Park City is a city in Utah, United States. Most of the city is within Summit County, with some portions extending into Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The population was 8,396 at the 2020 census, and on average, the tourist population greatly exceeds the number of permanent residents. The city is 32 miles (51 km) southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and 20 miles (32 km) from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80.
After a population decline following the shutdown of the area's mining industry, the city rebounded during the 1980s and 1990s through an expansion of its tourism business. According to 2021 data, the city brought in a yearly average of $529.8 million to the Utah economy as a tourist hot spot, $80 million of which was attributed to the Sundance Film Festival. The city has two major ski resorts: Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain Resort (combined with Canyons Village at Park City) and one minor resort: Woodward Park City (an action sports training and fun center). Both Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resorts were the major locations for ski and snowboarding events at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and are expected to reprise these roles for the 2034 Winter Olympics. Although they receive less snow and have a shorter ski season than do their counterparts in Salt Lake County, such as Snowbird resort, they are much easier to access.
In 2015, Park City Ski Resort and Canyons resorts merged, creating the largest ski area in the U.S. In all, the resort boasts 17 slopes, 14 bowls, 300 trails and 22 miles (35 km) of lifts.
The city was the original location of the United States' largest independent film festival, the Sundance Film Festival, which was held in the city for 48 years, with Park City still currently serving as the headquarters of the Sundance Institute's Utah office; home of the United States Ski Team; training center for members of the Australian Freestyle Ski Team; the largest collection of factory outlet stores in northern Utah; the 2002 Olympic bobsled/skeleton/luge track at the Utah Olympic Park; and golf courses. Some scenes from the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber were shot in the city. Outdoor-oriented businesses such as backcountry.com, Rossignol USA, and Skullcandy have their headquarters in Park City. The city has many retailers, clubs, bars, and restaurants, and has nearby reservoirs, hot springs, forests, and hiking and biking trails.
In the summertime, many valley residents of the Wasatch Front visit the town to escape high temperatures. Park City is usually cooler than Salt Lake City as it lies mostly higher than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level, while Salt Lake City is situated at an elevation of about 4,300 feet (1,300 m).
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History
The area was traveled by the early Mormon pioneers on their journey to where they settled and built Salt Lake City. One of their leaders, Parley P. Pratt, explored the canyon in 1848. He was given a charter the following year to build a toll road through it, which was finished in 1849. The basin at the top of the canyon was an ideal place to graze, and a few families settled. Early on, the area was deeded to Samuel Snyder, Heber C. Kimball and Jedediah Grant. The settlers named it "Parley's Park City", which was shortened to "Park City" upon the town's incorporation in 1884. The first known discovery of ore in this area was by men serving under Colonel Patrick E. Connor, who invited his men to prospect in the area after having been relocated from Gold Rush–era California. The finding of silver, gold, and lead sparked the first silver mines in Park City in the 1860s. Park City's large mining boom brought large crowds of prospectors setting up camps around the mountain terrain, marking the first mining settlements. Although it was not the first find, the Ontario silver mine, discovered by Herman Buden in 1872 and quickly purchased by George Hearst through his business partner R. C. Chambers, was the first major producer.
Another prominent mining family was that of William Montague Ferry Jr. Ferry moved to Utah from West Michigan already a very wealthy man. He had previously been a colonel in the Union Army, mayor of Grand Haven, and was son of wealthy businessman William Montague Ferry. Ferry was followed by a group of other wealthy Michiganders (including his brother Edward Payson Ferry) who came to be the social elites of the town. The Ferry family owned numerous mines, including the Marsac Silver mining Company and the Silver King Coalition Mines. Col. Ferry also donated the land for Westminster College and unsuccessfully ran for governor of Utah. Edward Ferry's son W. Mont Ferry was mayor of Salt Lake City.
In 1880, a spur line was established to the Echo station of the first transcontinental railroad. By 1892 the Silver King Mine and its owners Thomas Kearns and David Keith took the spotlight as one of the most famous silver mines in the world. While silver mines were doing well in Utah, other mines around the world were not doing as well, which drew many of these miners to Park City. The town flourished with crowds of miners and wealth, but by the 1950s, the town nearly became a ghost town. This was due in part to a drop in the price of silver.
