The Mountain Dell Golf Course is a 36-hole municipal golf course located at approximately 6,000 feet in Parley’s Canyon, 12 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City. There are two separate courses – the Canyon course opened in 1962, and the Lake course in the early 1990s. The price to play an 18-hole round is $44, which is what makes you wonder.
And yes, that is not a typing mistake, and no, that is not just bare minimum service. Bentgrass fairways, 400 feet of elevation gain, mountains in all directions, and the occasional moose crossing the course are just some of the things that $44 gets you. And the price of $44 has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the golf course and everything to do with why the land is city property in the first place.
The quick version
| What you want to know | The answer |
|---|---|
| Where it is | Parley’s Canyon at I-80 Exit 134, about 12 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City |
| Who owns it | Salt Lake City, as part of the municipal golf system |
| How many courses | Two 18-hole courses, the Canyon and the Lake, for 36 holes in total |
| Green fee | $44 for 18 holes at the public rate, $25 for nine, with the cart extra |
| Elevation | Around 6,000 feet, which is roughly 1,700 feet above the valley floor |
| Season | Usually mid-March to mid-November, with May through October as the reliable window |
| Phone | 801-582-3812 |
| Things to know | No dogs anywhere on the property, and moose have the right of way |
Why a city owns a mountain canyon
Mountain Dell was not given its name because of the golf course. The area used to have a town called Mountain Dell before this golf course was built.
Parley P. Pratt built a toll road through this canyon in 1850 and called it the Golden Pass. In 1860, a fellow by the name Leonard Hardy set up a rest area along the road, and one of the early settlers in this place was Ephraim Hanks. By 1869, the small settlement came to be known as Mountain Dell. It farmed a bit, and it served as a stage station and a stop on the Pony Express route.
Transportation had improved, and by 1910, the roughly one hundred residents there had left. The city acquired the property in 1916, and within the next year, the Mountain Dell Reservoir was constructed above the townsite. This was a pioneer-era multiple-arch reinforced concrete dam designed by John Eastwood, with construction continuing throughout the 1930s. Little Dell Reservoir was constructed even more recently, with its approval coming after the floods of 1983 and completion in 1993.
So Salt Lake City did not purchase a golf course. It purchased a watershed. The golf would come much later, as a permitted use of land already owned by the city that would not interfere with the water, and this fact alone answers most questions regarding the function of this place.
It is why there are no dogs, why the green fee is $44 instead of $144, and why you are not going to see houses built along the fairways. The golf is a tenant here. The water is the landlord.
Two courses, and which one to play
Most visitors get one round, so this is the decision that matters.
| Course | Opened | Par | Back tee | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon | 1962 | 72 | About 6,700 yards | Climbs the canyon with roughly 400 feet of elevation change |
| Lake | 1990 to 1991 | 71 | About 6,640 yards | Lower ground near the water, with ravines and narrow fairways |
One last point about those distances. In the case of the club’s own score card, the Canyon measures at 6,693 yards and the Lake at 6,637 yards from the black tees. Some golf websites have both courses listed at around 100 yards longer. Markers are moved around and distances are taken down without double checking. The net difference is meaningless.
The Canyon Course
This is the original, created by William F. Bell in 1962. Some thirteen of the original holes are still used today, making this one of the few remaining truly historic mountain courses in Utah that hasn’t been gutted beyond all recognition.
It ascends. It’s the roughly 400-foot difference in elevation that matters most here, because it creates the uphill and downhill shots mountain golf should be about: unlevel stances, approaches where actual yardage and yardage as shown on the range finder are two different things, and drives that stay in the air much longer than they need to.
If the vistas and elevation interest you, then play the Canyon. Otherwise, consider using a cart.
The Lake Course
The Lake was constructed during 1990 and 1991 by William Howard Neff, who received some help from PGA Tour golfer Mike Reid. In contrast to the Canyon, which is located at higher elevations, the Lake is set at lower elevations nearer to the reservoir.
The Lake is the newer challenge and certainly the more challenging course, but that is even true despite its shorter distances. The Lake has narrower and rolling fairways, deep ravines, and the best par score for 71 would be a tough one compared to 72 on the Canyon.
If you are a good ball-striker and like to use your brain, then go play at the Lake.
