Dog-Friendly Hikes Near Provo

Bridal Veil Falls · Provo Canyon

~0.5 mi round trip  ·  Essentially flat  ·  15-30 min  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

A 607-foot two-tier waterfall reachable on flat pavement, which is why it is the most-visited natural feature in the county. Access has been free and staying free was an explicit argument for making it a state monument rather than a state park.

What that number describes: The paved Provo River Parkway walk from the falls-side parking area to the viewing area at the base. The steep dirt scramble above the pool is a different, harder proposition and is not what these numbers describe.

Season: The falls freeze into columns in a cold winter; Provo Canyon holds the highest concentration of ice climbing in the Salt Lake and Utah County area.

Silver Lake Flat Reservoir · American Fork Canyon

~1 mi loop around the water  ·  Essentially none  ·  45-60 min  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

A drive-to reservoir with a flat loop around it, good for a stroller-aged family or a paddleboard. Moose are common in the surrounding meadows.

What that number describes: The flat walking loop around the drive-to reservoir. This is NOT Silver Lake, the alpine lake above it, which is a separate and much harder entry in this directory.

Where sources disagree: Four different lakes share versions of this name: Silver Lake Flat Reservoir (drive-to), Silver Lake (alpine, above it), Silver Glance Lake (higher again), and an unrelated Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon an hour north, which is what most search results are actually about.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter. The Forest Service lists 4x4 as recommended for the washboarded dirt road in.

Jordan River Parkway (Utah County section) · Saratoga Springs to Lehi

~10 mi in Utah County, walk any part  ·  Flat, paved  ·  Any  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The third paved spine, and the one that turns a local network into a regional one: from the Murdock Trail's north end you can join it and keep going into Salt Lake County. Quieter than the other two, past wetlands and new subdivisions with a long view back to Timpanogos.

What that number describes: The Utah County portion only. Our paved-trails guide describes it as roughly the first ten miles, from Inlet Park in Saratoga Springs through Lehi and Thanksgiving Point. The whole trail runs well over forty miles to Davis County, which is a different number describing a different walk.

Season: Low, open and paved, with no canyon gate to close behind you.

Provo River Parkway · Provo Canyon & Orem

Up to ~15 mi, walk any part  ·  Flat  ·  1-4 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The paved spine of the valley's trail network, running from Utah Lake up through Provo Canyon. It is the reason Bridal Veil Falls can be reached by bike without a car.

What that number describes: The full paved parkway end to end. Nobody walks all of it in one go; the number is there so the trail sorts with the long flat routes rather than the short ones.

Season: Plowed and usable in winter on the lower sections.

Murdock Canal Trail · Orem to Lehi

~17 mi, walk any part  ·  Flat, paved  ·  Any  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

A paved trail on top of a buried aqueduct, running the length of the north valley with no climbing at all. The default long, flat, wheels-friendly route in Utah County.

What that number describes: The Mountainland Association of Governments description: 17 miles from 800 North in Orem to Timpanogos Highway in Lehi.

Where sources disagree: Published as 17, 18, 18.3, 20 and 20.8 miles by sources of comparable authority. The disagreement has a cause: the buried Provo River Aqueduct runs roughly 21 miles to the Point of the Mountain, and the trail sits on top of it for about 17 and stops in Lehi.

Season: Paved and flat the whole way.

Tibble Fork Reservoir · American Fork Canyon

Short lakeside walking; no loop distance published  ·  Essentially none  ·  1-3 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

An alpine reservoir with a sandy beach, picnic grounds and calm water, reached on paved road up the North Fork. The canyon's lowest-effort, highest-reward stop. Our guide covers the 2016 sediment release and what the state's own health assessment concluded about getting in the water.

What that number describes: The drive-to shoreline: the beach, the picnic ground and the walking around the water. Our guide publishes the reservoir's elevation at roughly 6,400 feet but no loop distance, so this row carries none. The leash flag is read from our dog-hikes guide, which covers Tibble Fork in the same section as Silver Lake Flat.

