Easy Hikes Near Provo

Devil's Kitchen · Payson Canyon / Nebo Loop

0.12 mi one way (trail length)  ·  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: Forest Service published length for Devils Kitchen Trail #193, a paved, level path from the pullout to the overlook platform, stated under its own heading in our Nebo Loop trail guide. One way, not a round-trip outing distance.

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

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.

Grotto Falls · Payson Canyon

~0.5-0.7 mi round trip  ·  Minimal  ·  30-45 min  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: rules vary by segment

The shortest real payoff in Utah County -- a waterfall dropping through a cobbled alcove, with stream crossings on plank bridges that small children treat as the point of the outing. There are two trails at the pullout and people start up the wrong one.

What that number describes: Summer access, driving to the trailhead about eight miles up Payson Canyon. The winter version is a different hike entirely -- see the note.

Where sources disagree: When the Nebo Loop gate closes for the season you park at the gate and walk the road in, commonly reported at around 1.3 miles each way, turning a half-mile stroll into roughly a 3.5-mile outing with real elevation added. The closure is snow-dependent at both ends and the dates move year to year.

Season: Nebo Loop closes for winter. The Pole Creek Fire in 2018 burned a large area on this side of the loop and standing dead timber is still visible.

Cascade Springs · American Fork Canyon

~0.7 mi of boardwalk loops  ·  Minimal  ·  20-45 min  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: on leash

Spring water surfacing through terraced pools, on boardwalk the whole way. The easiest genuinely scenic outing in the county for anyone who cannot manage uneven ground.

What that number describes: The interconnected boardwalk loops at the springs themselves, not the 6.5-mile drive in from the Alpine Loop turnoff.

Season: Reached via the Alpine Loop, which closes for winter. Sits around 6,300 ft, so it runs cooler than the valley floor.

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: Utah Lake State Park to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon, which Provo City's biking page and the Jordan River Commission both put at about 15 miles. Provo's trails page gives 30 miles for the whole parkway system, so the figure depends on what is counted. Nobody walks all of it in one go; the number is there so the trail sorts with the long flat routes.

Where sources disagree: Provo City publishes both figures: about 15 miles from Utah Lake to Vivian Park on its biking page, and 30 miles for the whole parkway on its trails page.

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.

Silver Lake Flat Reservoir · American Fork Canyon

Shoreline walking; no loop trail published  ·  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: Walking along the shore of the drive-to reservoir. Neither the Forest Service nor AllTrails publishes a loop trail here, so this row carries no mileage. 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.

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.

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.

Silver Lake Nature Trail (Brighton) · Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County

0.9 mi loop  ·  About 29 ft  ·  Under 1 hr  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: not allowed

The most inclusive mountain walk in either Cottonwood canyon: a boardwalk loop a stroller, a wagon and a grandparent with a cane can all manage, with van-accessible parking. Salt Lake City watershed rules bind: no dogs, even left in the car, and no wading.

What that number describes: The loop around Silver Lake behind the Silver Lake Visitor Center at Brighton, on graded surface and boardwalk, as our Cottonwood family hikes guide publishes it from AllTrails. THIS IS NOT the Silver Lake above American Fork Canyon, which is a separate and much harder row here, and not Silver Lake Flat Reservoir.

Season: The visitor center with water and restrooms operates in summer. The loop sits near 8,750 ft.

Donut Falls · Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County

1.4 mi RT from the upper lot; 3.3 mi from the lower  ·  About 240-460 ft by lot  ·  1-2 hrs  ·  Forest Service fee area  ·  Dogs: not allowed

The waterfall that drops through a hole in the rock, famous enough that parking is the hardest part. Wide dirt tracks along the creek, then a slippery finish our guide suggests treating as a viewpoint for young children. Watershed rules: no dogs, no wading in the pool.

What that number describes: From the smaller upper (summer) trailhead, as our Cottonwood family hikes guide publishes it from AllTrails. When that lot is gated the walk starts at the larger lot on the canyon road: 3.3 mi and about 460 ft.

