City Creek (Salt Lake County, Utah)
City Creek is a small but important mountain stream in Salt Lake City, Utah. It starts in City Creek Canyon, runs through part of the city, and empties into the Jordan River, which flows to the Great Salt Lake. Its headwaters are about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of downtown, and the whole stream is about 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long. Snowmelt from nearby mountains feeds City Creek, and natural springs at the head keep water flowing year-round.
Until 1882, City Creek was the city’s main source of drinking water, and it still provides water to The Avenues and northern Salt Lake City. In 1847, Mormon pioneers camped at the mouth of City Creek Canyon around July 22, near where State Street and North Temple meet. The stream originally split into two forks, with one heading south through Washington Square and the other going west toward Temple Square. The vanguard, led by Orson Pratt, diverted the stream to help soil and crops. By July 24, Brigham Young’s party arrived and had planted five acres of potatoes. The pioneers named the creek City Creek on August 22, 1847. The area had been known to the Shoshone as Nah-po-pah.
Water rights were treated as a public resource. Administration passed from the LDS High Council to local wards, and in 1850 Brigham Young gained sole rights to the water. Salt Lake City was incorporated in 1851, and water distribution was managed by the city council. City Creek was channeled along its western fork, with canals dug along both sides of many streets. Gates opened to deliver water to ditches in front of residents. A piped water system for downtown was completed by 1877, but The Avenues still lacked reliable water. They funded an expansion in the late 1870s, and by 1910 a diversion was high enough to serve the entire city.
Water shortages in the 1860s, the Fort Douglas era, and the growth of Salt Lake City led to major projects. Red Butte Creek and other sources were used, and the city pursued a canal from Utah Lake to bring in more water. In 1882 the Jordan-Salt Lake Canal was finished, improving access to agricultural water. In 1888 the city arranged to exchange Utah Lake water for purer mountain-stream water. In 1909 City Creek was placed in an underground conduit along North Temple Street, leading to the Jordan River. The creek remained underground until a major flood in 1982–83.
The 1983 flood began with heavy snowpack and a rapid warm spell in May. The North Temple conduit overflowed, and the entire river flooded streets, from Canyon Road to State Street. Residents sandbagged critical buildings, and the water was channeled into sewers and storm drains, creating the “State Street River.” The flood ended, and the river returned to its usual course by June 11, with cleanup continuing for weeks. The event sparked interest in daylighting City Creek and improving its surroundings. In 1984, students and Boy Scouts built the Freedom Trail in the lower canyon.
City Creek’s daylighting began in 1995. A portion near Memory Grove was opened to daylight, curved along the hillside near Ottinger Hall, and then disappeared under roads before reappearing in City Creek Park and at the Brigham Young Historic Park. The LDS Church’s Conference Center, opened in 2000, features City Creek water in its landscaping. A recreated City Creek was also included in City Creek Center, though it uses recirculated city water rather than daylit water.
In 2008 a large grass fire started in the canyon, burning more than 180 acres in a day. It was caused by human activity.
Mineral exploration briefly occurred in 1873, with a short-lived town called Modoc City for miners, but the operation ended in 1874. In the early 20th century, Salt Lake City and the federal government began purchasing the watershed to protect the water supply and open space. By 2005, most of the drainage was government-owned and preserved.
Today the canyon around City Creek has little private development. A single road climbs the canyon, accessible from Memory Grove or Bonneville Boulevard. The road is a two-lane, with one lane open to vehicles on even days in the summer and the other shared by bicycles and pedestrians on odd days. The canyon is closed to vehicles in winter but open to walkers and dog walkers on leash (near the watershed boundary). The only road crossing north of Fourth Avenue is Bonneville Boulevard, though there have been past plans for additional crossings.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:46 (CET).