Nestled along the gorgeous Utah mountains lies the burgeoning tech hub known as Silicon Slopes. With companies like Adobe, eBay, Microsoft, Oracle, Vivint Smart Home, and more establishing operations in the area, tech companies clearly enjoy Utah’s business-friendly environment. In fact, Forbes has ranked Utah the “Best State for Business” six times since 2010.
While these tech companies find plenty to love about doing business in Utah, it’s the employees and their families that really win. These twenty photos highlight the scenic beauty and proximity to world-class recreation that’s led thousands to flock to the up-and-coming Silicon Slopes.
Work in a Building with a View
One of the best parts of working in Silicon Slopes is the mountains are right outside your window. The new-age architecture isn’t bad either.
Peaceful Work at Overstock
Imagine seeing this juxtaposition of natural and man-made beauty as you head into work each day. How could it not inspire innovation? The building also happens to be shaped like a peace sign when viewed from above. Photo courtesy of Overstock.com
Breathtaking Breakroom
This is Adobe, but it’s not photoshopped. Taking in this view on your lunch break is sure to bring a little serenity to your day. Photo Credit: Adobe
Google Fiber
Google can find almost everything, including beautiful views like this. Google Fiber is available in Provo, Salt Lake City, and some other areas near Silicon Slopes. Photo courtesy of Google Fiber
Enjoy the Greatest Snow on Earth, All Winter Long
All skiers know that Utah has some of the best skiing in the world, but what often gets overlooked is just how quickly you can get to it. You don’t have to plan a weeklong vacation or even a day excursion— you can head up the canyon before or after work with plenty of time to take a few runs. Some resorts even have night skiing. Plus, many Utah employers will give people the morning off on a fresh powder day.
The Greatest Snow on Earth
If you love to ski, why would you live anywhere else? Photo by Jay Dash
Powder at the Bird
This is just one of the ski runs at Snowbird, the resort that boasts the #LongestSeasonInUtah and some years stays open until the Fourth of July. It’s less than a forty-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake City and many of the tech company campuses. Photo by Jay Dash
Park City Nightlife
After a day on the slopes, settle in for a sneak peek of the next groundbreaking movie at the annual Sundance Film Festival in world-famous Park City, just forty minutes from downtown Salt Lake City.
Scale the Slopes in the Summer
The 2002 Olympics introduced Utah’s winter playground to the world, but Utah’s not always a snowy paradise. The home of Silicon Slopes also features warm summers and mountains of outdoor activities to accompany them. The Uinta and Wasatch Mountains provide the perfect setting for fishing, hiking, climbing, mountain biking, and more.
Wasatch Ridge Hike
Hike along the ridge of the majestic Wasatch Mountains with trailheads beginning just minutes from the city. Photo by Jay Dash
Looking Down from Mount Olympus
Scramble up the West Slabs of Salt Lake’s highest peak, Mount Olympus. When you reach the top, you’ll know you’re home. Photo by Jay Dash
“Higher” Learning
An expansive network of running and hiking trails extend into the hills around the city, overlooking the beautiful University of Utah campus. Most of them even allow dogs! If running this trail doesn’t appeal to you, take a hike. Photo by Jay Dash
Biking Big Cottonwood
Go for a ride through Big Cottonwood Canyon to enjoy the fresh air of high altitudes just six miles from Salt Lake. Photo by Jay Dash
Riding Down Deer Valley
From skiing in the winter to mountain biking in the summer, Park City’s Deer Valley is famous for its year-round outdoor recreation. What better way to get out and go fast after a long day sitting at the keyboard? Photo by Jay Dash
Find Your Scene in Salt Lake City
Despite the rumors, Salt Lake City doesn’t roll up the sidewalks at 10:00 p.m. It’s a sprawling city with nightlife activities for a variety of tastes. Enjoy a beer at one of its award-winning breweries. Go ice skating at Gallivan Plaza. Attend a summer concert at one of several outdoor venues. Check out the annual Utah Arts Festival, the FanX® Salt Lake Comic Convention, or the Pride Festival. No matter what you like, there’s something for everyone in Salt Lake City. Plus, the spectacular view of the mountains makes every one of those activities a unique experience.
Rockin’ Snowbasin
Moving to Silicon Slopes doesn’t mean missing your favorite band. Take in a show at one of Utah’s numerous outdoor concert venues. Recent headliners include The Roots, Beck, Lauryn Hill, Death Cab for Cutie, Wu-Tang Clan, OK Go, and many more. Photo by Jay Dash
A Night in Salt Lake City
Explore all Silicon Slopes has to offer. The Wasatch Mountains stretch through a wide variety of neighborhoods from Ogden through Salt Lake City and on to Provo. Whether you prefer the walkability of downtown Salt Lake or the sprawling suburbs, this is the place for you.
Crossroads of the West
If you like to travel, Silicon Slopes is for you. Salt Lake International Airport is just ten minutes from downtown, and it’s a major Delta hub with flights leaving daily for destinations across the country and the world.
Venture South to Red Rock Country
Just a few hours south of Silicon Slopes, you’ll find the red wonders of Utah’s famous national parks. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, and Arches never cease to amaze. The deserts of southern Utah feature some of the best river rafting, off-roading, and rock climbing in the world.
Starry Arch
See the one-of-a-kind beauty of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park near Moab, Utah—less than four hours from Salt Lake City. Photo by Milo Welch
A Light in the Desert
The natural beauty of Canyonlands National Park shines a light right into your soul. If this photo of Mesa Arch at sunset doesn’t make you want to take the four-hour drive from Salt Lake to Moab, check your pulse. You might be dead.
Hanging by a Thread
Go rappelling off Corona Arch in Moab, Utah. After a weekend with this kind of thrill, your deadlines won’t scare you at all. Photo by Dimitri Littig
Let the Scenery Close Your Sales
If you need a more practical reason to take a job in Silicon Slopes, consider that you can use the beautiful landscape of Utah to help build partnerships and close deals. After all, who could say no to views like these?
The Great Salt Lake
Just twenty minutes west of downtown Salt Lake City, the Great Salt Lake is a unique feature of American geography everyone should see.
Sunset in the “Living Room”
Take the whole family out of the living room and up to the Living Room. This short hike is just over two miles round trip and has a sunset view that’s worth the hike. Photo by Jay Dash
Uinta Meadows
The highest mountain range in Utah, the Uinta Mountains, is just an hour east of Salt Lake City. It’s home to some of the nation’s best fishing, backpacking, and other outdoor activities. A client would have a hard time saying “no” to your business if saying “yes” meant regular trips to these gorgeous mountains. Photo by Jay Dash