Season: At about 6,400 feet, spring arrives here weeks after it reaches the valley floor and the aspens turn earlier than they do in town.

Payson Lakes Recreation Area · Payson Canyon

Paved paths through the area; no loop distance published  ·  Essentially none  ·  1-3 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

The byway's main stop and the one people spend actual time at. Payson up to the lakes and back is a comfortable couple of hours from Provo and still buys you the climb, the views and somewhere to eat lunch without committing to the full drive to Nephi.

What that number describes: The developed recreation area about twelve miles up from Payson: paved trails, improved picnic sites, camping and fishing. Our byway guide gives the DRIVE distance, never a trail distance, so this row carries none.

Season: Reached from the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and is not UDOT-maintained, so its status has to be checked separately from the Alpine Loop's. Our guide also records that individual sites inside the recreation area can be shut in a given season for maintenance or conditions.

Devil's Kitchen · Payson Canyon / Nebo Loop

A couple of minutes from the car, on pavement  ·  Flat, paved  ·  15-30 min  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

Red rock eroded into pinnacles and spires forming a small amphitheater in the middle of a green Wasatch canyon, reached by a short paved trail and an observation deck. The one stop on the byway that works with small children or with anyone who does not want a hike at all. Often called Utah Valley's Little Grand Canyon, which oversells the scale considerably.

What that number describes: The paved path and observation deck at the pullout. Our byway guide describes this walk in minutes rather than in distance, so this row carries no mileage.

Season: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter.

Salem Pond · Salem

Short paved loop; no distance published  ·  Flat, paved  ·  30-45 min  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

A paved loop around the pond in the middle of Salem, with a fishing dock, a swim area and the city's park facilities on its edge. Our paved-trails guide calls it the south county's most pleasant short walk. Salem was originally Pond Town and the pond is still the middle of everything.

What that number describes: The paved walking loop around the pond. Two of our guides describe it, the paved-trails guide and the south-valley guide, and neither publishes a distance, so this row carries none.

Season: Valley floor in the middle of town, so nothing closes behind you.

South Fork Trail · South Fork, Provo Canyon

3.5 mi round trip  ·  ~300 ft  ·  1.5-2.5 hrs on foot  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The valley's beginner singletrack: wide, well maintained and forested, in the same South Fork drainage as Big Springs Hollow. Our guide calls it the ideal first real mountain bike trail -- enough dirt to feel like an adventure without the technical features that put beginners off. It is shared use, so walkers meet bikes on it.

What that number describes: The round-trip singletrack our mountain-biking guide describes, from the trailhead about a mile past Big Springs Park. The guide publishes these figures as a ride and files the trail under its beginner heading; it does not publish a separate walking time, so the time here is this directory's estimate for the same distance on foot.

Season: Dirt in the South Fork of Provo Canyon, so it rides and walks in the snow-free months. This is an editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition -- the canyon conditions page is the live surface.

Battle Creek Falls · Pleasant Grove

~1.4 mi round trip  ·  ~450 ft  ·  45-60 min  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The most-hiked short waterfall in the county, and the trail more people in this valley have stood at the bottom of than any other. Narrow tread past the halfway point, shared with horses and bikes.

What that number describes: Kiwanis Park trailhead to the falls and back. Going further up the canyon past the falls is a longer and steeper trip.

Where sources disagree: This trail carries two legitimate difficulty ratings and the guide explains why both are right. Filed under moderate here because the sustained grade catches out people who arrive expecting a stroll.

Season: Winter is the version most people never see. Microspikes from roughly November through March.

Stewart Falls · Aspen Grove / Sundance

~3.5 mi round trip  ·  ~650 ft  ·  1.5-2 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The valley's best short waterfall hike, and one of its most heavily used trailheads -- the lot fills on summer Saturdays. Dogs are allowed on leash here, which is not true everywhere on this mountain.

What that number describes: The Aspen Grove trailhead out and back. The Sundance chairlift is an entirely different way in with different numbers.

Where sources disagree: Every source gives a different distance for this hike, and the guide opens by explaining why. The signs at the trailhead are the single most useful thing on that page -- the neighboring path is the twelve-mile Aspen Grove route up Timpanogos, and people start up it by mistake.

