Wonderful intermediate family hike with a restroom at the entrance. We arrived late in the morning…read moreon Thursday and parking lot was packed with many people parked along the side of the road. The trail itself was challenging at the end since they are doing some trail repair but still doable with a 5 year old. The hike was worth the waterfall view.

I think I brought part of 7-Eleven with me after a quick pit stop there before the hike…read more This was one of the most interesting, fun, and confusing hikes I've done (early May). I didn't realize there'd still be so much snow, so I forgot long socks. It was sunny and in the high 70s, but I saw people hiking shirtless, in flip-flops with socks, shorts, snow gear, and even snowshoes. At that point, I gave up trying to figure out if I was doing it right and just went with it. Every step felt like a gamble. I had no clue what was under the snow or how deep it went. The trail is hard to follow with all the snow, so I recommend using the AllTrails app. My feet sank into snow that felt like a 7-Eleven slushy. I slipped on icy snow and even fell into a hole, but it was worth it, lol. Without snow, it's an easy hike. With snow, I'd consider it intermediate. It's -2 mi RT (3 hours with 1 hr break). You'll cross two small bridges (one with rails & one without). When you see the "Welcome to the Wasatch-Cache National Forest" sign, follow the water stream. It'll take you to Gloria Falls (~0.25 miles left). There's a parking lot and one restroom (separate stalls). parking was almost full when I got there late morning on a Thursday. I'd def come back when there's no snow to experience it differently.

It's starting to get way too hot in the valley, so I've been trying to escape up into the cooler…read moremountain temperatures for the past couple of weeks. What a stunning hike this was! We started the hike from a less populated trail starting near Solitude, but there's another, more popular trail that goes to this same viewpoint. I believe the route we took was called the Beaver Pond trail from Solitude. The wildflowers are starting to come out and the views are absolutely stunning. The lake itself was perfectly still and reflecting the beautiful aspens. We came here on a Friday night and lots of people were backpacking here and setting up camp around the lake. What a beautiful place to backpack, and a short little backpacking trip! I would definitely come back to backpack this sometime. The temperature was perfect, although it was a little bit buggy so bug spray was necessary. We even ended up needing sweatshirts on the way down. Our trail was about 4.2 miles RT, but the regular Willow Lake/Willow Heights trail is 2.5-2.8 miles RT. Definitely worth checking out right now as the wildflowers come out!

Do you ever feel like you just need to spend some time outdoors? Some might call it woo woo, but…read morewith the cooler temperatures, I have not been out on as many adventures as usual, and my spirit definitely required a reconnection with nature. It hit me acutely about a week back, and, while I have my trusty standard hikes (I swear I visit Bell's Canyon near weekly!), I wanted to go somewhere new. Willow Heights popped up while searching Alltrails in an attempt to locate a different hike in the same area. The one I'd originally had in mind didn't feature a lake, so Willow Heights quickly won over my interest. At just over two miles, it is a great option for those seeking a quick hike. Located a ways up the canyon, and though not super well marked, if you utilize GPS and watch for cars parked along the road, it is not too difficult to spot. There is a small etched boulder that serves as the trail marker. The path starts with some incline, but nothing too challenging. There are aspens EVERYWHERE, and, in the early morning light, their bare branches and trunks appeared so starkly white against the blue sky. It was incredibly striking! As elevation is gained, more pines start to sprout up, though with no loss of aspens. We did not see any, but moose are said to be common hiking companions. Eventually, you will reach a large open field (I imagined it full of wildflowers mid-summer), and then the trail breaks off into a wide loop around the water. It's a small lake, but it's still a lake, so I'll take it, even frozen, as it was at this time. I found a raised spot on the west side, and settled in to enjoy the perfect silence and view of surrounding snow-topped mountains. And speaking of snow, in November, there were spots with plenty, though more ice than anything else. We brought crampons, but didn't bother to use them as the bottom of the trail was entirely clear, and my hands were too frozen to maneuver crampons over my boots once we reached the more slippery spots. It was okay without, but further into the winter you will certainly want 'em. There were also areas that, with several inch deep shoe prints, clearly get pretty darn muddy once warmed by the sun. It was cold enough that the dirt was frozen for us. Because Big Cottonwood is a watershed, dogs and swimming are prohibited. Camping is allowed, but I don't think fires are (though we saw what was very clearly a fire pit near the lake). I could see this being a popular hike during other seasons, though, on a cold Sunday morning, we only happened upon one other group right as we exited the trail.

