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SALT LAKE CITY —  Even the world just outside your back door can surprise you. 

That’s what author and Layton resident Lynn Arave found when he co-wrote “Walking Salt Lake City,” a recently released guide from Wilderness Press. The book, which was also written by Salt Lake resident Ray Boren, features 34 walking trails that often reveal undiscovered corners from Sandy all the way up to Antelope Island. 

“People tend to know their own neighborhoods, but beyond that they don’t know much of anything,” said Arave. “I was surprised by how many places I’d never heard of, or heard of and never been there.”

One of those places was the Temple Quarry trail, located about 20 miles southeast of Salt Lake City at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Though Arave had heard of the trail, he’d never walked it in person. 

“It’s great for families,” he said, describing the paved route that loops back to the beginning. “It’s a short little hike with a lot of history to it.” 

Many of the book’s trails focus on the heart of Salt Lake City, featuring a mix of previously established routes and those made up by the authors to take advantage of the city’s historical buildings. Each trail includes a detailed route, historical information and fun facts, and ways to connect to other nearby trails also listed in the book. 

“There are way too many hiking books on the market,” said Arave. “But we wanted this to be more urban.” 

The authors also created specific trails for areas that don’t normally get much attention in guidebooks. There’s a walk people can take if they’re at an event at the South Towne Center and find themselves with a few minutes, and the Murray Park walk was created with the hospital across the street in mind. 

“If people are there with a patient, this is a nice, quiet walk they can take,” said Arave. 

For more information check out the Sept.20 edition of Davis Clipper.