Last summer I discovered that my kids love water parks. Like, really really love water parks! So when my best friend suggested we hit up Seven Peaks in Salt Lake City before driving to Jackson, I was game. My husband took a little convincing but once he saw there was an observer rate, he was willing to tag along.

Located within the Salt Lake City Limits, Seven Peaks is a water park that’s small in size and big on adventure. It had 9 waterslides, 3 pools, 2 kiddie water play areas, and 1 lazy river. We had three hours for the kids to play and were able to hit up most of it, and all the age groups got to enjoy.

Slides

With 9 slides to choose from, I ask the tube rental attendant what was the tamest one to start with. He directed us to Tropical Plunge, which looked not too fast, no big drops, and easy for first timers. It only allowed single tubes but they assured us that my daughter, who was afraid to go on her own, could sit on my lap. She seemed a little big, but I figured if they said it was ok, it should be. The first ride went well, and she loved the speed and twist and turns. It seemed a bit fast but I was willing to try one more time. Big. Mistake.

On the second run, on one of the turns we went up the side too much and got off balance. I saw her head was going to hit the side so I used my arm to hold her away from the wall. That resulted in me having my elbow dragged on the slide the rest of the way down. Just at the last drop, we completely lost the tube and I held on tight to my daughter as we were dumped unceremoniously into the pool. Due to the speed and extra weight, we sank to the bottom, where I bang my knee on the bottom of the pool. My daughter was fine thinking it was an adventure. I went to first aid for an ice bag. Afterward I heard they were no longer allowing lap children on that slide. I’m Pretty sure I ruined it for everyone.

Our first run went well. The second, well, lets just say typing this a week later, I still have the scab on my elbow from the burn and a purple bruise on my knee

My son is older and while nervous on the first slide, loved it and wanted to go down every slide. He’s older and quite responsible, so we let him go down a bunch of slides by himself. He went on Downpour, Torrential, and even CliffHanger. He loved them all riding them again and again. My daughter refused to go by herself and I refused to go with her, so she ended up enjoying more tame slide in the kiddie area and the pools.

My daredevil went on every slide, some multiple time

Pools

As soon as you enter you find the tidal pool. Ever few minutes, it has waves which are fun to ride. We went in immediately and went to play, but didn’t stay long enough to have any waves.

Tidal Beach was a good place to get started and get wet, but it didn’t have as many waves as promised…

The Monsoon Lagoon has a fun obstacle courses. But my kids loved the white slide, a steep but short slide that goes into a four foot pool. With a life vest, my daughter was independent, so they kept going up the stairs and racing each other going down the slide. I even went down a few times, usually screaming to get over my nerves. (Hey, that first slide traumatized me).

Monsoon Lake offered more fun, and a tamer slide after our first incident

Finally over by the kiddie play area is a hot tub. But it was not that hot and therefore overrun with kids. It wasn’t exactly a relaxing experience. If you are looking for a safe place for a toddler or non-swimmer to play, that works.

The hot tub was crowded…with kids

Water Play Areas

Dinosaur Bay, the kiddie play area is awesome. It has slides, a shallow pools, and a fun obstacle course where you have to cross the water using ropes over and pool floats. Even adults got in on the fun.

Dinosaur Bay had fun obstacle courses and slides that didn’t scare my little one

Right next to that area, is a fun spray park. There was water streaming in all directions that allowed the kids to run around in, squeal, and get wet.

The spray park had wet fun for all ages

Unfortunately the lazy river was closed the day we went. But having been on one before, I know it’s an easy way for the little, more nervous ones to float and enjoy the water, and the adults to relax and recover from the water slides (that we can’t quite handle like we did when we were in our twenties).

However, we had to hit the road if we wanted to get to Jackson before late at night, so after three hours at the park, we started to get dressed, return the inner tubes and life jackets, gather our things and make way out to the car, hoping beyond hope that these kiddos would sleep all the way to Jackson.

Seven Peaks Water Park

• Location: 1200 W 1700 S, Salt Lake City, UT
• Times: Generally 10 AM – 8 PM, Monday – Saturday, Memorial Day – Labor Day
• Price: $25 + tax for those above 48”, $20 + tax for those below 48”. Senior Citizens and Spectators are $5 + tax, and toddlers under 2 years old are free.

Photos taken by Atma Photography