Memory Grove Park occupies the lower reaches of City Creek Canyon, a narrow wooded canyon that begins just north of the State Capitol and is one of the few canyons in the Wasatch Range with a road closed to motor vehicles. The park itself, at the canyon entrance, contains war memorials and shaded lawns; the canyon trail above it extends several miles into the mountains.
The walk from downtown up through the park and into City Creek Canyon is one of the most pleasant urban hikes in the city, easily accessible without a car. The canyon is particularly attractive in autumn when the canyon maple and scrub oak turn colour.