Season: Reached via UT-92 past the fee station. The Alpine Loop closes for winter.

Big Springs Hollow · South Fork, Provo Canyon

~3.5-4.3 mi loop  ·  ~450-1,000 ft  ·  1.5-2.5 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The most family-friendly trail on the quiet half of the network, up a broad side canyon along a stream, crossing it repeatedly on wooden bridges. Thick maple and chokecherry low down giving way to aspen and pine.

What that number describes: The standard family loop from Big Springs Park. The midpoint of the published spread is used for sorting because the canyon carries several roughly parallel paths and the outing is assembled from whichever you choose.

Where sources disagree: Published distances run from about 3.5 to about 4.3 miles and gain is quoted anywhere from roughly 450 to just over 1,000 feet. That spread is not sloppiness: the loop can be extended or cut short at several junctions. Provo City separately lists a 5.8-mile continuation through to the Rock Canyon trail, which is a different trip.

How this one sorts: the figure used for ordering is the midpoint of the published range shown above, not a published number in its own right.

Season: Shaded for most of its length, which matters more here than almost anywhere else in the valley -- the exposed foothill trails become unpleasant after about ten in the morning in July.

Race Loop · Provo Canyon

~6 mi loop  ·  ~800 ft  ·  1.5-2.5 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

A classic local loop in Provo Canyon with Timpanogos to the north and Cascade Mountain to the south, built around a marked race course. Six miles and eight hundred feet is a real ride rather than a spin, and the side trails off the marked course let regulars extend it without driving anywhere else.

What that number describes: The marked loop between the upper and lower mountain slopes in Provo Canyon, filed under our guide's intermediate heading. The guide notes side trails branching off the marked course for longer rides; those extensions have no published distance and are not what this number describes.

Season: Dirt singletrack in Provo Canyon, ridden in the snow-free months. Editorial estimate, not a live condition.

Y Mountain Trail · Provo

~2.2-2.4 mi round trip  ·  ~1,100 ft  ·  1.5-2 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The short, steep, relentless climb to the letter above campus -- 1,100 feet in about a mile. The small trailhead lot fills fast. Portable restroom at the trailhead, no water.

What that number describes: The trailhead at the end of E 820 N up to the Y and back. Continuing past the Y toward the ridge is a longer trip.

Where sources disagree: About 1.1 miles each way, but published round trips run 2.2 to 2.4 miles depending on whether the measurement stops at the base or the top of the Y.

Season: Exposed and hot in summer; go at sunrise. Usable in winter with traction.

Silver Lake (alpine) · American Fork Canyon

~4.5 mi round trip  ·  ~1,200-1,450 ft  ·  3-4 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

An alpine lake at around 9,000 feet under White Baldy and the Pfeifferhorn, and one of the genuinely spectacular places in the range. Easy walking through aspen for the first half, rockier and steeper for the second.

What that number describes: From the north side of Silver Lake Flat Reservoir, about 2.2 miles one way into the Lone Peak Wilderness. Distinct from the flat loop around the reservoir itself.

Where sources disagree: Gain is in the range of 1,200 to 1,450 feet depending on whose track you believe. And the name is shared by four different lakes -- see the Silver Lake Flat entry.

How this one sorts: the figure used for ordering is the midpoint of the published range shown above, not a published number in its own right.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter. The stream crossing runs high in early season, and the Forest Service posts changing conditions for this site through the season.

Timpanogos Summit Trail #054 · Mount Timpanogos summit ridge

~1.3 mi one way, Emerald Lake to summit  ·  ~1,369 ft  ·  1-2 hrs of a longer day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The broad but increasingly exposed ridge both routes share, finishing at the stone shelter hut. Not technical and no ropes needed, but the footing is talus, cairns matter, and most people who get into trouble on Timp do so descending it tired.

What that number describes: The final ridge only, as our Timpanogos guide publishes it: roughly 1,369 vertical feet over about 1.3 miles from Emerald Lake to the summit. THIS IS NOT A HIKE ON ITS OWN -- it is the shared finish of both routes above, carried separately because it is where the outing changes character and where most trouble happens.

