This review is for Cecret Lake from Albion Base which was a ~4.5 miles round trip that took ~2.5…read morehours to complete. Trail starts from a ski resort which means it would be difficult or inaccessible during the winter! Extremely diverse terrain; stunning views from beginning to end. The last stretch up to the lake was steep and rocky! AllTrails map recommended. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/zkHFyRgwxMQ

We have hiked Cecret Lake many times and enjoyed this spectacular hike at Alta Ski Area. It's…read moreespecially outstanding in the summer when the wildflowers are peaking in colorful arrays. Our boys love climbing the many large rocks on the way to Cecret Lake, and we also enjoy traversing around the lake. If you're more adventurous, you can hike up to Sugarloaf Lift and check out the ski runs.

Went to Antelope Island and spiral Jetty. both were beautiful and interesting and both had insane…read moreamount of flying bugs ... some biting and some not. flies, gnats, mosquitos, midges ect. I wore long pants though it was 100 degrees and bug spray which helped. We had around 20 flies in our car. Had thoughts of doing more walking around and trying different trails but the bug situation altered those plans. At the Jetty we let the drone do the exploring and we stayed besides the car swatting at bugs. I'm sure it would have been worse getting near the water and out in the brush. At antelope park they were bad at the causeway and everywhere around dusk. will include pics of the front of our car. but this lake is beautiful and great place to use the camera or drone.

It's an experience to stand down there whether it's full to its limit or the water is receded as it…read morehas recent years. The surprise for some people is the smell of it because it's the things that live in the water and then when they start to decay release a gas that's sort of poopy smelling. But all being sad if you look around, it is the most stunningly beautiful views you'll ever see being done at the lake and taking pictures that blue sky and blue water and white sands and white salt... Lots of white salt. To the to the state park there entry fee was $10 for the car. I felt like my money is worth out of it because it was a unique experience and if you're going to be in the Salt Lake City area, it's worth a drive down to see some of the better parts of the lake. Some can be a long drive like on the way to the northern part of the lake, but you go to the southern part of the lake and it's very close to the airport.

This review is for Silver Lake Trail which was a ~4.5 miles round trip that took ~3.5 hours to…read morecomplete. This was another one of those hikes that was stunning from beginning to end near Alpine, Utah. Trail begins with a surrounding of aspen trees and eventually becomes an exposed area as you climb up the side of the mountain towards the lake. There were two water crossings at this time and easy to cross with the logs and rocks. For the most part, the trail was narrow and rocky with a steady incline. Required to drive on a bumpy dirt road for ~3 miles. Recommend a high clearance vehicle. Parking lot can fill up fast at the trailhead because the people who kayak, swim, etc at the Silver Lake Flat Reservoir also park in this area. Unfortunately, the restrooms were disgusting and not maintained at this time. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/T2qSWpR7pIM

Beautiful hike, hard but worth it once you get to the top and swim in the freezing cold refreshing…read morelake. Incline majority of the hike so not for beginners. Road to get there is also rough so only recommend taking SUV/Trucks up.

I would never ever ever get in this water, but it provides a beautiful with the mountains in the…read moreback. The beautiful homes in the area make this a lovely place to sit and talk... until the gnats begin to attack.

Great experience . Really liked the spot reminded me of back home only reason i took one star off…read moreit's kinda hard to find

The hike from Silver Lake to Twin Lakes is one of our favorites in the Wasatch Mountains! It's…read moreespecially outstanding in the autumn with the spectacular fall colors, but it's also fun in the winter before the Solitude Nordic Center opens. Although Silver Lake is often a zoo, fewer people venture to Twin Lakes, so it's a great escape from the crowds. Remember your Ten Essentials and then get outside and go for an adventure!

I hiked this trail in the fall and it was beautiful! The trail starts at Silver Lake, which was…read morevery picturesque (although more of a swamp than a lake when I was there). There were multiple photo shoots going on, in addition to a few mooses just off the path. Although I would put myself in the "not very fit" category, I do hike often. I found this hike to be very difficult on my back due to the steepness (but I've had several spinal surgeries, so maybe that's not a typical person's experience here). The hike is 2.3 miles with a 757 foot elevation gain, and I'd say that elevation takes place over just 1.5 miles. The trail can also get quite rocky, so I would highly recommend a hiking pole if you have back, ankle, or knee issues. This trail wasn't busy at all when I visited (late Friday afternoon) and definitely had a huge WOW factor at the top. I explored some of the trails along the lakes and could not find a way that led all the way around. Give yourself enough time to sit and annoy the beautiful scenery and see if you can spot any pikas on the rocks. I'd definitely highly recommend giving this trail a try!

