Silver Lake is one of my favorite places to go in the fall but, like every other person in the state of Utah (my sister and I took a drive along the Alpine Loop over the weekend and, because all of the parking lots were full, there were lots of cars parked along the side of the road which made the narrow switchbacks a lot of fun to drive), I am finding great solace in nature so I decided to go there yesterday.
I went early in the morning so there were very few cars up the canyon and only a few people at the lake. A man was fishing with his two adorable sons, who were between three and five years old, and when I asked if they had caught anything as I walked by they excitedly squealed that they had caught two rainbow trout!
Silver Lake is near the Brighton Ski Resort at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. There is a large parking lot right by the trailhead. A boardwalk extends into a meadow and then continues around the lake shoreline. On the far side of the lake the path becomes a dirt trail but it is very well maintained.
It is a really easy hike that is just under a mile and the majority of it is flat with a boardwalk. There are even a few benches along the boardwalk near overlooks with display boards giving information about the wetland ecosystem.
On the other side of the lake there is a dirt path with a few changes in elevation but it is really easy to navigate. I loved walking through the forest and I saw quite a few little critters.
I loved being in the mountain air and it felt so invigorating to be hiking again. It has been a while and I want to continue now that I have more time.
To get to Big Cottonwood Canyon, take the 6200 S. exit on I-215 and follow the signs to Brighton/Solitude. Silver Lake is right at the top of the canyon and there are lots of signs. It took me about an hour to get there from my house in Bountiful (I was slowed down by a bit of construction just before Solitude Ski Resort). I enjoyed this hike immensely and I highly recommend it, especially for kids or for people who want a nice leisurely stroll through beautiful scenery.
No comments:
Post a Comment