Season: Rock and talus with steep drop-offs on both sides and hard funnelled wind; not a place to be in a thunderstorm, in the dark, or past your energy reserve.

Kyhv Peak · Provo

~4.5 mi round trip  ·  ~2,800 ft  ·  3-4 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The peak on the skyline directly above Provo, renamed in 2022 and still widely listed under the old name. Steep and sustained, with the whole valley below you the entire way up.

What that number describes: The figures this site's own hiking roundup publishes for the peak itself. The ROAD of the same name is a separate feature and its length is quoted from 4.4 to 28 miles depending on which section is being measured.

Where sources disagree: Four different features carried the retired name, and the guide sorts out all of them: the peak, the road, the overlook and the trail. The US Board on Geographic Names renamed the peak Kyhv Peak in September 2022; the old name still appears on some maps, apps and older signage.

Where these figures come from: this guide — the dedicated Kyhv Peak page does not publish them.

Season: Kyhv Peak Road closes in winter, which removes the short approaches entirely.

Dry Canyon · Lindon & Orem

~5.7 mi round trip  ·  ~2,900 ft  ·  2-4 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The most convenient hard workout in the north valley: a sustained climb up the west face below Timpanogos with the whole valley opening behind you. Orem's 2000 North and Lindon's 200 South are the same road, which is why directions to it name two different cities and both are right.

What that number describes: The common out-and-back day-hike version from the paved lot at the end of Dry Canyon Drive. Forest Service trail #049 continues far past this for miles, which is why some trip reports sound like a different hike.

Where sources disagree: Trail #049 runs 0.6 miles to the Curly Springs junction, another 1.9 to Little Baldy, a quarter mile more to the Big Baldy saddle, then north 2.2 miles to the Battle Creek trail and a final 0.8 to the Timpooneke Road. Reports describing that connector are not describing the day hike.

Season: Largely exposed -- go early. The name is only mostly accurate; in wet years there is water in the creek.

Slate Canyon · South Provo

3.7 mi one way (7.4 mi out and back)  ·  ~3,300 ft for the full canyon  ·  Half day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The quiet one, mostly because it does not lead anywhere obvious -- no waterfall, no lake, no summit at a reasonable distance. A steady climb up an old road bed through oak, then pine, then aspen and meadow. Carries reliable springs, which is unusual on this side of the valley.

What that number describes: Slate Canyon Trail #061 out and back: the Forest Service describes it heading east for 2.7 miles then climbing north for another mile to meet Slide Canyon Trail #062.

Where sources disagree: Quoted at 3.7, 7.5, 7.7 and 9 miles depending on which endpoint and which direction is being measured. The dedicated guide covers all four figures and where each comes from.

Season: Starts from the valley floor, so it is reachable when the canyon roads are closed -- which is exactly why south-side locals use it for conditioning.

Mount Timpanogos · American Fork Canyon / Aspen Grove

~14-16.7 mi round trip  ·  ~4,400-5,600 ft  ·  8-12 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The valley's defining objective and the one people most often underestimate. Timpooneke is gradual and basin-to-basin and usually busier; Aspen Grove is steeper and passes the waterfalls and Emerald Lake.

What that number describes: Timpooneke from a ~7,360 ft trailhead: ~14-15 miles and ~4,400-4,700 ft. Aspen Grove starts lower at ~6,900 ft and runs ~14-16.7 miles with ~4,900-5,600 ft, steeper, with waterfalls and the lake.

Where sources disagree: Two trailheads, two genuinely different mountains' worth of numbers, and the guide tabulates them side by side rather than averaging them into one misleading figure.

Season: A snow-free window that is shorter than most people assume, and the Alpine Loop closes for winter.

Mount Timpanogos via Timpooneke · American Fork Canyon

~14-15 mi round trip  ·  ~4,400-4,700 ft  ·  8-12 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

The gradual route, starting higher at roughly 7,360 feet and climbing the Giant Staircase in benches and pitches rather than one grind, through Timpanogos Basin with its wildflowers and mountain goats. Scout Falls early on makes a worthy turnaround on its own.