The town was nearly destroyed by fire in 1898. Another accident occurred in 1902 when 34 miners were killed in an explosion in the Daly West Mine.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.567 square miles (45.50 km2), all land.
Park City is located at the south end of Snyderville Basin and climbs steep mountains to the southeast, south, and west. It is accessed by State Route 224 from Interstate 80 to the north and State Route 248 (Kearns Boulevard), which heads east to U.S. Route 40 and on to Kamas.
From Park City north through the Snyderville Basin there is a low topographic divide with McLeod Creek on the western side and Silver Creek on the eastern side.
Climate
Summers in Park City are warm with cool nights, while winters are cold and snowy. The city has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb), though higher elevations within city limits may experience a subalpine (Dfc) or alpine (ET) climate. The diurnal temperature variation is considerably higher in summer than winter.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Park City had a population of 8,396. The median age was 43.7 years. 18.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 106.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105.3 males age 18 and over.
94.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 5.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 3,467 households in Park City, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.6% were married-couple households, 20.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 8,127 housing units, of which 57.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 18.9%.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 7,558 people, 2,885 households, and 1,742 families residing in the city. The population density was 430.2 inhabitants per square mile (166.1/km2). There were 9,471 housing units at an average density of 539.1 per square mile (208.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 81.0% White, 0.6% African American, 0.30% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 13.5% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 24.1% of the population.
There were 2,885 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. Of all households 25.8% were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.03.
The age distribution was 23.0% under the age of 20, 7.2% from 20 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.7 males.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $65,800, and the median income for a family was $77,137. Males had a median income of $40,032 versus $26,341 for females. The per capita income for the city was $45,164. About 5.3% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Attractions
Park City is home to Park City Mountain Resort, Canyons Village at Park City, Deer Valley Resort, Woodward Park City, the Utah Olympic Park (including the Alf Engen Ski Museum and Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum), the Park City Museum, the Eccles Center Theater, an outlet mall, Main Street shopping and dining, and hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails. The four resorts and Olympic Park offer activities and attractions in both the summer and winter.
Events
From 1978 until 2026, Park City hosted the Sundance Film Festival. The festivities were centered on Main Street, while film screenings are held in several venues both within and outside of Park City. After 2026, the festival will relocate to Boulder, Colorado. However, Park City will still maintain its status as the home of the Sundance Institute's Utah office. Park City hosts an art festival each year, the Kimball Arts Festival, which typically attracts around 50,000 visitors. Park City also hosts two parades each year, one on July Fourth that attracts visitors from all over Utah, and one on Labor Day (locally called Miners' Day) that is more local-oriented. Park City co-hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics with Salt Lake City, and usually serves as the finish for the final leg of the Tour of Utah road bike race.
Education
Park City School District is the local school district of the portion of Park City in Summit County (almost all of Park City).
Park City High School is located at 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, Utah. Park City School District's size is comparable to other Utah school districts, with more than 4,500 students. It is also close to the state average ethnic minority composition. Of its students 17% are ethnic minorities—mostly of Hispanic heritage. The school provides its students with a series of film and TV production classes, and hosts "The Miner Film Festival" each year for students to enter their films and show them at the Eccles Center.
The portion of the city that is in Wasatch County is served by the Wasatch School District.
The Park City Library is also located in Park City, Utah, and features various attractions.
Park City is home to the Swaner EcoCenter, which also serves as an extension and distance education center for Utah State University.
Public transit
Park City operates its own free intra-city transit system (with additional service to limited areas of Summit and Wasatch County northeast of town provided by High Valley Transit). Routes include service to the Canyons Village, Deer Valley Resort, Empire Pass, Jeremy Ranch Park & Ride lot, Kimball Junction, Park City Resort, Park Meadows, Pinebrook, Prospector Square, Silver Lake Village, Silver Springs, Silver Summit/Highland Estates, and Thaynes Canyon. Bus service is offered between Park City and Salt Lake City via High Valley Transit's route 107.
Media
Park City is served by The Park Record (the oldest continually published non-daily paper in Utah, and one of the oldest in the U.S.), TownLift (online news), and KPCW (a local NPR news/radio affiliate).
Sister cities
Courchevel (Savoy), France