If you only have one round
Consider the Canyon course. It’s the elevation gain and the vistas that draw people to the region, and the 1962 course doesn’t have the personality of the 1971 Lake course that is trying to compete with it. You could do two days here and get to know the region in under one round at any other resort.
What it costs
| Who you are | 9 holes | 18 holes | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| General public | $25 | $44 | The standard rate, and the one most visitors pay |
| Senior, 60 and over | $22 | $38 | No membership required, just age |
| Young adult, 18 to 25 | $20 | $34 | A genuinely unusual bracket to offer at all |
| Junior, 17 and under | $11 | $22 | Juniors play a real mountain course for the price of a sandwich |
| SLC Golf Club holder | $21 | $36 | The city’s discount card, worth it if you are local |
| Cart, per rider | $10 | $20 | Carts carry GPS, and an adaptive cart is available on request |
There is a little trick to be aware of when scheduling that Saturday morning round. On weekends and holidays prior to 2 p.m., everyone plays at the public rate and discount cards do not apply. With your card, you begin saving money in the afternoon.
Bookings are restricted to allow the tee sheet from getting stuffed with 18-hole rounds later in the afternoon. The time for 18-hole bookings ends at noon from Monday to Wednesday, and 4 p.m. on Thursday to Sunday, and holidays. After that point, it is only nine holes.
The rates are as of January 2024 and are reviewed from time to time by the city. Despite that, even after a few adjustments, this will still be one of the most underpriced golf available in the nation.
Playing at 6,000 feet
There are two factors here that will benefit you, if you prepare for them.
Your ball will go further. As you hit at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, you should be ready for your ball to carry six to eight percent further, which will mean a half to one extra club. Most often people make a mistake by carrying out the same trick several times, as the first time they fly the green, they think it was an accident. Prepare for that by clubbing down from the very beginning and adjusting only when you have tried the golf course.
In addition to that, the weather is cooler. Mountain Dell is located at an elevation of 1,700 feet above the Salt Lake Valley, meaning that in the hottest months of July and August it will be noticeably cooler than other courses situated in the valley itself. It will be your salvation in those weeks of July and August when you want to play golf and escape hot temperatures. Book your round in advance.
The wildlife situation
“Moose” is the banner. They are abundant around here, they are big, and they are definitely more dangerous than bears that most people are afraid of. A mother moose with a calf will charge, and it will be faster than you are capable of running. There are also badgers, deer, and other smaller animals.
Here are the rules. Do not get close to any animals, do not approach or feed them, and if there is an animal in the hole, choose another one or postpone playing until later. No one from this golf course will scold you for passing by the hole where a moose was standing.
Here is another reason why dogs are absolutely prohibited, not only strongly discouraged. The land is a watershed that is protected, and dog feces affect water quality negatively. It is impossible to leave your dog in the car is not an alternative either, given the drive and the temperatures.
Conditions, facilities, and the small print
Both courses have bentgrass greens and fairways – this is a rare occurrence at a municipal price level and plays a major role in ensuring the resilience of the surfaces. Conditioning is stated to be very good, but one should take into account the fact that the city course is located at altitude and therefore has a shorter growing season compared to other courses.
Facilities: driving range with grass tees seasonally and mats off-season, two big practice greens, pro shop, PGA instructions and tournaments. Dining options consist of food served by Pin High Cafe at the club house and two snack bars at the course, which is more important than it seems, since you might find yourself far away from any dining facilities on the back nine.
Metal spikes are prohibited. Regular golf clothes are required. Rental clubs and pull carts are available. Walking is possible on both courses, especially the Canyon course is a true walking experience.
And one more interesting fact: during the winter time, the golf course turns into a cross-country skiing and sledding area with trails groomed by the Utah Nordic Alliance. The course is used year-round, but not always for golf.
