Best Hikes Salt Lake City by Lori J. Lee

Author:Lori J. Lee
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781493030132
Publisher: Falcon Guides

Finding the trailhead: The Lake Mary/Catherine Pass trailhead sits at the very top of Big Cottonwood Canyon at the base of Brighton ski resort. Travel 15 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon to a one-way loop; just continue driving and the loop will bring you to Brighton ski resort. Park in the big parking area next to Brighton Center Lodge. The clearly marked trailhead is to the south of the lodge. GPS: N40 35.897' / W111 35.053'

The Hike

The Brighton Lakes tour takes you into a high alpine environment complete with a stream, lakes, flowers, the occasional moose sighting, and wonderful views. Because it is popular, as it has been since early pioneer days, you will almost always find others on the trail with you. The trail is not too steep, and the lakes are fun destinations. Lake Mary was originally much smaller, but it was dammed in 1915 and Lake Mary and Lake Phoebe were combined. The dam, just over 1.0 mile up the trail, helps regulate the water flow of the watershed area. Lake Martha lies only 0.5 mile later but is very different from Lake Mary’s granite cliff border and granite island. Lake Martha is surrounded by forest and open meadow. Lake Catherine, just 0.7 mile after Lake Martha, is the highest lake in the basin.

The trail begins with 200 feet of rocky gravel placed between railroad ties and then curves to the right and heads up the mountain. Follow the signs to Lake Mary. The trail climbs beneath the ski lift and between fields of flowers during July and August. Asters, Coville’s columbines, fireweed, speckled rockets, lupines, geraniums, giant coreopsis, tie-dye roses, Indian pain tbrush, Jacob’s ladder—they are all here, and the trail is rich with color.

At the fork for Dog Lake (left) at 0.8 mile, you can also break to the right for your first overlook down over Brighton and into Big Cottonwood Canyon below and to the right. Enjoy both.

Shortly after this point the trail climbs next to a stream draining from Lake Mary. Climb a stone staircase to the lake while enjoying the pleasant gurgle of the stream. From here you get your first sightings of the dam. The trail climbs up and around the south side of the dam to Lake Mary.

Continue along the path that follows the east side of Lake Mary as it heads up the mountain. Lake Mary is nestled at the base of the cirque amidst granite mounds, walls, and crumbling chunks of the rugged mountains surrounding it.

At 1.4 miles you come to a fork in the trail. The right fork takes you to the other side of Lake Mary. Take the left fork to continue another 0.1 mile to Lake Martha.

From Lake Martha you will climb onward to Lake Catherine. Along the trail you will quickly be able to look down to your left and see Dog Lake below. This gives a whole new perspective to where you are and where you’ve been.

A half mile later (2.1 miles) another fork splits the trail.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.