How high is Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City sits at 4,268 ft (1,301 m) above sea level, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data. That sits below Utah’s average of 6,014 ft (1,833 m) — on the lower side for the state, with about 93% of Utah higher.

Interactive 3D elevation map of the Salt Lake City, Utah area, from the Copernicus GLO-30 model

A live 3D slice of the terrain around Salt Lake City, from our satellite elevation model. Salt Lake City is marked at 4,268 ft (1,301 m); the highest ground in view reaches 11,417 ft (3,480 m). Drag to spin it (tap to start on mobile).

Salt Lake City in Utah

Here’s the useful context: Salt Lake City, at 4,268 ft (1,301 m), sits roughly 1,745 ft (532 m) below Utah’s average elevation of 6,014 ft (1,833 m). Despite its reputation it’s on the lower side for its state — our model puts about 93% of Utah’s land higher than the city.

2,185 ft — Utah low▲ Salt Lake City 4,268 ft · avg 6,014 ft ┈13,507 ft — Utah high

The terrain around Salt Lake City

Across this view the land rises toward the east. The western third of the frame averages about 4,829 ft (1,472 m); the eastern third about 6,969 ft (2,124 m) — a climb of roughly 2,136 ft (651 m), topping out near 11,417 ft (3,480 m) at the edge of the frame. That is the mountain front Salt Lake City sits against.

You can read the whole story in the map above — the flatter ground where the city sits, and the way the land gathers into peaks nearby. It’s the difference between where you stand and what you can see from it.

What Salt Lake City’s altitude means

High-altitude medicine marks about ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) as the line where thin air starts to cause real trouble, and Salt Lake City, at 4,268 ft (1,301 m), sits comfortably below it. You won’t get altitude sickness just by arriving. But this is high enough that many people notice something on the first day.

The air is meaningfully thinner than at the coast, so expect a quicker pulse, a little breathlessness on stairs, and faster dehydration in dry air — and alcohol tends to hit harder. None of it is dangerous at this elevation; it just rewards drinking more water and taking the first evening easy.

How Salt Lake City compares

Among Utah’s larger cities, Salt Lake City is ranked #9 of 10 by elevation. For a familiar yardstick, that puts it a bit below Denver’s mile-high 5,280 ft (1,609 m).

Vernal — 5,335 ft (1,626 m)
Provo — 4,560 ft (1,390 m)
Logan — 4,537 ft (1,383 m)
Grantsville — 4,311 ft (1,314 m)
Ogden — 4,308 ft (1,313 m)
Salt Lake City — 4,268 ft (1,301 m)
Saint George — 2,700 ft (823 m)

Salt Lake City elevation FAQ

How high is Salt Lake City?: Salt Lake City’s elevation is about 4,268 ft (1,301 m) above sea level at the city center, measured from Copernicus GLO-30 satellite data.
Is Salt Lake City high or low for Utah?: On the low side. At 4,268 ft (1,301 m) it sits below Utah’s average of 6,014 ft (1,833 m), with about 93% of the state higher.
Does Salt Lake City’s altitude affect visitors?: Mildly. At 4,268 ft (1,301 m) it’s below the ~8,000 ft (2,400 m) line where altitude sickness usually begins, but the thinner, drier air can still bring a faster pulse and quicker dehydration on the first day.

Explore more

↑ Utah’s full elevation map — the whole state in interactive 3D, with its high and low points and average elevation.
· Blog: Average Elevation by State — where Utah’s 6,014 ft (1,833 m) mean ranks.
· Blog: Elevation vs Altitude — what a city’s elevation figure actually measures.

Salt Lake City’s elevation is a native ~30 m windowed-median sample from Copernicus GLO-30 (ESA); the Utah figures are computed across the state from the same model. The 3D view is a fine windowed sample at roughly 211 m resolution, sharp enough to resolve the surrounding ridgelines. Data as of 2026-08-17.