Welcome to Salt Lake City
As the capital and most populated city in Utah, Salt Lake City is a popular shopping and outdoor recreation tourist destination - especially after hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics. Salt Lake claims the title as the "Best U.S. Hiking City" in America by National Geographic in 2012 and "Best U.S. Cities for Affordable Getaways" by Travel + Leisure that same year. It is home to roughly 190,000 residents, though the population ebbs and flows with the tourist travel times. The Oquirrh (pronounced "oaker") Mountains border the western side of the valley, and Salt Lake's elevation is 4,330 feet above sea level, sitting in the spot of an ancient lake. Because of its location, the city welcomes a four-season climate with snowy winters and hot, pleasant summers.
It is one of only two major urban areas in the Great Basin, along with Reno, Nevada. As a result, Salt Lake is a business hub, with Utah ranking as the No.1 State for Business by Forbes in 2012. To get around town, many residents and visitors take the light-rail lines called TRAX that provides access to downtown from across the valley on three color-coded lines. Buses also offer connecting service at many of the TRAX stations to get almost anywhere in the Greater Salt Lake Area.