Hummingbirds of Utah

Anchored to the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains above the University of Utah, Red Butte Garden is Salt Lake City's finest green sanctuary — 100 acres of cultivated gardens and natural terrain with 3,000 plant species including native columbine, penstemon, agastache, and salvia in exuberant summer bloom. Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are the signature summer residents, identifiable by the males' rose-red gorget and the distinctive metallic wing-trill that announces their presence before you see them. HawkWatch International leads regular Bird Walks at the garden, making this an accessible educational experience for beginning birders and a photographically rewarding destination for experienced ones. The garden's sweeping views of the Salt Lake Valley add a panoramic dimension to every visit.

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Few places in the world match Zion Canyon's visual drama — vermilion sandstone monoliths soaring 2,000 feet above a ribbon of emerald cottonwood forest and Virgin River. Within this cathedral landscape, nearly 300 bird species have been documented, and Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are active summer residents that patrol the canyon floor's riparian corridor. Zion's extraordinary hanging gardens — seeping springs on cliff faces draped with cardinal flower, scarlet monkeyflower, and columbine — create natural nectar stations that hummingbirds visit predictably throughout summer. The Angel's Landing and Riverside Walk trails offer prime hummingbird encounters alongside some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, making this a Hummingbird Trail entry that doubles as a once-in-a-lifetime landscape experience.

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