Salt Lake City presents a clean and cheerful face to visitors, but every city that is nearly two centuries old has a darker side, and the Salt Lake Ghost Tour sets out to find it. The evening walking tour moves through the historic downtown core, with a guide who tells the legends of the buildings and streets: stories of the early settlers' hardships, the rough-and-tumble railroad years, accidents and illnesses, fires, and the lingering tales told by staff and neighbors about unexplained noises, shadows and cold spots. The tour is playful rather than gruesome, designed to entertain adults and teenagers who enjoy a good story. You walk at an easy pace, stop at a handful of historic locations, and hear a mixture of documented history and folk legend, with the guide being generally open about which is which. It is a good way to see the downtown core after dark, when the lighting on the old buildings makes them look their best, and it supplies a layer of colorful history that the daytime tours skip.
The appeal of a ghost tour lies in what it reveals about a city's real past. Behind every legend stands an actual event: a fire that destroyed a block, an epidemic that swept through a crowded boarding house, a railroad accident, a long-running feud between neighbors. The best guides use the ghost story as an entry point to the history, and a good evening teaches you more about how the early city worked, its mining boom, its saloons and rail yards, its immigrant neighborhoods, than a straightforward lecture would.
The reputation of the pioneer city as a place of strict order sits alongside a long history of mischief, which the guide has fun with.
Expect to hear about historic hotels, theaters, mansions and old civic buildings, and about the idea that a place that has seen so much human drama might hold on to some of it. Whether you believe in ghosts is irrelevant; the tour works as theater, as local history and as a pleasant walk.
Details of the route and the stories can change from season to season and with the guide, so treat the specifics as the operator's to share. Evening tours are most popular around Halloween, when additional themed departures are often added, but they run through much of the year.
Practical sense
Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the evening, since Salt Lake nights can be cool even in summer and cold in winter. Bring a phone or camera if you like, although photographs rarely reveal anything but your friends. The walk is mostly flat and easy, but the downtown blocks are large, so check the length and distance with the operator if anyone in your party has mobility concerns.
Book ahead for weekends and October, when departures fill quickly. Many visitors combine the tour with dinner beforehand, since the route starts in the downtown core, and follow it with a drink at a historic bar. It makes a natural counterpart to the Jazz game or an evening at a theater, and it suits older children who enjoy a bit of spookiness.
What to expect
The experience
An evening guided walk through the historic downtown core, with legends and folklore told at a handful of stops.
Best time
Evenings year-round; October is the busiest and most atmospheric.
How long
Around one and a half to two hours.
Tips
Dress for cool evenings, wear comfortable shoes, and reserve ahead for weekends and October.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History fans and spooky-story lovers who want an evening activity.
- Families
- Best with older children and teens; check the tour's age guidance.
- Couples
- A fun, unusual date night.
- Pair with
- Dinner downtown beforehand and a drink at a historic bar afterward.
- Time needed
- An evening.
Good questions
Is it scary?+
It is playful and atmospheric rather than frightening, geared toward adults and teens who enjoy a story.
Is it true history?+
A mix of documented events and local legends. Good guides are clear about which is which.
When does it run?+
Evenings through much of the year, with extra departures around Halloween. Check availability for your dates.
How much walking is involved?+
An easy, mostly flat route, though the downtown blocks are long. Confirm the distance if mobility is a concern.
Is it suitable for children?+
Often for older children. Check the operator's age guidance when you reserve.