When Brigham Young and the pioneers first began settling Salt Lake City, they had no way of knowing that one day it’s parks, community centers, and walk-ways would be home to all sorts of fantastic creatures called Pokémon. We ourselves may have even found it hard to believe just a few months ago before the release of Pokémon Go. However, if you’ve been to downtown recently, Salt Lake City’s new addition of Pokémon is hard to miss. Salt Lake City has become a hub for Pokémon and Pokémon trainers alike. It is the perfect stop along your Pokémon journey to become a Pokémon master, and here to help you along is our Pokémon trainer’s guide to Salt Lake City.

Where to find Pokémon

In Pokémon Go, certain pokémon are more likely to be found in their corresponding habitats. This is true on the local as well as the regional level. Salt Lake City being located in the sub-humid rocky mountains is considered an arid climate in Pokémon Go and is the perfect home for rock, ground, fighting, and fire type pokémon. You’ll see these type of pokémon nearly everywhere you go in the city. Other types of pokémon are more likely to be found in places that match their type.

Always a great place for world-class dining and shopping, and now becoming a Pokémon master! This downtown shopping center is full of PokéStops and gorgeous water features which make it a haven for water Pokémon in the dry state of Utah. The outdoor food court particularly has two close PokeStops which are usually lured, making your lunch all that much more enjoyable.

This lovely city park is actually what is known as a Pokémon nest. Nests are a specific point where a single species of Pokémon will spawn consistently and sometimes many at a time. In the past, the species of pokémon which spawn at these nests have changed, but the locations seem to stay the same. Sugar House Park was previously a Bellsprout then a Poliwag nest but has recently changed again. However; nests aside, Sugar House Park is always a great place to find grass and water type Pokémon.

College campuses seem to consistently be great places to play Pokémon Go. Not just for their walkability and abundance of PokeStops, but because of how the game works. The game is designed to have more Pokémon for more players in the area. Especially when school is in session, you can count on people playing the game, and that means more pokémon. The university’s research park area, near The Natural History Museum and Red Butte Garden, also happens to be a nest location, so make sure to add that to your list of stops as you explore the campus.

It has been speculated that both electric and steel type pokémon can be found in more industrialized areas of cities. The Gateway located close to Salt Lake Central Station turns out to be a great place to find both! Whether you’re there catching the latest movie at the Megaplex, exploring the universe at the Clark Planetarium, or doing some weekend shopping, expect to encounter plenty of Magnemites and other electric types. Maybe you’ll even finally catch that elusive Pikachu.

Whether you’re marveling at the award-winning architecture of the Salt Lake City Main Library, discovering the wonder of man-made flight at the Leonardo’s new exhibit or lounging in the shaded grass of the City and County building’s lawn you’ll never be far from a PokeStop or pokémon. Library Square’s location near more residential areas also makes it more likely for you to run into fire type pokémon. It’s a great option for an afternoon of fun and pokémon hunting with friends and family.

Probably one of the hottest Pokemon gathering places in the city, with 4 PokeStops very close together and almost constantly lured, there is no better place to “catch them all” and even meet some other trainers while you’re at it. With a gorgeous pond and water wheel, this is a great place to catch water and plant type pokemon. Take a seat in the soft grass and let the pokemon come to you! If you feel like stretching your legs, take a stroll around the small walkway surrounding the park and learn a little bit about Brigham Young and his family.

With their many PokeStop lined walking trails and big green spaces, the Capitol Building and adjacent Memory Grove Park are an egg hatchers paradise. Take in the city views, or quietly contemplate the beauty and importance of the many monuments and memorials as you work on hatching those 10k eggs. Also, don’t be surprised to see many bug, grass, and occasionally water pokémon along your walk.

Home to the breathtaking Salt Lake Temple, historic Mormon Tabernacle, and elegant Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Temple Square is now also a huge Pokémon hotspot! Just like City Creek, the many water features make it a great place to find water Pokémon, but its landmark status also makes it ideal to find the rarer dragon and fairy types. It is also rumored to be a nest location, so keep an eye out for whichever particular species of Pokémon is inhabiting it at the time. If you get hungry along your quest to “be the very best”, there are also a few places on the square to enjoy lunch! The Lion House Pantry on the southeast end, the Nauvoo Cafe in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building Lobby, and The Garden Restaurant on the 10th floor. The hot spot on Temple Square seems to be the cluster of PokéStops around the north bridge on the square.

While you’re out catching, hatching, and battling Pokémon, remember to enjoy some of the unique places and attractions Salt Lake has to offer. If you’re on Temple Square here are a few hidden gems to check out in between catching Pokémon. Have fun and good luck on your journey to becoming a Pokémon master!