Welcome to Dirt In My Shoes! If you love to hike and your feet are itching to hit the trails, you’ve definitely come to the right place!
When the weather starts to warm up, it’s time to lace up those hiking shoes. If you live in Utah, you know all too well how unpredictable the spring temperatures can be — it’s not uncommon to be basking in the heat down in the valley and be sloshing through the snow up in the mountains!
This list of spring hikes near Salt Lake City is just what you need to get outside and enjoy nature! Don’t worry, you won’t have to wade through waist deep snow to get to your destination. Here are my top picks for spring hiking:
1. Ghost Falls
Hiding in Draper’s Corner Canyon, the hike to Ghost Falls is the perfect family outing. This hike is 2.8 miles roundtrip and is often snow-free by early spring!
What You Need to Know
The Corner Canyon Trail System is multi-use so expect to share the trail with mountain bikers and horses.
Some poison ivy exists near the falls, so take care not to go off-trail or go off the beaten path.
There are no restrooms at the trailhead and the trail map is extremely faded and hard to see. The trails in the area can be a little confusing, so I definitely recommend printing out this map before you go.
Getting Here
In the spring, the best way to access the falls is from the Coyote Hollow Trailhead. This trailhead is located behind the LDS Draper Temple. To get here, take the Bangerter Highway exit off of I-15. Head east and turn left onto 13800 South. Drive for 1.7 miles to 1300 East and turn right. Turn right again after driving under the bridge, then turn left onto Rambling Road/1220 East and follow the signs to the Temple. Turn left onto Pinon Hill Lane. Take your first right and then your first left down Gray Fox Drive. A small parking area is located at the end of this road.
After parking, follow the trail signs for the Canyon Hollow Trail (passing the Silica Pit) and keep going until the trail meets up with a very wide pathway. Take a few paces along this path until you see a bridge to your left. Cross the bridge and then take a right at the sign that says Ghost Falls. Follow that path up until you reach the falls.
2. Buffalo Point
You will find the Buffalo Point Trail in Antelope Island State Park, just north of Salt Lake City. This trail has gorgeous, sweeping views of the Great Salt Lake and has a lot of fun rocks to climb on when you get to the top!
What You Need to Know
Click here to get directions and to read my trail report of the Buffalo Point Trail. {If you are looking for a longer trail, you might consider hiking to the top of Frary Peak}. While you’re there, be sure to check out the other fun things you can do on Antelope Island.
3. Rocky Mouth Waterfall
The trail to the Rocky Mouth Waterfall is short and sweet (only 1 mile roundtrip) and is the perfect way to get a quick dose of nature during the spring!
What You Need to Know
Find out what you need to know by reading my trail report here!
4. Bell Canyon Reservoir
At the mouth of Bell Canyon (a spectacular steep and glacially carved granite canyon) is a gorgeous reservoir with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains! This wilderness area is brimming with beautiful places to explore, but in the spring the reservoir is a great place to start.
What You Need to Know
The trail to the Bell Canyon Reservoir is 1 – 1.5 miles long depending on which trailhead you start from. This hike is popular and the parking lots are small. I recommend hiking this trail during the week, but if that’s not possible for you, just be sure to get an early start!
Two beautiful waterfalls are tucked into the canyon a few miles above the reservoir. Depending on the weather/snow conditions, you may have the possibility of hiking further into the canyon to see these waterfalls. This would add about 4 miles roundtrip to your route.
Getting Here
The trail into Bell Canyon has two trailheads, the Granite and the Boulder. To reach the Granite Trailhead, take I-215 East and get off at Exit 6 Wasatch Blvd/6200 S. Turn right and follow the road for 2 miles to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. From here, continue south (stay to the right — Wasatch Blvd leaves the main road) on Wasatch Blvd for 3.3 miles until you reach Little Cottonwood Canyon Road. Turn left and you will see the trailhead on your right as you begin to head up Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail from here is 1.5 miles roundtrip.
To get to the Boulder Trailhead, use the same directions above but don’t turn left onto Little Cottonwood Canyon Road. Continue heading south along Wasatch Blvd for 0.7 miles past Little Cottonwood Canyon until you see the trailhead on your left (10245 South Wasatch Blvd). The trail from here is 1 mile roundtrip.
Click NEXT to read about hikes 5-8 (including some amazing views and waterfalls!!)
hi there, we are considering travelling there early April 2018. Can you tell me what you think the weather would be based on your experience –will it be too cold? These hikes all appear close to town, thus I figure warmer then the hikes in the mountains. Some report just told us close to freezing. please advise
And can you recommend any small boutique hotels?
thanks in advance for your assistance.
It’s hard to say because the weather here in Salt Lake can be very unpredictable, but generally I find these trails to be accessible in April. A snow storm this time of year isn’t uncommon….but neither is 70 degree weather haha. Hope that helps!
Finally – a spring Utah hiking guide that includes hikes you can do in Spring. Great list. I just hiked ghost Falls this week (March 29, 2017) and there was lots of water coming down. I might add Battlecreek Falls to your list. It is in Pleasant Grove.
I’ve read through a few “spring” hiking lists and have been surprised by some of the recommendations…most of the trails would still be completely covered in snow! Thanks for reminding me about Battlecreek Falls. That is a great one for spring hiking!
I recently moved here from the East Coast, and so I am always looking for info about local hikes and sites of interest. This is a great list of some nearby hikes to add to my to do list. Great post!
Thanks Sid, and welcome to Utah! You are going to love all the outdoor activities available to you here :)