How it compares to other Salt Lake golf
| Course | Drive from downtown | Rough 18-hole fee | Why you would play it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Dell | About 20 minutes | $44 | Mountain golf at a municipal price, cooler in summer, two courses |
| Bonneville | About 10 minutes | Around $40 | The other strong city course, closer in, with valley views |
| Soldier Hollow, Midway | About 50 minutes | $50 to $70 | Two Olympic-legacy courses and the best state-run golf in Utah |
| Wasatch Mountain, Midway | About 50 minutes | $40 to $60 | A state park course with 36 holes and heavy wildlife traffic |
| Victory Ranch or Promontory | About 45 minutes | Private | The Park City private tier, if you happen to know someone |
The honest summary is that Utah has an unusually deep bench of good, cheap public golf, and Mountain Dell sits at the top of the value column rather than the quality column. Soldier Hollow is probably the better course. Mountain Dell is the one you can play on a weekday afternoon without planning your month around it.
Is it worth playing
To all those coming to Salt Lake City with clubs in their car, sure, no contest there. Mountain Dell Golf Course will provide you with elevation, elevation change, genuine mountainscape, and bentgrass greens all for the price of a ride in your golf cart at a luxury resort. You won’t see such a mix in many other places.
The golf course is not perfect. Being a municipal course means that sometimes things will be a bit slow on busy weekends, and practice facilities are decent but not fancy, and sometimes the conditions can have some rough spots during dry years. The Canyon has several holes where one feels the terrain more than the architecture.
But none of that matters here. The point is that a city decided to buy a canyon to secure drinking water a century ago, and people got 36 holes of mountain golf as a bonus for the cost of a good meal. Now that’s a better bargain than anyone else in America can get from their public golf courses.
Final take
Book the Canyon tee time for the middle of the week during the day, ride in a cart, club down some for the elevation, and give the moose all the space that they need. Bring a jacket in the summertime since six thousand feet above the valley during the morning is very different.
If you live here, get the SLC Golf Club membership and use your afternoons. If you’re visiting, this is the tee time to schedule before any other costing three times as much.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Mountain Dell Golf Course?
In Parley’s Canyon just off I-80 at Exit 134, about 12 miles east of downtown Salt Lake City, which is roughly a 20-minute drive. The course phone number is 801-582-3812.
How much does it cost to play Mountain Dell?
The public rate is $44 for 18 holes and $25 for nine, with a cart at $20 per rider for 18. Seniors over 60 pay $38, young adults 18 to 25 pay $34, and juniors 17 and under pay $22. On weekends and holidays before 2pm, everyone pays the public rate.
How many golf courses are at Mountain Dell?
Two. The Canyon course opened in 1962 and plays to par 72, and the Lake course opened around 1990 to 1991 and plays to par 71. Together they make 36 holes on the same property.
Which Mountain Dell course is better, Canyon or Lake?
They suit different players. The Canyon has about 400 feet of elevation change, the better views, and roughly thirteen holes surviving from the 1962 original. The Lake is tighter, has more water and ravines, and is the harder scoring test despite being shorter. First-time visitors usually prefer the Canyon.
Who designed Mountain Dell Golf Course?
William F. Bell designed the original 18 holes that opened in 1962 and now form most of the Canyon course. William Howard Neff designed the Lake course when the facility expanded to 36 holes around 1990, with PGA Tour player Mike Reid consulting.
When does Mountain Dell open for the season?
Typically around mid-March, closing around mid-November, though both ends depend entirely on weather. May through October is the dependable window. Frost delays are common in the shoulder months, so call ahead before driving up.
Can you bring dogs to Mountain Dell?
No. Dogs are not permitted anywhere on the property because the course sits within Salt Lake City’s protected watershed, where animal waste is a water quality concern. The rule is enforced and there is no exception for leaving a dog in the vehicle.
Are there moose at Mountain Dell Golf Course?
Yes, regularly, along with badgers and deer. Moose are genuinely dangerous, particularly cows with calves. Keep well back, never approach or feed them, and skip the hole if one is standing on it. Course staff would rather you did.
How much farther does the ball travel at Mountain Dell?
At roughly 6,000 feet, expect something like six to eight percent more carry, which translates to about half a club to a full club for most players. Club down from the first tee rather than waiting until you have flown a green or two.
Do you need a tee time at Mountain Dell?
Booking ahead is strongly recommended, especially in July and August when the course is noticeably cooler than valley courses and fills quickly. Eighteen-hole reservations are accepted until noon Monday through Wednesday and until 4pm Thursday through Sunday and on holidays.
Also read about: Banff Golf Course: The Full Guide to Canada’s Most Famous Mountain Round