.

As for dogs, I mean, they are allowed in the park, but I don’t know how fun it would be for them with how loud it is, and with the large crowd of people. 

The Meadow Trail + Bonus Overlook

 The Meadow Trail is a lovely easy trail located in the avenues. It features a big flat meadow with wildflowers. There is also a view into City Creek Canyon and connections to trails up above in the foothills. My previous idea for todays hike would have spit us out here, but it was a bit of a bust so we decided to just come here instead. We have done this before, but we liked it, so it was a good last minute add on.

Quick Details:

Length: The main balloon is about 1.1 miles. We added a short side trail and did 1.94 mile balloon with spur. Or a tootsie roll as I am leaning on calling this type of trail.
Trail Type: Balloon or tootsie roll.
Difficulty: DR3 it is super flat.
Elevation Gain: About 100 feet. We did 276 today.
Restroom: No.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info: They are currently building a new pump house and replacing an old pipeline. The main trailhead is closed, but there is an alternate access point just 250 feet to the east. However, pay attention to any closure notices since it is an ongoing construction project expected to last through September 2026.

To Get Here:

Take South Temple east, after State St it will turn into 2nd Ave. Take 2nd Ave 9 blocks to I St and turn left. Take I St all the way up, after switchbacking twice it will become 18th Avenue. Just past the LD$ Church on the left will be Hilltop Rd on the left. Head up there and park.

If the parking lot is full, there is a connection to the east on 18th Avenue, so you can find street parking there as well (and right now anyway, that is the only access).

If coming from the south, use i80 to 7th East to South Temple. Hint: from 7th East turn left from the middle lane, then turn immediately right onto I street (google maps thinks you just go straight there). Then follow the rest of the directions above.

Heading into the avenues (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

Random smokestack (PSP). I wonder what it is for? Note, we took B street up then scooched over to I today.

The closed trailhead off of Hilltop Road (PSP). Alternate trailhead just about 250 feet further to the east.

The Trail:

The alternate trailhead, just to the east.

Information about the construction project.

The trail goes through this empty lot between houses. I am kind of surprised they didn’t try to stuff another house in here.

Wow. You don’t see many of these old giant satellite dishes anymore.

The construction project around the Morris Reservoir.

Trailhead Map.

Oh nice. They are doing a myrtle spurge weed pull event. Myrtle Spurge is a particularly noxious invasive weed. It can cause rashes and burns. Also, look at that big ol wasp above the sign. Yikes!

The Morris Reservoir. It is one of the larger water tanks we have seen. According to the construction notice, it supplies culinary water to the area north of downtown.

The new pump house.

This is a rather large construction area.

Machinery.

Big pile of gross old pipes.

I wonder how this is impacting the I Street Bike Park below. It looks like it has eaten into it quite a bit.

Fun rock formations in City Creek Canyon.

They sure created quite a long scar for the pipeline. It kind of makes me sad. I am glad we got a chance to come here before this happened. But, if I understand the sign right, they do plan to revegetate the area. So, maybe in a few years it will be pretty again.

Just after where the trail splits for the loop part. We went left last time, so today we went right.

The meadow.

Pretty flowering tree of some sort. We thought about wandering over to get a closer look, but didn’t.

The moon above the foothills.

The meadow and City Creek Canyon.

Continuing along.

Raised berm.

City Creek Canyon again.

The next junction. Left will complete the Meadow loop. Right will take us up the BST Valley View Trail. We decided to go right. We have done most of the Valley View Trail, but not this section.

The moon again.

The bottom of this section of the 19th Avenue Downhill Bike Trail.

Into the small gulch.

Some arrow-leaf balsamroot.

Some glacier lilies. Now it it officially spring in my eyes. It is usually more dramatic seeing that first glacier lily. With the high temperatures and lack of snow, it has been feeling like spring for a while now.

Continuing up.

Some annual honesty, or money plant. I love these guys. We were able to successfully grow some in our garden last year, but so far they have not come back. :(

More arrow-leaf balsamroot.

More money plant.

The little gulch again.

The other direction.

This hillside is greening up nice and pretty.

Glacier lilies.

Super pretty.