What that number describes: The midpoint of the round-trip range our Timpanogos guide publishes for the Timpooneke route. A midpoint is a sorting device, never a claim; the label prints the full range. This is ONE OF TWO ROUTES UP THE SAME MOUNTAIN and is carried separately because choosing between them is the real decision a hiker makes.

Where sources disagree: Our own guide publishes both figures as ranges and says in its own words that sources vary, because GPS tracks differ, people measure from different parking spots and the summit spur gets counted inconsistently.

How this one sorts: the figure used for ordering is the midpoint of the published range shown above, not a published number in its own right.

Season: Snow covers the trail until mid-summer and the Alpine Loop closes for winter. Timpooneke trailhead parking requires a timed ticket on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Mount Timpanogos via Aspen Grove · Aspen Grove, American Fork Canyon

~14-16.7 mi round trip  ·  ~4,900-5,600 ft  ·  8-12 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The steeper, prettier route: long switchbacks up Primrose Cirque with waterfalls visible for much of the ascent, opening into Hidden Lakes and then Emerald Lake at roughly 10,380 feet. Shares a trailhead lot with Stewart Falls, which makes parking competitive.

What that number describes: The midpoint of the round-trip range our Timpanogos guide publishes for the Aspen Grove route, which the guide identifies as the Mount Timpanogos Trail #052. A midpoint is a sorting device, never a claim. THE SAME SUMMIT as the Timpooneke row, by the steeper trailhead.

Where sources disagree: Our own guide publishes both figures as ranges and names the reasons sources disagree.

How this one sorts: the figure used for ordering is the midpoint of the published range shown above, not a published number in its own right.

Season: Snow covers the trail until mid-summer; the snowfield at Emerald Lake is the recurring hazard. Alpine Loop closes for winter.

Provo Peak · East of Provo

~3 mi RT high trailhead, ~13 mi RT from the valley  ·  ~6,800 ft from the valley  ·  10-12 hrs from the valley  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

At 11,068 feet, the mountain filling the skyline directly east of the city. The west ridge is a climber's path more than a graded trail, with real exposure near the top.

What that number describes: The Slate Canyon approach from the valley floor, which is the version most people can actually start from. From the west ridge trailhead at the top of Kyhv Peak Road it is about 1.5 miles up and roughly three miles round trip. NOTE: the dedicated Provo Peak guide publishes no distance or gain figure at all -- these numbers are read from this site's lesser-known-hikes guide, named in figuresFrom.

Where sources disagree: The clearest segment problem on the list: a three-mile round trip or a thirteen-mile round trip depending entirely on which trailhead you use. Same summit, entirely different day. Be certain which one a trip report is describing before you use its timing.

Where these figures come from: this guide — the dedicated Provo Peak page does not publish them.

Season: Kyhv Peak Road closes in winter. Once it does the short route is gone and the mountain has to be climbed from the valley floor, which is a serious winter objective rather than an afternoon.

Snow Gauging Trail #189 · Alpine Loop, American Fork Canyon

1.3 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1-2 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

Named after the snow gauging station near its start, which measures the season's solid precipitation. Traverses a ridge through aspen and fir with views of the back of Timpanogos. The Forest Service notes stretches where the tread is narrow and indistinct but still simple to follow.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Horse Flat #250 junction to the Salamander Flat Trail #150. It is not reached directly: the Forest Service routes hikers up Horse Flat #250 from the Summit Trailhead first, so the walk to its start is additional. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter. One stream crossing on the lower section.

Tibble Fork Trail #041 · American Fork Canyon

1.7 mi one way to the Mud Springs junction  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  2-3 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The trail that climbs away from Tibble Fork Reservoir rather than circling it. Steep opening switchbacks pay off early with views back down onto the water, across to Timpanogos and north into the Lone Peak Wilderness, then a steady climb through meadows.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the reservoir up to the Mud Springs #173 junction; the Forest Service publishes a further 1.3 miles from there to the four-way Ridge Trail junction. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter, and the Forest Service places this trail under a wet-trail closure order in spring and early summer, when it is signed closed to every use except hiking.

