I love taking friends from out of town on this hike! It's long enough that you feel like you did…read moresomething active, but not too far or too difficult that your friends never trust you to pick a trail again. The trail can be crowded at certain times of the day/year and it can seem confusing because of lack of signage/multiple spur trails but you really can't get lost if you keep heading towards the mountains. This trail is dog friendly! And the dog owners are very respectful and responsible. Which makes this trail even more fun to try!

Trivia: What university originally established in 1850 as the University of Deseret and used in the…read more2002 Winter Olympics sits rather close to the base of this trail? Finding the actual trail can be a little bit of a challenge. From the road where everyone seems to park, we started on a shaded, tree-lined trail that looked promising. But after a short jaunt, we arrived in a dusty, tree free area with trails going in lots of directions. The group in front of us took off like they knew where they were going, but I wasn't fooled by their confidence. Yay Me! But BOOO on the existence of trail markings. I reviewed the map and pointed my hiking companion and I to the trail I thought was most closely aligned with GOOGLE maps and AllTrails. Service was a little spotty. Luckily, it all worked out! The trail is a solid 1000-1200 feet of elevation over a mile which is a solid click of UP. Bring water as shade is rare and the trees are really more shrubs and bush size. The living room area is superb, but depending on the time of day, VERY congested. The seats will feel like the best chair you've ever parked your tired rump, and you will begrudgingly give them up when the crowds form around you.

We're really spoiled here in SLC. We have an abundance of outdoors opportunities at our fingertips,…read moreand most are in really great shape. That's illustrated here at South Box Elder. For the uninitiated, Millcreek Canyon has a bunch of picnic areas all up and down the canyon. Many of them are first come, first served and would make an incredible afternoon or evening. Seriously--you can leave work, grab a sandwich, at your favorite place, and be up the canyon eating it and it all takes less than 30. However, there are a few of the picnic areas that have reservable spots for larger groups. That's also the case with South Box Elder. There's one group site here, the Edmund Ellsworth Group Site, that can be booked ahead of time. It seats about 25 and has a fire pit, two metal stands, a metal BBQ grill stand, a thin and tall food table, and sits right next to the (pit) bathrooms. Besides the Edmund Ellsworth area, there's also a few other spots in this picnic area. It's a small area, and each one has its own fire pit and picnic table, but they may only fit a dozen or so people. There's a small parking area inside of here, but you can also park across the street. This area is also home to the north terminus of the Desolation Trail, and you'll see a lot of people come in and out hiking the Salt Lake Overlook portion of that trail. To reach it, drive up Millcreek Canyon and go past all of the Boy Scout properties and it will be the first picnic spot you come to after Millcreek Inn. The first sign you will see will be the Desolation Trail sign, and then the sign for the South Box Elder Picnic Area.

What a trip. I was…read morethoroughly impressed with our Desolation Canyon trip with Holiday River Expeditions. Going into it, I had very few expectations--I had never done anything like this before--and, if anything, I probably had more concerns than expectations. By the end of six days on the river, most of those concerns had become some of my favorite parts of the experience. First and foremost, our guides, Tristan and Annie, and the group we traveled with made the trip. Tristen and Annie were incredibly well prepared, knowledgeable, friendly, and just genuinely enjoyable people to spend six days with. Early on, they asked us to embrace and respect the river, and in return they showed us just how much the canyon had to offer. There was a great balance of adventure, history, knowledge, humor, and simply slowing down enough to appreciate where we were. I was concerned about being completely disconnected--there was no cell signal for the entire trip--but I quickly came to embrace it. Cutting the cord completely changed the rhythm of my day. No emails, no calls, no notifications. Just the river, the canyon and the people around you. I was concerned about sleeping on the ground. It never exactly became comfortable, but I got used to it enough that I spent several nights sleeping outside under the stars instead of in my tent. Speaking of the stars, I honestly didn't know that many existed. Maybe sleeping on the ground wasn't the reason I had trouble falling asleep--I may have spent too much time staring at the sky. I was concerned about the "Bano." Turns out I've never gone to the bathroom in more beautiful or serene surroundings. And, after all, everybody does it. I was concerned about the food. I shouldn't have been. It was fantastic, and I was continually impressed by what the guides were able to prepare for us in the middle of nowhere. I also spent several days paddling a ducky, which added another level of adventure and was an absolute blast. By the end, six days somehow didn't feel very long. You settle into the rhythm of the river, stop worrying about what time it is, get comfortable being a little dirty, and start appreciating how simple your world has become. What a trip. I would absolutely do it again. And as I've discovered since getting home, nobody warns you how hard it is to spend six days on the river and then go back to sitting behind a desk.