Where sources disagree: Two trailheads, two sets of figures for the same falls: 1.4 mi and 240 ft from the upper lot, 3.3 mi and 460 ft from the lower one.

Season: The upper lot may be gated in winter, which lengthens the walk. The last stretch is wet, slick rock beside the creek.

Buffalo Peak · Kyhv Peak Road, above Provo Canyon

About 1 mi round trip from the road  ·  Roughly 250-300 ft  ·  Under 1 hr  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: rules vary by segment

The easiest real summit above Provo: the road climbs to within about half a mile of the top, so a family can stand on a true summit with a valley view after a short walk. Our guide pairs it with the Kyhv Peak and Rock Canyon overlooks on the same road. Our guide states no dog rule and no fee for the trailhead, so this row does not assign either.

What that number describes: The short walk from the trailhead at the saddle on Kyhv Peak Road (formerly Squaw Peak Road) to the summit and back, as our Buffalo Peak guide publishes it from route guides and trail apps. The gain sort number is the MIDPOINT of the published 250-300 ft range, so this row is derived:true. The longer approach from the Kyhv Peak Overlook is a separate row.

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: Reached only by Kyhv Peak Road, which closes for snow in winter on dates that move with the weather. Past Hope Campground the road is dirt and gravel; our guide says not to drive it wet.

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.

Box Lake Trail #127 · Payson Lakes, Nebo Loop

0.6 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  30 min  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

The picnic walk at Payson Lakes: through a gate and across a meadow to the Jones Ranch Trail. The Forest Service calls it a nice short hike for picnickers, and it is the one trail on the byway that suits a toddler. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the first Payson Lakes group site across a meadow to the Jones Ranch #123 junction. The agency's text calls it approximately half a mile; this row uses the published 0.6. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Frank Young Canyon Trail #097 · Nebo Loop, near the Beaver Dam Overlook

1.4 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  45 min  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

A short, well-traveled singletrack that leaves a dirt road to private land soon after its gate and runs to the Rock Springs Trail. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the gated dirt road across the byway from the Blackhawk tie-in to the Rock Springs #101 junction. The agency says to park across the byway by the Blackhawk Trail, never in front of the locked gate. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Red Lake Trail #183 · Maple Bench, Payson Canyon

1.78 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1-1.5 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

A short walk through a big grove of maple, down across a stream and gently back up to a small lake ringed by conifers. Starts near the restrooms on the gravel road past Maple Bench Campground. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Maple Lake upper camping area to Red Lake. The easy label is read from the agency's description of gradual climbs. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Fourth Water Trail #017 · Rays Valley, above Diamond Fork

2.26 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1-2 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

A short, nearly level trail that follows Fourth Water Creek almost the whole way, reached by a long drive up the Sheep Creek and Rays Valley roads. Open to motorized use.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from Rays Valley Road to the Center Trail (the Great Western Trail). The easy rating is the agency's own: easy, relatively level. 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 by the Sheep Creek and Rays Valley roads in the snow-free season; editorial estimate, not a live condition.

Shram Creek Trail #124 · Santaquin Canyon Road, Nebo Loop

2.32 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1-1.5 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

After a short initial climb, a gentle grade the whole way through aspen and conifer and a large open meadow with a single big fir beside the trail. Open to motorized use. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the Pete Winward Road trailhead to the Rock Springs #101 junction. The agency notes the trail sign was destroyed by vandalism, so the trailhead is found by its directions rather than a sign. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

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.

Tie Fork Trail #023 · Strawberry Ridge, above Spanish Fork Canyon

2.43 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1.5-2 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

A gentle, scenic trail beside a deep, narrow stream with fish in it, through grassy meadows and aspen to conifers, past a moss-covered cascade. From its Strawberry Ridge Road end another trail continues to Second Water and the Center Trail.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the end of the Tie Fork Road to the Strawberry Ridge Road. Our coverage gives the simpler approach from the Sheep Creek and Rays Valley road; the agency's other approach needs four-wheel drive. 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 country reached by Forest Service roads in the snow-free season; editorial estimate, not a live condition.

