Erda has mountain vistas and rural charm near Salt Lake City
Named after a German word meaning earth, Erda was established in the 1850s, when pioneers sought cattle-grazing farmland. In modern-day Erda, not much has changed, except now its spacious agricultural properties have 21st-century homes. Flanked by breathtaking views of the Uinta and Oquirrh Mountains, Erda is transforming into a scenic suburban area in the Tooele Valley, within a 30-minute drive of Salt Lake City. "Erda is no longer the best-kept secret in Utah. It's a perfect blend of rural living with city convenience at your back door," says Nicole Cloward, a local and broker owner at Re/Max Complete in Grantsville. "It has incredible sunsets surrounded by mountains. It's so beautiful. You can't beat it."
Mix of rural lots and 2020s subdivisions
Houses sit among the safari-like grasslands of Erda with views of multiple mountain ranges. Tall shrubs and young spruce trees grow along the quiet streets. While much of the area features country roads with stand-alone ranch-style houses, it also has 21st-century subdivisions with New Traditional homes built in the 2020s. The median sale price is about $560,000, compared to about $494,000 in the rest of Tooele County and about $599,000 in nearby Salt Lake County. Land is a significant draw for potential homeowners, and the median lot size is about an acre. "Buyers get space, views and quality of life without the big-city price tag," Cloward says. "There's room to breathe. People can enjoy the mountains because nothing obstructs their view."
Due to its mountainous landscape and vegetation, Tooele County is prone to wildfires. The county has an instant alert system and encourages homeowners to build a fire-resistant zone around their house, free of debris and combustible material. Winter weather also affects the region, with Tooele County receiving about 65 inches of annual snowfall, compared to the national average of around 28 inches.
Students can join dual-language and interest-based clubs
The Tooele County School District serves over 24,000 students across 29 schools. Overlake Elementary School earns a C grade from Niche and serves K-6 students. Grades 7-8 attend Clarke N. Johnsen Junior High, which has a C-plus. It offers student organizations like the Japan club and an esports club. Stansbury High scores a B-minus. It has a Portuguese language program and various interest clubs such as anime, pickleball, esports, theology and poetry.
Restaurant pub fare and well-known markets within a short drive
Erda has access to shopping and dining areas in nearby communities, such as Stansbury Park, about 2 miles north. One of the local restaurants is United Slice, a popular pizza place known for its breadsticks. Hug-Hes Cafe serves pub-style cuisine, with sandwiches and lunch staples. Residents can also drive 5 miles south to Tooele for places like the Bonneville Brewery, a sports bar with craft beer and views of the Great Salt Lake. The area also has grocery stores like Macey's and Walmart Supercenter.
Adventure sports and family friendly recreation close to home
In Grantsville, just outside Erda, the Peak Sports and Entertainment Complex has various sports facilities, including softball fields, a motocross track and an outdoor equestrian arena. It is also next to the Utah Motorsports Campus, which features a 4.5-mile car racing track and another racetrack for go-karts and motorbikes. One of the biggest draws to Erda is Skydive Utah, one of the state’s most popular skydiving centers at the nearby Bolinder Field-Tooele Valley Airport. Great Salt Lake State Park is about 15 miles north.
Drive-in movie theater and the Utah Lantern Festival
For date nights and family oriented fun, the Erda Drive-In is an outdoor movie theater with mountain views beneath the stars. The Sky Lantern Festival is one of Utah's recognizable traditions. People gather at the Peak Sports and Entertainment Campus to release glowing lanterns into the sky, honoring ancient Chinese and Thai customs with multiple yearly ceremonies.
Development around the Deseret Peak Utah Temple
One of the area's most anticipated houses of worship opened in 2024. The Deseret Peak Utah Temple is the 21st temple in the state, built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It has three stories, 70,000 square feet of space and Mission Revival architecture. "The temple is going to bring people to the community. It is gorgeous," Cloward says. "New grocery stores and restaurants are coming in around the temple, which will link Tooele and Erda."
Erda’s main road connects to nearby cities and flight options
While there is on-demand public transportation through the Utah Transit Authority, State Route 36 is the area’s central thoroughfare. It also connects to Interstate 80 and Salt Lake City, about 30 miles east on I-80. The Salt Lake City International Airport is approximately 25 miles northeast, with daily, direct passenger flights to cities like Denver, Phoenix and Las Vegas.