This hike to the lake was absolutely incredible! Even though I was out of shape, I still made it to…read morethe top, it was sort of difficult. The trail is steep and challenging, but the views at the lake were worth it. Definitely be prepared: bring plenty of snacks and enough water, preferably with electrolytes because you'll need it. Next time, I'm planning to camp overnight so I can rest to make an easier trip back down. Highly recommend this hike if you're up for a challenge!

Great trail from Spring through Fall in Little Cottonwood - especially in the Summer when you are…read moredying of the valley heat, it's usually at least 10 degrees cooler and there is ample shade. It is roughly 7 miles and 2,100-ft of elevation gain (200-ish flights of stairs going up) so not the best choice for novice hikers. The Forest Service did an awesome job and regraded portions of the trail in Fall 2019 to create more gentle dirt switchbacks instead of hiking up the rockier and steeper incline - my knees thank you! This is also the trail if you want to summit Pfeifferhorn and are really looking to level up! In the Summer be aware of limited parking and they also drain the lake usually late Summer so best to go earlier. Happy hiking!

Look into the construction progress at the visitor's center before you go since that relates to…read moreavailability of potable water. The recommendation is drinking 1L of water per person per hour. I was surprised that this state park has $15 entry per car, but I think it's worth it! I found the restrooms clean. Some roads are dirt while the main parts are paved. The roads are well maintained. The self guided tour of the ranch including original equipment from many decades of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was informative. Parking is easy next to the ranch. Horses are still there. A marina is onsite, but it appeared quite dried up such that you cannot dock boats on the day I went. Even in the first 20 minutes past the visitor's center, you'll likely see flies, dragonflies, bison, antelopes, birds, and more!

Absolutely stunning state park north west of the SLC area. only $15 for a vehicle, $5 for a…read moremotorcycle. There is so much to do here! Take in the epic views of the great salt lake from up high, walk along the coastline of the lake. There hiking trails up the mountains. There are bison all over to explore and photograph, as well as tons of species of birds to watch. If you're lucky you'll spot some Antelope or long horn sheep. Saw lots and local bicyclists, I imagine it wpuld be a blast to ride. You can park at the entrance and ride in at a small parking lot. The drive down the eastern coast is spectacular and if you don't mind a dirt road you can continue for a little further to the southern tip. Or stop at the pavement and check out the ranch that's been there for generations. What a cool place, I am so glad I got to visit an check it out. Ext time I'll stay for an extended period in one of the campgrounds!!

Strictly speaking, the Brighton Lakes Trail leaves from Brighton resort and goes up to Lake Mary,…read moreLake Martha, and Lake Catherine. There are other lakes in the area, and you can leave from the Solitude Nordic area (Silver Lake) and visit those lakes (Solitude, Twin Lakes), which you might mistake for Brighton Lakes as they are, y'know, lakes around Brighton. But for clarity's sake, this is the trail that takes you right up the ski slope before veering off and climbing up to those three lady lakes. The trail is a popular one, and that means you won't be alone. As a kid, I remember my dad taking us here one Saturday and we had the place to ourselves. Martha has a tiny island and I remember it seeming so big and so far out there... but as an adult I realize it was just my kid brain and kid memory. It's a nice lake, but Mary is the really big body of water up there. As an adult, too, I see that on a Saturday especially you won't have the place to yourself. In fact, these days as many have cancelled their summer vacations and are staying home, you'll need to be on the trail by 7am to have only moderate crowds. If you wait until 9 or 10am it will be a constant stream of people. Parking at Brighton is currently free, but any other hike in the canyon will be totally packed if you wait until after 7am. The trail itself is quite wonderful. You go up the slopes, and then veer off before gradually climbing up to the trees and large rocks. It never gets crazy steep or scary, though if you have to traverse in the snow you might be a little sketched out. It's only a couple of miles, although if you want to push on beyond the lakes you can hike up the ridge and beyond and it adds more miles. There are fish in the lakes, and we saw some kiddos out dunking a worm beneath a bobber. I don't think that's a main draw, but there were some fly fisherman giving it a go, too, so it does attract all kinds. The vast majority, however, are just out to stretch their legs and take in the views. All the hiking warnings apply--be prepared, pack lots of water as it does get hot, even though some of it is in the shade. Wildlife abounds, but give them plenty of space. Enjoy the summer wildflowers. And appreciate the fact that this is practically in your backyard if you live in SLC.

