Midway is "Little Switzerland" near the nature of Park City
Settled by Swiss immigrants in the late 1800s, Midway is known as "Little Switzerland," with chalet-style cabins in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. With local festivals like Swiss Days, Midway is a nature-oriented community surrounded by all-weather trails and glacial lakes near the skiing mecca of Park City. "Midway is a resort town with Swiss influence," says Paige Douglas, a real estate agent at RealtyPath LLC. "It's a four-season destination for recreational activities. The fishing is fabulous, and we have two local reservoirs that allow sailboats, jet skis and boating."
Chalet-style cabins and Victorian influence
Midway has suburban streets, with grassy lawns, pine trees and mountain views. This community features a broad mix of architectural styles, including New Traditional and chalet-style homes with Victorian influence. "There are a lot of second homes," Douglas says. "Although some areas don't allow nightly rentals." The median home sale price is about $990,000, compared to the national median of about $420,000. Homes under 2,000 square feet may cost between $600,000 and $1.3 million. Those over 4,000 square feet tend to go for $2 million to $6.3 million. Townhouses cost around $430,000 to $1.3 million. "We have more ski lifts, retail and newer houses. Everyone says they wish they could live here," Douglas says.
Highly rated schools with career-oriented classes
Midway Elementary School earns an A-minus grade from Niche and is a Model Professional Learning Community that focuses on collaborative learning and positive student relationships. Rocky Mountain Middle School has a B-plus and offers dual language immersion programs in Spanish and French. Wasatch High School receives a B-plus and offers professional experience through its CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program.
Skiing and hiking trails in the Wasatch Back
Wasatch Mountain State Park features two golf courses, cross-country skiing and over 90 miles of multi-use trails. Nestled above Midway, Soldier Hollow is an Olympic center for Nordic skiing, tubing and mountain biking. Residents can also visit Homestead Crater, a geothermal hot spring and a popular place to scuba dive. About 10 miles north, Jordanelle State Park features pebble beaches centered around a blue reservoir for swimming and boating below the mountains. "Heber and Midway are divided by the Provo River, one of the best fly fishing destinations in the world," Douglas says. "If the reservoirs freeze over, you can go ice fishing during the summer. There are also phenomenal ATV and motorcycle trails."Winter weather can cause avalanche-related conditions, particularly in skiing areas and snowmobiling trails. Wildfires pose a risk to the land around Midway. However, residents can check environmental factors through local resources like the Central Wasatch Commission and the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal.
Dining at Lola's or the Midway Mercantile
While it has no traditional downtown, Main Street is home to locally owned restaurants and markets. Lola's Street Kitchen serves Greek and American cuisine on a shady outdoor patio. The Midway Mercantile is a rustic whiskey bar in a brick building, serving seafood dishes and sandwiches. The area's primary grocery store is the Market at Midway, while Heber Valley Milk & Artisan Cheese sells locally sourced cheese wheels and natural milk from farms around Heber Valley.
Celebrating the local culture at Swiss Days
One of the community's most well-known events is Swiss Days, a two-day festival that draws nearly 100,000 attendees in August, the weekend before Labor Day. It features a 10k race, an outdoor craft fair and a parade. Residents can also sample Swiss German food while listening to live, traditional Swiss music.
Getting to Heber City and SLC
The High Valley Transit (HVT) bus system provides public transportation connecting Midway to Heber City and Park City. Heber City is about 4 miles east on State Route 113. Park City is about 20 miles north. Salt Lake City is approximately 45 miles northwest. The Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is roughly 50 miles away, with passenger flights to cities worldwide.
