Flight
The SLC airport is only 20-30 minutes from Big Cottonwood Canyon depending on traffic.
Travel Note
The closest cities to stay in are Cottonwood Heights, Sandy, Holladay and Salt Lake City.
Hotel
This hotel is right at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon
Hotel
Train
TRAX is a great way to get around the city. Tickets are only $5 for the day.