Bear Canyon Trail #179 · American Fork Canyon

2.1 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  2-3 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

Short and steep the whole way, climbing switchbacks from Mutual Dell through dense fir to the Timpooneke Road. Trailhead parking sits inside Mutual Dell, a private camp, in spaces specifically allocated for Bear Canyon users.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from Mutual Dell to the Timpooneke Road. The hard rating is read from the Forest Service's own published grades of 15 to 25 percent rather than from a difficulty rating, which the agency does not publish. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter. Crosses several intermittent streams and springs that run in early season.

Lame Horse Trail #055 · Alpine Loop, American Fork Canyon

2.4 mi one way, trailhead to trailhead  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1-2 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The mountain walk without the climb: gentle downhill through large stands of aspen and ferns, opening into Primrose Cirque, the bowl the Aspen Grove route to Timpanogos climbs through. Links two trailheads, so it also works one way with a car at each end.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Summit Trailhead to the Aspen Grove area. The Forest Service calls it an easy out-and-back while publishing 2.4 miles as the trail length, so whether 2.4 describes the walk out or the walk out and back is genuinely ambiguous in the source. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Where sources disagree: The Forest Service describes this as 'an easy, out and back 2.4-mile trail' while 2.4 is also its published one-way trail length. The two readings differ by a factor of two and the agency does not resolve them.

Season: Alpine Loop access closes for winter; the trail parallels the road, so it goes when the road goes.

Curly Springs Trail #051 · Pleasant Grove bench

2.4 mi one way (connector length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Part of a half-day loop  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The connector that turns two separate out-and-backs into one loop: it links Battle Creek to Dry Canyon, and with a stretch of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail closes the gap into a half-day circuit. Reached 0.6 miles up Dry Canyon or from above the falls on the Battle Creek side.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Dry Canyon #049 junction to the Battle Creek #050 junction. Walked as part of the loop it exists to create, it adds 2.4 miles; walked out and back it adds nearly five. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Runs below cliff bands on very narrow tread; the Forest Service advises care at all times, which makes ice and fading light the real limits rather than the calendar.

Rock Canyon-Dry Fork Trail #060b · Squaw Peak Road, above Provo

3.1 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Half day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The upper half of the Rock Canyon system and a different experience from the canyon walk below it: a climb to a terraced ridgeline overlooking the South Fork of Provo Canyon with wide Utah Valley views, and one of the better fall-color vantage points on this side of the mountain.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from Squaw Peak Road to the junction with Big Springs Hollow #059 and Shingle Mill #057. Published grades reach 30 percent, the steepest of the connectors on this page. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Reached from Squaw Peak Road, which is not maintained for winter travel, so the season is the road's season rather than the trail's.

Slide Canyon Trail #062 · Above the Y, east Provo

3.4 mi one way above the Y  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Half day to full day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The Forest Service's name for the primary access to the Y Monument, and by its own account one of the most heavily used trails in the county -- but almost nobody keeps going. Above the Y it narrows to single track and links the two canyons that bracket south Provo.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the top of the Y Monument to the Slate Canyon #061 junction, with a further 1.1 miles published from there to Squaw Peak Road. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words. This row is the continuation ABOVE the monument and is deliberately not the Y hike itself, which this site carries separately as Y Mountain Trail.

Season: No water above the monument, and the exposure that makes the Y punishing in July does not improve higher up.

Mill Canyon Trail #040 · North Fork, American Fork Canyon

3.5 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Half day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The canyon's best fall-color walk that most people drive past, through aspen, cottonwood and fir beside the stream, passing one of the very few exposures of red rock in northern Utah within the first mile. Open to hikers, horses, bikes and motorcycles.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Mill Canyon trailhead below Tibble Fork to the Ridge Trail #157 junction at Mill Springs. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Upper-canyon access closes with the Alpine Loop for winter. Several stream crossings run high in spring and the Forest Service warns they become dangerous in storms and high water.