Starting to get a nice view of the meadow below.

More balsamroot.

Continuing up.

Reaching a ridge.

Nice view of the Salt Lake Valley.

Panoramic.

The Morris Reservoir again.

The cute flowering tree again.

We decided to walk out to the end of the ridge, or a small sub peak.

More balsamroot.

It is a lovely overlook of the meadow below. You can see the almost perfect triangle shaped loop around it.

The trail continues around the ridge and connects to the Terrace Hills area. It doesn’t look too bad, and so far didn't twinge my fear of heights yet, but I just didn’t want to today. I had had enough of being on high up open trails for the day. Which is a shame, cause that would have completed that trail. But meh. Maybe I will try it again sometime.

The valley again.

Downtown.

Lower City Creek Canyon.

Upper.

Panoramic. This overlook is a nice little add-on!

Alright. Like I said I wasn’t in the mood to keep going up, so we decided to head back down. 

Heading back down.

Back into the trees.

A patch of white material. I don’t know for sure, but I am guessing either lime, or possibly silica. Just based on what I have seen elsewhere in our foothills.

Glacier lilies.

I love seeing multiple lilies on 1 stem.

Balsamroot.

Waterleaf.

Spiderweb.

The hillside is covered in them. o.O.

We were wondering how we didn’t notice them on the way up since there are so many. But, when we look back the other way... they disappear.

Guess you have to catch them in the right light. It’s still a little creepy.

Magpie.

Back down to the Meadow Trail loop. We will continue around to the right.

The little raised berm which made me think there was a reservoir up here at sometime. But, I have not found anything to back that idea up.

Panoramic.

The meadow.

There are 3 sets of double track trails back here.

Continuing along.

The little berm again.

Another panoramic.

Where the pipeline hits the other side of the berm. So this prompted a possible new theory. Maybe instead of digging a trench for the pipeline and burying it, they just built an earthen mound over the laid pipe? Again, just a wild guess.

Hillside.

Bad picture through the bushes, but the Oregon Grape below them. They smell amazing right now.

The City Creek Overlook.

I love all the little alcoves in the canyon walls. I reminds me of The Grotto at Bryce Point, Bryce Canyon,

More.

Heading back along the little berm thingy.

Looking out towards the meadow.

The little peak about in the middle there is what we climbed up to earlier.

Continuing along.

Lower City Creek Canyon.

The Utah State Capitol.

Starting to hit the construction again. Oi.

Where the 19th Avenue Downhill Bike Trail continues down after crossing the meadow.

The valley.

And I think this is where the BST East City Creek trail connects up here. The construction is making that a little iffy though.

Looking back towards where the loop splits.

Continuing down the pipeline scar. I sure hope it fills in quickly.

Part of the BST Valley View trail we did not do.

Construction.

Old pipes.

The new pumphouse and machinery.

Full mover over a ridge.

Some sort of hawk. I am leaning towards a Cooper's.

Again.

And another, from the same direction, and heading the same direction.

The Morris Reservoir again.

The BST Valley View part we didn’t do. It really doesn’t look so bad! I will try it again sometime.

The old giant satellite dish again.

It looks like a lot of wasps have decided to make it home.

Almost back to the alternate trailhead.

"Trail Counter

This is not a camera.

Data from this device is to plan management and guide funding"

Heading back down into the valley (PSP).

Neat house (PSP).

The Governors Mansion (PSP).

Downtown (PSP). Heading west right now is absolutely awful with the sun. But we wandered around a bit on the hunt for food.

Cathedral of the Madeline (PSP).

Another newer high rise, the Worthington (PSP). At 335 feet it is currently the 9th tallest building in SLC.

The Salt Lake City Public Library (PSP)

The City County Building (PSP).

The Great Sears Lake (PSP).

Todays route.

Well, that was a fun back-up trail today. The construction made me a little sad, but hopefully the restoration comes along quickly. It was not as busy as it was last time, but still pretty popular. I also really enjoyed our random add-on to an overlook. 8 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, The Meadow is super flat, the short bit we did up to the overlook was pretty tame. DR3 for both.

Dogs are allowed, but should be leashed.