Jones Ranch Trail #123 · Payson Lakes, Nebo Loop

2.78 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1.5-2 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

The Forest Service's pick for a short, easy hike: fairly level, aspen for the first mile, then narrow meadows, a gate to close behind you and the Rock Springs Trail back to the road. The agency lists a season of use of June. Open to motorized use. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the northern trailhead 11 miles south of Payson to the Rock Springs #101 junction. Both ends are on the byway about three miles apart, so it also works as a one-way walk. The easy rating is the agency's own. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Wardsworth Canyon Trail #010 · Hobble Creek Canyon, Springville

3.33 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  1.5-2.5 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The easy walk of the Right Fork beside a year-round creek with pools holding mostly cutthroat and brown trout, and beaver dams after the first couple of miles. A few short, steep detours where floods washed out the original tread. Ridden with the Dry Canyon Cutoffs, it makes the canyon's best loops.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the trailhead about half a mile past Balsam Campground, where the pavement turns to gravel. The agency says the trail is no longer maintained past the Dry Canyon Cutoff #128 junction. The easy rating is the Forest Service's own: easy walking, excellent mountain biking. 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: Hobble Creek's Right Fork roads above the campgrounds are not maintained for winter travel, per our canyon guide; editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Left Fork Days Canyon Trail #011 · Hobble Creek Canyon, Springville

3.69 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  2-3 hrs  ·  No fee  ·  Dogs: on leash

The Hobble Creek nature walk: the Forest Service has put interpretive signs identifying local plants along the start, and the trail runs through cottonwood and maple past a freshwater spring pouring out of the mountainside. Several stream crossings. Hobble Creek is not a Forest Service fee area.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the large parking lot in Cherry Campground to the Kirkman Hollow #012 junction. The agency calls it perfect for a day hike or picnic and warns the stream crossings may be challenging for children; the easy-to-moderate label is read from those words. 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: Hobble Creek's Right Fork roads above the campgrounds are not maintained for winter travel, per our canyon guide; editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Rock Springs Trail #101 · Payson Lakes, Nebo Loop

4.53 mi one way (trail length)  ·  Not published by the land manager  ·  2-3 hrs  ·  Ticketed  ·  Dogs: on leash

The byway's mountain bike trail: the Forest Service calls it very popular with riders for its rolling hills and gentle terrain, mostly open meadow. Calkens Hollow, Shram Creek and Jones Ranch all end on it, which makes it the hub for loops west of the road. Open to motorized use. The Forest Service names no fee for this trailhead and our byway guide could not confirm a byway-wide structure, so the fee is unstated.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the corrals trailhead a quarter mile south of Payson Lakes Campground to the Santaquin Canyon Road trailhead. The easy label is read from the agency's 'rolling hills and gentle terrain'. 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: On the Nebo Loop byway, which closes for winter and opens on snowpack rather than a date. Editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.

Dry Canyon Trail #003 (Hobble Creek) · Hobble Creek Canyon, Springville

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

A gentle canyon walk through scrub oak, aspen, cottonwood and Douglas fir, with wild rose, chokecherry, scarlet gilia, penstemon, bluebells and mule ears listed by the Forest Service along the way. Shares its first half mile with the Dry Canyon Cutoff.

What that number describes: Forest Service published trail length, measured ONE WAY from the gate beyond the corral at the Dry Creek Picnic Area. NOT the Dry Canyon above Lindon (Trail #049), which is a separate row here. The label is read from the agency's words: the trail slopes gently up. 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: Hobble Creek's Right Fork roads above the campgrounds are not maintained for winter travel, per our canyon guide; editorial estimate of the season, not a live condition.