This is a beautiful hike surrounded by lush, green trees and lots of shade. It's tucked up in a…read moreresidential community in Draper, but once you get to the trailhead, you wouldn't really know that there are houses nearby. There are several paths and trails you can take-some on foot, some by bike. I even saw clues that horses had been there! At the trailhead, there is plenty of marked parking along with bathrooms. It's easy to find via GPS and you can do shorter or longer trails-whatever floats your boat. Just keep track of where you are because without a map or sense of direction, you could easily get turned around!

This is an easy hike for little ones to climb up the canyon if they want to see an actual…read morewaterfall. As far as the waterfall goes, it's on the small side, but it is a nice little hike at Corner Canyon in Draper. The trail does have some sunny areas, but mostly it's covered buy foliage and it's quite shady on the higher end of the trail.

This a pretty easy trail with a gradual incline. I would say it's rocky in parts, but over all a…read morefantastic trail for beginners. You can hike all the way up to the falls, the trail meanders, which is nice. You can take your time enjoying the scenery or hike fast to get to the falls. Bikes are allowed on this trail, and there are a lot of them. I just which they would use etiquette when biking. Let hikers know you are about to pass them (give hikers a heads up) most of them time you can hear when a bike is approaching, but not always, especially these days with the river water rushing so fiercely it's hard to hear.

Personally, I think this trail is way to short from the Lisa Falls trailhead, but that is my kids…read morepreferred route, less than 0.5mi to the falls if you park at Lisa Falls trailhead. The falls is very pretty and unique. It's a very popular family hike since it's so short and easy. That said, my preferred route is to park at Temple Quarry/Little Cottonwood trailhead and hike up Little Cottonwood trail. You will get to a point where you cross a private drive, but the trail continues if you just keep going straight and follow the signs. Then, eventually, there is a split. Little Cottonwood trail continues to the right and another trail goes uphill to the left - this will take you to the main canyon road, where you can cross, and Lisa Falls trailhead is right there. I don't know the exact mileage because we went all the way up Little Cottonwood Trail, and then back down to the split and that's when we decided to check it out and find out where it went. Either way you go, the falls is great!

Lake Mary is a classic trail to adventure if you want to show off some of Utah's finest nature. I…read morelove doing this trail and have often done it solo. Depending on the time, it can be quite busy, but once you arrive to the lake, you can treat yourself to a panoramic view on one of the many rocks and sitting areas. It's one of those places you want to just put your phone away and lose yourself in thought. Pro tip: bring a hammock and a good book!

Beautiful scenery. If course bot allowed to swim. Lots of cute squirrels. It is just so scary for…read moreme when we pass swarm of mosquitoes. The people said it is normal there. I didn't have any jacket and repellent and I got bitten so badly.

OH the stairs, the stairs. They can be a blessing or a curse. Stairs were put in to help with the…read morevery steep elevation gain going up to Mount Olympus or Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Personally I like hiking just on the dirt trail, even though there is a very steep elevation. Because it has been so dry this trailhead is very slippery. I didn't use any poles coming up here, and thought maybe I should have to help me from slipping every which way. This is another busy, busy trail, and is narrow in parts which makes it hard to pass. There is no shade on this trail if you turn off on the BST, except if you hike all the way down to the subdivision right towards the end there is a bit of shade, but for the most part there is none. This is also a very noisy trail, and you hear traffic all the way along the trail, unless you go further up closer to Mount Olympus. There has been no parking for years except on the street, so I was glad to see that there is a small one being built right by the trailhead. **Dogs are allowed on this trail, but please pick up after them. ***No bathroom available

"What was I thinking?" That phrase went through my mind over and over again on this hike. This…read morewas hard. 1) Bring a lot of water. I went on a day that was about 90 degrees in the valley, so I thought I was prepared by taking 3 liters of water in my camelbak and then another 16 oz Gatorade. I ran out of liquid. I was sooo dehydrated by the end. I typically carry around a 40 oz hydroflask everywhere, so I do drink more water than most people... but still... be prepared. 2) Trekking poles are a good idea for this hike. Definitely not needed, but lots of people had them and I was grateful for mine. My upper body was able to take a lot of the stress off of my quads and knees. 3) Bring snacks. I ate an apple, some fruit snacks, some almonds, half a protein bar, and some Clif Shot Blocks. I also brought tuna, but didn't touch it. You're working hard for an extended period of time. You need some fuel to keep you going. 4) Head up early, if you can! It seems like this hike typically takes people 3-8 hours. I was right in the middle with being just shy of 6 hours. I did go all the way to the top and I took a few good sit down breaks. 5) Last, but definitely not least. The scramble to the top? It's hard. You are climbing up big rocks. It's fairly technical. WEAR GOOD SHOES! Leave the worn out tennis shoes at home. Wear your best, most grippy trail shoes for this. I was terrified of this scramble. Almost turned around. But I made it up, and if you take it slow on the way back down, it's not too bad. You can do it. Just be safe, smart, slow.