First Hamongog Trail #200 · Lone Peak Wilderness, above Draper

3.64 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Full day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The gentler of the two Hamongog approaches, running to the Second Hamongog trail and its meadow. Shares the Ghost Falls trailhead with Jacobs Ladder.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Ghost Falls trailhead to the Second Hamongog trail and meadow. The agency's text describes reaching the meadow from the Alpine City side while its directions route from Draper; the trail runs the boundary, so both readings hold and the published Draper access is the one used here. Not a round-trip outing distance; this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them.

Season: High-elevation alpine wilderness; little to no trail maintenance, per the Forest Service.

Jacobs Ladder Trail #187 · Lone Peak Wilderness, above Draper

3.8 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Full day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The mountaineering approach to the Lone Peak Cirque and summit from the Draper side, starting 50 yards east of the Ghost Falls trailhead at the Jacobs Ladder sign by Lone Rock. Wilderness rules bind: no bikes, group limit 15 with eight or fewer recommended.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Ghost Falls trailhead to the Lone Peak Cirque. The very-hard rating is the Forest Service's own wording -- extremely steep, long, and rugged. THE TRAILHEAD IS IN DRAPER, SALT LAKE COUNTY, not Utah County; it is carried here because this site covers Salt Lake and beyond as a region, and the row says so rather than implying a Utah Valley trailhead.. Not a round-trip outing distance; this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them.

Season: High-elevation alpine wilderness. The Forest Service warns these trails receive little to no maintenance and advises carrying map and compass.

Fifth Water Hot Springs · Diamond Fork, Spanish Fork Canyon

4.5-4.6 mi round trip  ·  Moderate; no figure published in our coverage  ·  3-4 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The most popular hot springs near Provo: a canyon walk with several creek crossings, ending at pools that step down a hillside beside a waterfall. The soak itself costs nothing, but the trailhead sits inside a fee area, which is the distinction people miss until they are parked.

What that number describes: The out-and-back from the Fifth Water trailhead to the pools. Our guide also states the hike in as 2.3 miles, which is the same walk counted one way.

Where sources disagree: Our own guide carries both 4.6 miles and 'approximately 4.5' on the same page, the body and an FAQ disagreeing by a tenth of a mile. The filter sorts on 4.6 and the label prints both, because a tenth of a mile is not worth picking a winner over.

Season: Diamond Fork's road is gated seasonally and the closure moves with conditions rather than sitting on a fixed date. There is more than one gate on that road, and a winter attempt is a much longer trip on snow.

Second Hamongog Trail #186 · Lone Peak Wilderness, above Draper

5.1 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Full day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

Climbs into a rarely visited and remote corner of the Lone Peak Wilderness that the Forest Service still calls quite beautiful, with access to Lake Hardy and the Deer Creek-Dry Creek area. A route for people comfortable navigating an indistinct tread.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the First Hamongog junction into the upper Wilderness. The Forest Service flags it as difficult to follow, which is the operative fact rather than the mileage. Not a round-trip outing distance; this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them.

Season: Rarely visited and remote; the agency calls the tread difficult to follow, so navigation rather than the calendar is the limiting factor.

Little Baldy Trail #033 · Timpanogos front, above Lindon and Orem

6 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Full day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

Carries the Great Western Trail along the front of Mount Timpanogos, over a ridge and into the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Open to hikers and horses only -- the Forest Service does not list it for bikes, unlike several trails it connects to.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Dry Canyon #049 junction along the Timpanogos front, tying into the Bonneville Shoreline Trail 4.4 miles in. The junction itself is 2.5 miles up Dry Canyon, so that approach is additional and is not counted here. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: Exposed traverse along the mountain front; the Dry Canyon approach is the same hot, dry climb that limits Dry Canyon itself.

