This moderately easy trail is about 3.7 miles one way with only about a 1000 foot elevation change. The trail is well marked and easy to follow. It is popular for mountain bikers and families alike, so you can expect it to be crowded on weekends and holidays in particular.
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| Topographical Map |
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| Graph of Elevation |
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| Trail in Google Earth |
This trail climbs very gradually and pretty steadily all the way to Elephant Rock. The first half of the trail does climb a little more overall than the second half though. The trail has a good mix of shade and sun. There are patches of shade all the way up, but the first mile of the trail seems particularly shady. There are bridges and boardwalks over the streams and muddy sections of the trail.
The trail starts at a bridge just off from a parking area. It then travels up some long gently sloping switchbacks to a large rest area about 0.8 mile up the trail. There are a number of logs to rest on here and some teepee-like structures made from large branches.
About 1 mile up the trail is a view point from which Elephant Rock can be seen in the distance. It didn't stand out well in the picture below from this point, so it is circled in red.
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| First view of Elephant Rock (circled in red) |
There are a few other points with good views of Elephant Rock as you continue hiking up the canyon.
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| Another view of Elephant Rock from the trail |
In the spring, there are lots of bright yellow flowers along the trail, like those of various kinds of of balsamroot.
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| Balsamroot |
Right after the resting area is the only relatively tricky part of the trail. If you want to continue onto Elephant Rock itself, you will have to hike down a short but steep slippery slope to the rock and then climb up it.
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| Elephant Rock from the back. This is the side you must climb up from the trail to get to the top. |
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| View from the top of Elephant Rock out toward the valley |
This trail is great to hike during most of the year. It can be snowshoed when there is enough snow in the winter, and it clears of snow pretty early in the spring. Leashed dogs and horses are permitted on the trail too. There are no restroom facilities nearby unless you pay to go into the picnic area just up from the trailhead.
Directions
This trail is located in Davis County in Bountiful, Utah. If you are coming from north of Bountiful, take Exit 316 off of I-15 and head east on 500 S. Turn right onto 500 W and then take a left at 1875 S. This road will continue into 1800 S and then into Mueller Park Rd. If you continue continue past all the houses, you will come to a small parking area on your left. The trailhead is found at this parking area. However, there is not a lot of parking here, and you will likely need to park along the street further down along the residential area. If you continue past this parking area, you will reach the picnic area for which there is a fee to use.
If you are coming from south of Bountiful, take Exit 315 off of I-15, and then head east on 2600 S. This road will curve north and become Orchard Dr. From Orchard Dr., turn right onto 1800 S and continue as explained above.
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