Grandeur Peak via Church Fork Trail

The Trail
This moderate trail is about 2.9 miles (one-way) with a 2,390 ft elevation change. However, due to the fact that parking  for hikers at the trailhead is very limited, most people end up starting from the road, which adds an extra 0.3 mile (one-way) to the trail, and makes the round trip hike about 6.5 miles long. Due to the fact that most people end up starting from the road, the maps and graph below reflect this starting point.

This is one of the easiest peaks to summit in the area, and it offers some rewarding view both along the trail and at the top.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

Church Fork is a picnic area, and there are vault toilets available all along this road up to the trailhead. (We found many of them to be closed due to COVID at the time we tracked this hike as shown above, but normally this is not the case. One we found open is labeled on the map.) There is also a nice waterfall along the road as you head up toward the trailhead.

Waterfall along the road

About 0.3 mile up the road is the small parking area and trailhead. A short distance after the trailhead there is a little bridge and another charming waterfall.

Bridge at beginning of trail

Waterfall just north of the bridge

About 0.2 mile from the trailhead there is an intersection of trails. The Rattlesnake Gulch and Birch Hollow Trails go off to the left and right here. The Grandeur Peak trail stays straight (the sign for it in the picture below is perpendicular to the other labeled trails).

Intersection of trails

The trail continues near the stream and through a pleasant shady forest area for just under a mile up. After that, there are some sunny and shady patches, but overall the trail continues to open up more with less shade. There are occasional side paths, but the main trail is easy to see and follow.

As the trail opens up, some nice views of the mountains
appear. These get better as you continue up.

Approaching Grandeur Peak

Penstemon growing along the trail

Trail curving around to top right before the peak

The views from the top are fantastic. The Salt Lake Valley stretches out below to the west while surrounding peaks jut up nearby to the south and east. Parley's canyon lies north which goes up into Dell Canyon, and up this canyon Mountain Dell and Little Dell Reservoirs appear as blue patches.

Salt Lake Valley

Mount Olympus and part of the Salt Lake Valley

Mountains looking East

Mountains looking South

Mountain Dell and Little Dell Reservoirs

After soaking in the view, hikers can return the way they came.

This trail is located up Mill Creek Canyon, which does require a $5 fee upon leaving the canyon to access it. Dogs are permitted off leash on odd days, but must be leashed on even days. There are vault toilets along the road in the picnic area at near the trailhead as previously explained.

Directions
This trail is located up Mill Creek Canyon near Salt Lake City, Utah. To get there from the north, take 1-15 to Exit 304 and head east toward Cheyenne on I-80. Take Exit 128 for the Belt Route/I-215 and head south. Next, take Exit 4 and turn left on 3900 South, then turn left onto Wasatch Blvd. Take the first right onto 3800 South/Mill Creek Canyon Rd. Head up this way for about 3 miles to get to Church Fork Picnic Area. You can try to drive up this road to the end where the trail starts, but there is very limited parking up this way for hikers, and it nearly always full. Most likely you will have to park along the road near the turn-off and walk up to the trailhead.

To get there from the south, take 1-15 to Exit 298 for the Belt Route/I-215 and head east. Next, take Exit 4 toward 3900 South, then turn left onto Wasatch Blvd. Turn right onto 3800 South/Mill Creek Canyon Rd. and continue up the canyon as explained above.
GPS Coordinates for the trailhead: N40° 42.041' W111° 44.545'
GPS Coordinates for the turn off to Church Fork Picnic Area: N40° 41.858' W111° 44.548'

Kays Creek Parkway Loop Around Hobbs Reservior

The Trail
This easy trail is about three miles long from the Kays Creek Trail parking area off 2125 East so long as you stay on the blue loop shown below. However, there are a number of possible access points to this trail and the length could vary widely based on where you start and stop.

Topographical Map (blue = loop; green = path over dam;
red = path to neighborhood)

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

The Kays Creek Parkway Trail is a popular paved trail used widely for walks and exercising. If you start from the parking area, the trail will be pretty flat until it ascends up the hill to the dam. The paved trail splits about 0.3 miles up from the parking area. We completed this loop going clockwise, so we went left here.

Trailhead at parking area

Trial Split

If heading clockwise from here, the paved trail continues around the north side of Hobbs Reservoir, crosses a bridge at the northeast side, and loops around. The paved path continues, but dead-ends along this east side with a dirt path heading up to a neighborhood.

However, just before the dead-end, another dirt path partially obscured by the trees heads down with some steps. This is also next to a green metal warning post. The path from here back to the dam is a dirt trail (the path between the two green dots on the topographical map above).

