Brighton is a mountain village with deep roots
Located in the Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Wasatch Mountains, Brighton is known for its alpine adventures. With over 500 inches of yearly snowfall and access to the Solitude and Brighton ski resorts, the town draws a steady stream of tourists. However, small neighborhoods, like Silver Fork, attract year-round residents. “Silver Fork is a real community, which is really cool,” says Jim Williams, the owner of Williams Realty Utah, who has over 30 years of real estate experience in the area. “It’s where most of the locals are spending their time.” Brighton provides the stability of an established community set within the atmosphere of a vacation town.
Condos and cabins come in a range of sizes and alpine styles
The market has single-family houses and luxury mountain cabins, many sitting right off the slopes. “Brighton has a lot of freestanding homes, and Solitude has a couple hundred condos,” Williams says. “Brighton Loop Road offers ski-in, ski-out options.” Houses often have steep gable roofs, wood and stone finishes, and designs that blend into the forested terrain. Neighborhoods like Silver Fork have a sense of community, with homes set close together, yet still providing privacy beneath tall pines. Other properties are more secluded. Brighton is located within a watershed, which imposes some restrictions, including the number of animals and pets allowed. The median sales price is $1.1 million, lower than in Park City, where the median is $1.6 million.
Brighton is a natural playground during all four seasons
The town is a hub for outdoor recreation, with a wealth of campgrounds, preserved land and trails winding through forests and mountains. Brighton and Solitude are two large resorts offering year-round activities: skiing and snowboarding in the winter, and mountain biking and hiking in the summer. Trails run through Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, including the Spruces loop for cross-country skiing. Guardsman Pass is a road that opens for a few months of the year, revealing a scenic drive to Park City. Visitors often pull off the pass for a picnic overlooking the valleys, lit up with golden aspens and fiery red oaks during the fall. A boardwalk encircles the water at Silver Lake, which is popular for fishing and spotting grazing moose.
Highly rated schools in the Canyons School District
Many children attend Butler Elementary and Butler Middle, both earning A ratings from Niche. Brighton High, rated A-minus, offers career and technical education programs. All three schools are in Cottonwood Heights, and students can apply to any option in the district regardless of their zone.
Resorts host a handful of events
In June, Solitude throws the Big Cottonwood Canyon Brew Fest, featuring local beers, live music and vendors. Guests park at the Moonbeam base area and take a lift up into the mountains for the celebration. July 24th marks Pioneer Day, Utah’s official holiday honoring early Mormon settlers. “There’s a parade where people are walking their snowblowers and riding their cross-country skis on asphalt,” Williams says. “It gets funky up there.” Brighton Resort holds AütoFreüde, an antique car show to close out the summer in August.
Après-ski dining and shopping in nearby cities
A small village with lodges, restaurants and bars anchors the Solitude resort. The Thirsty Squirrel is a popular watering hole off the slopes for karaoke and live music. The Brighton Resort also has casual dining spots like the Alpine Rose. Fresh Market Park City is 12 miles away for groceries, and big-box options such as Target and Dan’s Market are 17 miles west in Cottonwood Heights.
Transportation options include one main highway and a seasonal shuttle
Big Cottonwood Canyon Road is the primary thoroughfare in town, leading to Salt Lake City, 30 miles northwest. The Utah Transit Authority provides seasonal ski buses from Midvale Fort Union Station, just south of Salt Lake City, and the international airport is about 35 miles away.
