Hiking to the Giant Paper Airplane at Powder Mountain
The Paper Airplane Trail at Powder Mountain Ski Resort is a short and fun hike that’s perfect for families, kids, and leashed dogs. This easy, well-marked trail leads to a unique 20-foot-long metal paper airplane sculpture, which doubles as a striking viewpoint and an obstacle feature for mountain bikers.
The trail gently descends about 150 feet in elevation before reaching the sculpture. From the airplane, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Wasatch Mountains and the surrounding ski resort. On clear days, you can see as far south as Mt. Timpanogos and as far north as southern Idaho—a truly rewarding payoff for such a short hike.
🗓️ Note: This trail is only accessible during the summer months, when the ski resort roads are clear and dry.
How to Get to the Paper Airplane Trailhead
Starting from Salt Lake City:
Head north on I-15 and take Exit 324 for Highway 89 North.
Continue through Ogden, then turn right onto Highway 39 to enter Ogden Canyon.
At the canyon exit, turn left onto Highway 158 and follow it north around the west side of Pineview Reservoir.
At the stop sign, go straight and drive up the steep climb to Powder Mountain.
Once at the top, turn right onto North Powder Ridge Road.
Drive 1.2 miles, then turn right onto Horizon Run Road.
Park in the dirt lot on either side of the road—this is where your hike begins.
Here is a driving map.
Trail Info
Distance: 0.7 miles one way
Elevation gain: 150ft descent
Time: 30 minutes – 1 hour RT
Dog friendly? Yes, ON leash
Kid friendly? Yes, all ages!
Fees/Permits? None
Hiking to the Paper Airplane: What to Expect
Park on the corner of Horizon Run Rd, and Summit Pass Rd. Parking is available on both sides of the road.
The trail begins on the West side of the road by the ski signs.
You’ll see the brown post for “Paper Airplane” – follow that downhill.
Dogs do have to be on-leash the entire time for this hike. And you’ll want to anyway – this a popular ride for mountain bikers flying through as well as popular among kids and families.
Pass by a really a nice deck and overlook.
Not happy about being on-leash, but that’s just the way it is sometimes, bud! Thankfully we had already done an 11 mile hike prior to this so he ran his energy out on that hike.
Turn left at Woody’s World.
You’ll have an amazing view of the Powder Mountain Ski Resort to the West.
At 0.7 miles, reach the paper airplane at Powder Mountain!
This giant metal art sculpture is actually an “obstacle” for bikers to ride up on the edge of the lower wing. Notice how the dirt is built up on the side?
We tried to sit and stand on it, but it was actually VERY hot from the metal. Be careful with kids and dogs’ paws touching it.
A view of the airplane from a little higher up. So cool! It was much bigger than I thought it would be. This would be a great hike for little kids, families, and/or a “bonus” hike as I like to call it after doing a longer hike. I personally wouldn’t drive all the way up here for just this – I recommend combining it with something else in the area. A good idea for hot days is to take the dogs/kids swimming before or after at Pineview Reservoir!
After the hike…
Afterwards we grabbed a burger and beer from the Shooting Star Saloon, so we could sit on their dog-friendly patio!
We were the only ones there on a Saturday at noon and a giant bucket of water was provided, as well as shaded spots to sit. Love their burgers!
Trail Map
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Nearby Hike
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