We had a wonderful experience with the Holiday team during our trip through The Gates of Lodore…read more Our guide team was led by Drake and included Brian, Annie and Jimmy. Each of them were incredibly kind, informative, and very fun to be around. Their coordination of the trip was beyond exceptional. Their knowledge and passion for the area was inspiring. We all learned so much about the history of the canyons. Thank you to our guide team for an unbelievable trip.

Super cool people, and an awesome float! Water was much warmer and views were more "deserty" 10/10read more

What a fun ride through the mountains. 2 hours and an amazing view…read more A few fun spots that make it well worth the price.

This waterfall is only about 150 feet off Highway 190. There is plenty of parking across the…read morestreet. The trail is relatively easy but plenty of roots and rocks. You only need to walk for about five minutes to enjoy the falls. You will know when you are getting close as thee is an old mine shaft next to the falls. It is spooky and open for anyone brave enough to go in. Lots of hiking at trailhead nearby, but if only up for a quick walk, this is the spot.

this large trail goes through cottonwood canyon, and the river follows all along the trail. i don't…read morewalk all of it, but took a small walk towards the trail once i parked in sure the trail is long, beautiful and great experience to have in Utah. i loved just the views alone

Close to SLC, and it's A great little trail to punish your preteens - on five gold stars!!read more

I've hiked Lambs Canyon twice, once in the middle of summer, and most recently as autumn has…read morestarted. It is just under four miles round trip, with a fairly gradual incline, although there are bits that can be a little steep. The trailhead starts with a bridge over water, but then quickly veers away from the stream, although you'll still catch faint babbling sometimes. The trail is fairly shaded, but also has plenty of open areas. It's much less rocky than other hikes, though this means more mud when it's rainy. Otherwise it's a great option for trail runs. A few of the plants you'll encounter are aspen, pine, wild elderberries, currants, and strawberries. The wildflowers are supposed to be stunning when in bloom. I saw chipmunks, various birds, moose and elk tracks, and while I haven't discovered any myself, have heard tales of rattlesnakes in the summer. It's definitely less traveled, though you'll likely come across at least a few groups. The terminus of the hike brings you to a scrubby sort of field with views out over the valley, and honestly, it's a bit underwhelming compared to some of the grander views you can find on hikes in the area, but the way there is enjoyable, and you have the option of taking a different route back down to Millcreek Road (though it would require a shuttle back to your car at the end). Once you take the exit off of I-80 for Lamb's Canyon you'll drive about a mile to get to the trailhead. There are restrooms available, and parking for maybe 5 or 6 cars. Dogs are not allowed.

Beautiful for a wildflower hike or just to beat the SLC heat in the summer. It's so green and lush…read moreup here. Love it!

I was in Utah with 6 of my closest friends for a girls weekend. We decided to do a two hour rafting…read moretrip down the Weber River. Lars was our guide and was so friendly and knowledgeable about the area and made sure we all had a great time. Next time we're in Utah, we're going to reach out to them to arrange another adventure. Thanks again Lars for such a memorable experience.

Great first time experience I had with my family. It's a nice fun easy rice route. The guide was…read moreexcellent and made the experience fun. Highly recommend!!