Box Elder Trail #044 · Lone Peak Wilderness, American Fork Canyon

7.5 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Full day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

The serious undertaking in this canyon: a steep circumnavigation of Box Elder Peak into a seldom-visited corner of the Lone Peak Wilderness. Wilderness rules bind -- no mechanized or motorized equipment including mountain bikes, group size capped at 15 with eight or fewer recommended, no cutting switchbacks.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from Granite Flat Campground around Box Elder Peak to the Deer Creek-Dry Creek trail #043. The very-hard rating is read from the Forest Service's own words, 'wild and rugged', and its warning that the trail receives little to no maintenance. This is not a round-trip outing distance; the hikes on this site's own guides are measured round trip, so this row sorts short against them. The section linked in page states the same figure and says so in those words.

Season: High-elevation alpine terrain reached off the Alpine Loop, which closes for winter. The Forest Service warns the trail receives little to no maintenance and advises carrying map and compass.

Mount Nebo · South Utah County

Long -- varies by trailhead  ·  Varies by trailhead  ·  Full day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The highest peak in the Wasatch Range, at the far south end of the county, and a genuinely full day from any trailhead. The Nebo Bench trail runs the east slopes at around 9,000 feet through basins that carry serious wildflowers at the right time of year.

Where sources disagree: Even the summit height is contested: 11,877, 11,928 and 11,933 feet are all defensible, because two of them are the south summit and two are different survey data. The Forest Service's own wilderness, ranger-district and byway pages all use 11,877, which is the south summit on the old survey.

Season: Reached from the Nebo Loop byway, roughly 24 miles from Payson to the signed Nebo Bench turning. The byway closes for winter.

Grove Creek Canyon · Pleasant Grove

Not published for this canyon alone  ·  Sustained canyon climb; no figure for this canyon alone  ·  Half day  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

Battle Creek's longer, harder sibling two canyons north: a trail climbing a narrow canyon on a ledge, with a waterfall partway up and a cliff-edge stretch that thrills older kids and unnerves some adults. It connects on top with Battle Creek for a loop locals treat as a half-day.

What that number describes: The ledge trail climbing from the Grove Creek Drive trailhead. Our Battle Creek guide publishes around eight miles and well over two thousand feet for the GROVE CREEK AND BATTLE CREEK LOOP, which is both canyons joined on top, not this one on its own. That figure is why the difficulty here reads hard, and it is deliberately not printed as this row's distance. Fee and leash are read from our Pleasant Grove guide, which records the trailhead as family- and dog-friendly; no posted rule on the upper trail was verified for this row.

Where these figures come from: this guide — the dedicated Grove Creek Canyon page does not publish them.

Season: A valley-floor front-range trailhead like Battle Creek's two canyons south, so it is reachable all year. Our coverage does not describe winter conditions on the ledge section, and a cliff-edge stretch under snow is a different proposition from the same stretch in June.

Pittsburg Lake Trail #035 · Mineral Basin, American Fork Canyon

No distance published by the land manager  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Half day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

A short steep climb to an alpine lake ringed by cliffs and fir. Open to mountain bikes and expressly not recommended for them by the agency, on account of the rock and the grade. A historical cabin near the lake is to be left exactly as found.

What that number describes: The Forest Service publishes grades of 15 to 35 percent for this trail but no length, so this row carries none rather than an estimate. The hard rating is read from the published grade range, the steepest in the district inventory.

Season: Reached off the 085 Mineral Basin Road, rough two-track four-wheel-drive dirt the Forest Service says should not be attempted in a passenger car. Road status governs the season, not the trail.

Forest Lake Trail #171 · American Fork Canyon

No distance published by the land manager  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  Part of a longer day  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

A moderate climb through aspen, spruce and fir to a shallow sub-alpine lake with no outlet, acting as a holding basin for snowmelt. Surrounded by aspen and meadow, with coneflower, green gentian and yarrow among the flowering plants the Forest Service lists.

What that number describes: The Forest Service publishes grades of 20 to 25 percent but no length, so this row carries none rather than an estimate. It descends from the Ridge Trail #157 rather than climbing from a valley trailhead, so there is no trailhead-to-lake figure to publish.

Season: Involves fording the American Fork River; the alternative access is the Schaffer Fork Road, which the agency describes as technical four-wheel drive.