Students August 13, 2026
Trailhead residence hall brings outdoor-inspired living, dining and community to campus
Heather L. King - Associate Director of PR & Communication
The University of Utah is welcoming more than 1,400 students to a new kind of residential experience this fall with the opening of Trailhead, a six-story, 349,342-square-foot residence hall designed to bring students together through living, dining, recreation and shared community spaces.
Trailhead is the U’s newest student housing complex and represents a $155 million investment developed through a public-private partnership with American Campus Communities (ACC). Move-in begins Aug. 14 and the fall semester begins Aug. 24.
The new residence hall expands the U’s total student housing capacity to 6,946 beds (not including Ivory House) and is a prominent example of President Taylor Randall’s vision of College Town MagicTM—designed around how students live today.
“Trailhead represents our vision for a campus where exceptional spaces, meaningful connections and opportunities for discovery come together to help students make the most of their college experience,” said University of Utah President Taylor Randall. “We believe in a 24/7 experience that extends beyond the classroom, and it’s through creating living learning environments like Trailhead, we’re creating the conditions for students to thrive at the U for generations to come.”
The building consists of an east and west wing—Summit and Ascent—that mirror each other across floors two through six and is organized around a central courtyard, creating a mix of indoor and outdoor gathering spaces throughout the complex.
It’s specifically designed to encourage students to spend time outside their rooms and connect with their fellow students.
Each floor features a community lounge with a kitchen, stove and two microwaves, as well as laundry and trash facilities. Additional study areas, gaming spaces and reservable study rooms give students places to work independently or collaborate on group projects. Study rooms are equipped with televisions that students can connect to their laptops for presentations and other projects. The building also incorporates quiet areas for students who need a place to focus, while larger community spaces provide opportunities for programming and social interaction.
The residential complex offers a variety of housing configurations, including a variety of accessible rooms, single suites, double suites, cluster-style housing with shared bathroom facilities and four-person single suites.
The four-person single suites are new to campus and provide four individual bedrooms, two shared bathrooms and a common living area.
Cluster-style housing is designed to encourage students to spend more time in shared spaces. Unlike suites where bathrooms are located within the living unit, cluster bathrooms are positioned off communal hallways, helping create more opportunities for students to interact outside their rooms.
This new residence hall is also home to two Living Learning Communities that bring together students with shared interests, identities or academic goals to build connection, deepen learning, and create a sense of belonging. Honors First-Year Community allows all first-year, on-campus students to create a tight-knit academic and social network as they complete coursework in the Honors College. Wild Utah: Nature, Stewardship, and Communities from the Deserts to the Summit is presented by the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism and offers students an immersive, year-long exploration of Utah’s diverse landscapes and provides students with both classroom and experiential learning opportunities.
Trailhead’s rooms include features intended to give students flexibility in how they use their space. Micro-fridge units are installed in rooms within suites and clusters, and beds and furniture can be arranged to accommodate different needs such as loft configurations that raise the bed and create additional usable space underneath.
“Trailhead represents the kind of residential community we want students to experience at the University of Utah,” said Sean Grube, associate vice president of Housing and Dining Programs. “It’s a place where students can live, study, eat, recreate and build relationships without having to leave their community.”
The name Trailhead reflects an emphasis on outdoor adventure, and recreation is directly integrated into the residential experience.
The first floor includes an indoor bouldering room with articulating climbing walls and protective mats. The walls can be adjusted to provide different levels of climbing difficulty, and students will be able to check out climbing shoes from the desk. The room also features a mural created by University of Utah alum Lizzie Wenger, who is a climber. The artwork is inspired by Big Cottonwood Canyon, adding another connection to Utah’s outdoor landscape.
The climbing area is designed for free climbing, with access controlled by staff. It’s open to all students, staff and faculty—as are most of the first-floor offerings.
A residents-only fitness room gives students another convenient option for staying active without leaving Trailhead.
Outdoor amenities include a patio and hammock areas in addition to a heated and lit art installation called “The Lantern.” Large windows throughout the building bring natural light and views of the Wasatch Front into the residential spaces.
For students who spend their free time outdoors, Trailhead also provides secure bike storage and bike repair facilities for residents who reserve access, while nearly 60 ski and snowboard lockers provide space for equipment, helmets and boots. Both cost $114 for the academic year.
The first floor also serves as a dining destination for approximately 3,500 students living in the immediate residential corridor, including Trailhead, Kahlert Village and Marriott Honors, plus the campus community.
A 135-seat café includes three dining concepts plus a grab-and-go shop called Base Camp. Students can use their dining plans (including Swoop Swaps—a dining tap equivalency that can be utilized at retail locations) at these concepts, giving residents convenient access to a variety of food options without leaving the building.
At All Pho U, guests can enjoy Vietnamese favorites featuring house-made broths and noodles. Swoop Swap options include the chicken noodle bowl, edamame dumplings and chicken dumplings.
QDOBA offers customizable Tex-Mex favorites including burritos, bowls, quesadillas and more, with rotating Swoop Swap options available for both breakfast and lunch. QDOBA is planned to operate 24 hours a day during the academic year, giving students access to food options beyond traditional dining hours.
One of Salt Lake City’s favorite local donut shops, The Other Side Donuts, will serve donuts, coffee and other savory bites, with rotating Swoop Swap selections including breakfast items and student-selected donut favorites.
Mobile ordering also makes it possible for students to order food from their phones and pick it up at a designated station inside Trailhead.
Technology is incorporated into many other aspects of the Trailhead experience too.
Students use a mobile-based access system rather than traditional hard keys to enter their rooms and other secured areas. Building access is controlled through student credentials, and guests must be accompanied by a resident. The Trailhead student portal also allows residents to submit maintenance requests.
The building also features automated package lockers. When a package arrives, the delivery driver places it in an available locker, and the student receives a notification and access code to retrieve it.
Common areas are also designed for entertainment and connection. The gaming hub on the first floor includes televisions that students can connect their own gaming consoles to, creating a shared space for gaming and watching television.
The U and ACC have distinct roles in operating Trailhead.
University of Utah staff manage the student experience, including the 43 RAs and live-in staff, as well as most aspects of the first floor, including the gaming hub, dining and bouldering room.
ACC manages the physical facility, including maintenance, custodial services and grounds. That team includes nine facilities staff members, five custodial staff and one grounds employee. Custodial staff clean communal spaces, including kitchens, laundry areas and cluster bathrooms on a daily basis. Maintenance requests have a targeted 24-business-hour turnaround.
Trailhead is an important cornerstone piece of the U’s College Town Magic vision. Here, dining, gaming, fitness, climbing, studying, socializing and outdoor recreation come together in one neighborhood.
“We want students to have opportunities to connect with one another, access the things they need and feel like they are part of a community rather than simply living in a residence hall,” said Grube.