Are you seeking a longer, but low-challenge hike? Fair amount of shade with a plethora of wildlife?…read moreALL THE WILDFLOWERS if visiting around July? The opportunity to explore SEVEN lakes? Well, you have found your trail! Arriving at 6:30am, we began at Silver Lake, parking in the Brighton Visitor's Center lot, and taking the boardwalk toward the wooded area on the backside of the Lake. From here, you can trek the Lake Solitude Trail on the right to that same named lake, and then return to the Twin Lakes trail, but we went straight to the latter. In the future I'd hit up Lake Solitude, though (it's only a little out of the way), and you should too! As the trail begins, there is a portion bordered by rocks on each side, and little pikas scurried all about! They were not particularly frightened of us, so I got quite close, and they are heartbreakingly adorable. Following that, the incline steepens, but only for a bit, and it is probably the most you'll experience for the entirety of your hike, so it's nice to get it out of the way first thing. When we arrived at Twin Lakes we met a moose crowned by a gigantic rack, so did not really explore that area. He was completely unperturbed by us, and contentedly continued munching his leafy breakfast. The next portion of the trail is mostly wooded, lush, green, and particularly gorgeous. We saw a female moose just as soon as we entered the forested part, and happened upon a dead porcupine (oh, to see a live one in the wild!). The trail is mostly flat as it delivers you to Lake Mary (my favorite!). This is the largest of these bodies of water, but I loved her for the surrounding rocky scenery. You will find silvery schools of fish glinting in the sunlight, translucent emerald water, and myriad varying views as you trek around the lake. Moving onward, the incline increases slightly, but it's nothing major. Lake Martha will shortly appear on your right. She was small, surrounded by grass, and we did not linger too long. It will take a bit more time to arrive at Catherine, but the trail is easy and mostly shaded. When you reach a fork in the trail, take the left (with a sign regarding camping 200 feet from bodies of water) to head straight to Lake Catherine, or take the right (with a "trail" sign) up to the peak. The latter is exposed and a little rocky with a steeper incline. You can continue on that same route to Sunset Peak for a view of all three lakes, but we opted to stop here, admiring the view of Lake Catherine's glittering surface, then heading back, and taking the trail, now on our right, to break at Catherine, my second favorite lake. There were masses of wildflowers, and the water was near luminously clear. As you retrace your steps on the way to the remaining portion of the loop, you are treated to a stunning vista of the previous lakes and mountains beyond, then a wide-spanning view of fields and Dog Lake on your right. Dog Lake, a smaller, marshy spot, looks like a moose's dream hang out, and was our last stop. Following this, the trail is much wider, open, and more crowded. While not bad, it certainly suffered in comparison to the hike previous. In the future, though I would be sad to miss Dog Lake, I would probably skip it and make my return from the sister lakes back toward Silver Lake, but it is also nice not to have to go back the way you came. I just found the congested trail off-putting after previously experiencing all the serenity of nature with little interruption by other people. We started at 6:30am. This hike took us 4 hours, at an easygoing pace and with short breaks at each lake. Including additional wandering/off trail exploration, it ended up a total of 7.3 miles. Speaking of which, the trails are not marked well, in fact, are not marked most of the time. I would recommend utilizing the Alltrails app. We did, and even so still got off track for a bit. TL;DR - Fairly easy hike, especially for one nearing 7 miles. Excellent if you enjoy variety, and as it is a loop with only backtracking through the three sister lakes, there is always something new to see. Expect lots of animals, including moose, pika, chipmunks, ground squirrels, rabbits, butterflies, and birds. Some exposed areas, but more is shaded, with heavily wooded portions. Alltrails app is a must as the trails are poorly marked. Busy at the start and end.