As its name infers, Hidden Hollow is tucked away from the casual observer. The preserve is a serene environment surrounded by the bustle of Sugar House and offers a view of a portion of daylighted Parley’s Creek. The natural park appears much larger than its .5 acre size, surrounded by tall trees, native vegetation, and a babbling creek. If a longer walk is desired, the east end of the pathway connects under 2100 East to Sugar House Park.
In 1990, a group of schoolchildren from Hawthorne Elementary restored and revived what was once a forgotten pile of construction debris covering the abandoned creek-side park. Hidden Hollow is now a thriving urban natural area and outdoor classroom. In May of 2000, Salt Lake City protected Hidden Hollow by granting a conservation easement to Utah Open Lands.
Amenities
- Benches
- Creek
- Jogging/Walking Path
- Drinking Fountain
- Natural Area
History of Hidden Hollow
From 1910 to the 1950s, Hidden Hollow served as a part of the original Sugarhouse Park. Over the years, commercial development encroached on the old Sugarhouse Park, filling in pools and fields and covering the Salt Lake and Jordan Canals and much of Parley’s Creek. Between the 1940s and 1950s, the remaining land was abandoned and turned into a dumping ground. A pending parking lot threatened the remaining parcel in the 1980s. A decade later, students from Hawthorne Elementary School rediscovered the site while exploring the area. The children, organized as “KOPE” (Kids Organized to Protect our Environment), fought to save the natural area as open space and put forth significant efforts in cleaning it up. In May of 2000, Salt Lake City donated Hidden Hollow Natural Area Preserve as a conservation easement to Utah Open Lands to protect the land permanently for generations to come.