I had to pick my jaw up off the ground so many times! Silver Lake was absolutely beautiful. The…read morewater was crystal clear and the mountains in the background were breathtaking. I loved the boardwalk around the lake. I was hoping to see a moose but didn't. A little girl walked by and said "mommy, isn't this where the moose was last week?" Non the less, I would do it over and over. I loved Silver Lake and I loved Utah! @outdoorswithmandy

Nice. It's a hiking trail. And it's got dirt, trees, and some grass. Sometimes the sun is there,…read moresometimes it's not. Catch a vibe.

This trail on the southeast side of town is beautiful, well shaded, and right along a stream. The…read moretrailhead is in a neighborhood. There are some parking spaces flanking the trail, and overflow parking down the street. Other parking along the street is permit only, with warning signs that threaten fines and towing without notice. A paved ramp and amphitheatre sit trail adjacent. The beginning of the trail looks tame and fairly pleasant (except for all the dog poo bags littered about; carry the poo out, people). But don't be fooled! It quickly turns rocky and the are some steep areas. After rain, the sandy spots can be a bit slick. The bubbling water and shade are quite pleasant on a hot day. But it can be a bit buggy. I was bitten by what looked to be some black flies and mosquitoes. The trail isn't well marked and there are a few offshoots that lead in different directions. Some parts seem narrow and overgrown. For the most part, follow the water to stay on the trail. I didn't see many people. Most people appeared towards the beginning of the trail; most with dogs off leash. A nice trail for respite from the sun, but is not really a beginner's trail. Footwear with good grip and ankle support recommended.

Oh man if you are looking for a challenging hike this one is for you…read more I had no idea this trail even existed so close to the city until, I ran across a review from an old friend of mine on google maps. Cool that there is a hike that's close to the city and is dog friendly. I used google maps to get me to this hike. It's in a neighborhood, and has very limited parking. There isn't parking on the street in front of the houses, unless you have a permit, your car will be towed. (there is overflow parking about a block or so down the street) Now back to the trail review... At first the trail is pretty easy, and I had my dog on a leash obeying the signs. Pretty quickly the trail starts to get a bit rocky, and you run into some make shift stairs going down closer to the river, which you can hear right away. Then the elevation gain starts, and doesn't end until you come down from your hike. The trail is beautiful, and has a good amount of shade and water. The trail is not well defined as far as signage goes. At one point I came to a stand still because I didn't know where to go. The trail I was on came right up to the river, and I couldn't see a trail beyond if you crossed it, and there definitely wasn't a defined trail to my right. I thought what do I do now cross the river? Thankfully a family with small children came around the rocky bend and I asked them which way to go. They said they always take the rocky way through the river. It's a good thing I had my hiking boots on. Most of this hike is ROCKY, climbing over boulders and very large rocks on very sandy soil. It didn't help that it rained this morning. I was slipping and sliding. At this point I took my dog off her leash. It's not in your best interest or the dogs to be dragged on this rocky trail ,with a leash around it's neck, getting pulled here and there. There was one point on the trail that was almost a 99% vertical climb that I sat down with tears in my eyes. I was scared. I kept thinking I have to come down this when I turn around. I should just turn around now, but I wanted to finish to the end to feel a sense of accomplishment. There are no switchbacks on this trail that would have helped with this section, so I made my own, and got past this section. I was holding on to what I could and said "I don't care if there are any snakes I have to get out of here". (as luck would have it there wasn't any, I think I would have passed out if there was coming face to face with a rattler) Each part of the trail became more beautiful, and more changeling. I ran across a section where you could tell a rock slide happened, and you just kept climbing over the boulders. "I can make it, I know I can." There were two sections that you have to walk through the river to continue on the trail. I don't know how the river is at any other time of the year, but it wasn't rushing so fast that you couldn't pass it if you want to go to the end. You have to pass it. I logged on the the all trails app to make sure I was on the trail. It said I was and I only had a little ways left to go to the end. Rain clouds were forming and I thought I better turn back because the trail was slippery enough I didn't need to be caught on the trail when it was a down pour. Plus my little doggy was doing this trail as well, I had to think of her too. There was hardly any people on this trail today, but when I did run across any, they had younger kids with them. Mind you All Trails has this trail rated as Hard. The rain clouds started to form so I turned around. I have to say it was easier to come down than it was to go up. When I came down I ran into a couple of people learning how to mountain climb. I guess this is a popular spot to do that. I would like to go back, and climb all the way to the top. Next time I'll know what to expect, but seriously doubt I'll make it.