Dirt path heading down from paved portion of the trail

Steps heading down the dirt path

This portion of the trail is much rougher than the paved path, with short sections of up and down. Parts of the path are slick packed dirt, so use some caution if you don't have good tread on your shoes. However, overall there is minimal elevation change and the trail is otherwise easy and straightforward to follow.

Most of the trail follows the reservoir fairly closely and is surrounded by water loving vegetation. However, part of the trail rises further above the reservoir and is surrounded by dry climate vegetation, including prickly pears.

 

While we were there, we found that a group must have painted rocks to leave along the trail for hikers to enjoy. Our kids really enjoyed trying to find as many of these rocks as possible with their uplifting messages and bright pictures. We doubt these rocks will always be there, but they are fun to find so long as they are.

Not too far from the dam there is a boat ramp (labeled with a symbol on the topographical map above). However, be aware that posted signs forbid swimming in the reservoir. The trail reaches the dam again not far from this, and an opening in the fence here at the southwest end of the reservoir leads back onto the paved trail. Head west along this paved trail to complete the loop and return to the parking area.

Sign and path coming from south side of reservoir by the dam

This trail is open to dogs. There are no restrooms along the trail or at the trailhead.

Directions:
This trail is located in Layton, which is in Davis County, Utah. To get there from I-15, take Exit 334 and follow UT-193 east for about 4.4 miles to 2000 East. Turn right here, then turn left onto Deere View Dr. Take the second right onto 2125 East and continue down the hill to the end of the road where there is parking area. The trail starts from here.

Alternatively, depending on the place and direction you are coming from, it may be faster to take US-89. If you go this way, take Exit 404 and head west on UT-193 toward Hill Airforce Base. You will reach 2000 East about a mile after turning off US-89. Turn left here and follow the rest of the directions above.

GPS Coordinates: N41° 05.868' W111° 55.674'

Squaw Peak

The Trail
This moderate trail is about 3.8 miles long with around a 2,700 foot elevation change. With its decent climb and beautiful varied scenery, it has long been a personal favorite of mine.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

This trail starts at the Rock Canyon Trailhead. The first part of the trail follows a paved road, although there are also side trails that are dirt that meet up with the road later. The road is easiest to follow, as the dirt trail intersects with other paths and can be a bit confusing sometimes.

Trailhead

As the canyon narrows, the path goes around a green gate. Then about a mile up the trail, the path crosses a wooden bridge with a number 1 in the left corner (marked with a red flag in the topographical map). There are a few more bridges to cross as the path follows the stream up the canyon before hikers reach an intersection about 1.7 miles from the trailhead. Heading right (shown in red in the maps above) will take hikers up to the campground and to other possible trails and destinations, such as to Cascade Saddle.

First Bridge

Another bridge

The trail to Squaw Peak is marked with a rock, but the lettering on it labeling this path is faded and easy to miss if you aren't paying attention or looking for it.

Intersection for Squaw Peak

Rock with faded label marking path to Squaw Peak

The trail heads up more steeply after this intersection, leading hikers through a pleasant umbrageous forested area.

Wild currents growing along trail

As the trail gets closer to the ridge, it begins to cross small open meadows.

After coming up to the ridge, the trail opens up and hikers can catch some views of Mount Timpanogos to the north and Freedom Peak to the southeast. The trail heads back behind the ridge line again and circles around to climb to the peak.

The impressive view from the peak is definitely rewarding. To the west below the nearly 3000 foot sheer plummet to the valley floor, Utah Valley stretches out in a great yawning expanse before viewers. Y mountain sits directly south, and off to the north rests Mount Timpanogos.

The corner of Y Mountain and a portion of the view of Utah Valley

Mount Timpanogos to the north

I particularly enjoy the views to the east of Shingle Mill, Freedom, and Provo Peaks jutting up above Rock Canyon and the other surrounding valleys.

View of Peaks to the east

After soaking in the panoramic scene, you can head back down the way you came. As you make your way down Rock Canyon be sure to appreciate Squaw Peak perched above you...the high point you just came down from.

View of Squaw Peak from Rock Canyon

Dogs are permitted on this trail. There are restrooms at the trailhead. There is a continuously running water fountain 0.9 mile up the trail (and another one after the turn-off for Squaw Peak) marked with the faucet symbol in the topographical map.

Directions
This trail is located in Utah County near Provo, Utah. To get to the trail head at Rock Canyon, take exit 269 off I-15 for University Parkway. Head east along University Parkway to 900 East. Turn left at 900 East, go to Temple View Drive, and turn right. Then turn right at 2300 North. When the road turns off to the right, stay straight to enter the parking area for the Rock Canyon Trail. GPS coordinates: N40° 15.878' W111° 37.790'