Mountaineering Boots Salt Lake City UT

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Utah
Location: Canyonlands National Park
Length: Round Trip: 2.4 miles
Trail type: Loop
Minimum Elevation: 5040 feet
Elevation Change: 100 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Slickrock Trail is a short nature trail heading over slickrock in a loop between Little Spring and Big Spring Canyons. This trail stays high giving you an incredible perspective of the entire southeastern corner of Canyonlands National Park. The loop is approximately 2.5 miles and takes less than two hours to complete. The far northern end of the loop overlooks the confluence of Big Spring Canyon and Little Spring Canyon. This is an easy hike with little elevation gain appropriate for families with small children. A brochure is available for this hike. It describes much of the geology of the area and is keyed specifically to four viewpoints along the trail. Take the hike counter-clockwise about half a mile up the trail where the loop section of the trail begins. Viewpoint #1 is just before you start of the loop. From this viewpoint, there is a nice panoramic view of the entire region and many of the major landmarks: Six-shooter Peak, Elaterite Butte, Cathedral Butte, the La Sal Mountains, Ekker Butte and the Needles. The trail stays on the ridge between Little Spring Canyon and Big Spring Canyon. At Viewpoint #2, you can get a good view into upper reaches of Little Spring Canyon. After Viewpoint #3, the trail turns west and then south. You can take a long look at the region’s namesake, the Needles, as you walk along. Locating Viewpoint #4 is more difficult than the first three. It’s about a quarter-mile walk to the viewpoint, where the first three were only 50-100 feet off the trail. At #4, you can look down into massive Big Spring Canyon. In spring, you can see a live stream flowing in the distance far below. The brochure gives you a great geology lesson from this viewpoint, so plan on spending extra time here. After leaving Viewpoint #4, it’s another mile or so back to the trailhead, most of the trail following the east flank of Big Spring Canyon.

Activities: Hiking, Snowshoeing

Info:
State: Utah
Location: Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Length: One-Way: 1 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 8800 feet
Maximum Elevation: 9520 feet
Elevation Change: 720 feet
Best Season: Summer, Fall
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Lake Mary Trail begins from the Brighton area parking lot. Look for the cedar chip road that goes behind Molly Green’s Restaurant and the Majestic Lift. The Lake Mary Trailhead is located behind the Mt. Majestic Lodge on the left side of the road. The trail follows a stream all the way to Lake Mary. If you want to continue on the trail it will eventually connect you to Catherine’s Pass and on to Albion Basin. Starting from either canyon, the trail passes several lakes and connects with the Sunset Peak Trail. This is a segment of the Great Western Trail. The Lake Mary Trail is also a popular snowshoeing and backcountry skiing trail when winter comes.

Activities: Hiking, Snowshoeing

Info:
State: Utah
Location: Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Length: One-Way: 2 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 4750 feet
Maximum Elevation: 6800 feet
Best Season: Spring to Fall
Difficulty: Moderate
Usage: Moderate

Description: The trailhead is located at the top of 22nd Street. From this point, a large cottonwood tree is visible a few hundred yards up the mountain towards the canyon. Follow the Indian trail to the left of the cottonwood tree. Continue on the trail climbing above the mouth of the canyon. The path to Hidden Valley uses the Indian Trail for approximately one-half mile. At this point a trail leads up into the hills and back to the south and can easily be missed so watch for words painted on rocks on the uphill side of the trail. This is the beginning of the Hidden Valley Trail. It is a fairly steep trail but the path is well defined. The hike is about 2.5 miles one-way dead end. It calls for a vertical ascent of about 2,200 feet. Hidden Valley, a substantial mountain bowl, was for centuries a favored hunting ground for Indians, trappers and the early pioneers. Populations of Rocky Mountain sheep, deer, elk and other game animals used the area for spring forage or relief from the heat of the summer.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Utah
Location: Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Length: One-Way: 2.8 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 7560 feet
Maximum Elevation: 9800 feet
Elevation Change: 2240 feet
Best Season: Spring to Fall
Difficulty: More Difficult
Usage: Light

Description: The Beartrap Fork Trail starts on the Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and follows a private access road into the canyon until it ends into the trail. The Beartrap Fork Trail has been maintained as a primitive route and can be difficult to follow especially as it meanders toward the ridge line at the end where it intersects the Great Western Trail. The first few hundred feet of the trail are so vague you probably wont believe you are on a trail at all. But once you get past that point the track becomes more evident. After snow begins to fall, it is common to see snowshoers and backcountry skiers along the Beartrap Fork Trail.

Activities: Hiking, Snowshoeing

Info:
State: Utah
Location: Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Length: One-Way: 3 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 6200 feet
Maximum Elevation: 8400 feet
Elevation Change: 2280 feet
Best Season: Summer, Fall
Difficulty: More Difficult
Usage: Light

Description: The Broads Fork Trail leads to an alpine cirque area with extensive rock faces and rugged terrain that is ripped by huge avalanches each winter. The trail begins from the west end of Mill B South Fork Picnic Area and climbs steeply to an overlook. The Salt Lake Twin Peaks and Dromedary Peak surround the cirque at the top of the Broads Fork Trail. The Broads Fork Trail begins by heading west up the heavily-timbered slope. After Hiking for 0.25 miles, the trail turns left and enters the Twin Peaks Wilderness area. The trail continues past a large rock on the the right (west), climbs over a small ridge and enters the Broads Fork drainage. The trail levels off as it enters the drainage and meanders southwest toward the stream. Before reaching the stream, the trail turns left and climbs steeply to the stream crossing. There is a wood bridge crossing the stream at 7500 feet and 1.25 miles from the trailhead. After crossing the bridge to the west side of the stream, resume climbing south up the Broads Fork drainage. The trail head up past several small benches for another 0.75 miles to reach the meadows at 8400 feet. The trail is well-maintained and clearly distinct to the meadows. A small spur branch of the trail veers to the right to reach the top of the knoll and provides and excellent views of Mount Dromedary, Sunrise Peak and Twin Peaks. Climbers can continue on Broads Fork Trail to reach the summit of Mount Dromedary. The Broads Fork Trail is also a popular snowshoeing and backcountry skiing trail when winter comes.