White Pine Lake in Little Cottonwood Canyon (LCC) sits at 10,200 ft, and is surrounded by several peaks. The trail follows an old mining road, so it is very wide and gradual. Even though you'll hike 5.5 miles one way, you'll only gain about 2,500 ft - not bad by Wasatch standards.
Spirit Lake sits in the High Uintas Wilderness on the far East end of the range, with the lake at 10,180 ft. Access to this area is only open from the end of June (sometimes early July depending on the snow pack) through October.
The 6 Best Things to do in Twin Falls, Idaho are all within a short drive! Over July 4th weekend we decided to check out this area for a few reasons. First is that most of you know I'm still recovering from foot surgery and am limited to 1 mile walks. Boring! Second, I needed to find an area that we could focus on getting our Alpacka Rafts out and/or easily walk up to cool sights. Third, I didn't want to drive super far - Twin Falls is only 3.5 hours from SLC! After doing a bunch of research on the area, this left us with several options, and over 2.5 days we checked out these amazing locations! From kayaking and very short walks, there is something for everyone in Twin Falls!
Julie Andrews Meadow is located in American Fork Canyon, along the Timpooneke-Chris' Flat Trail (#151). Early summer is the best time to hike here, as the field is as alive as Mrs. Julie Andrews was in the movie, The Sound of Music.
Lost Creek Falls is located in Provo Canyon, Utah, and is a perfect Spring hike to check out this fun waterfall. It's great for dogs off leash to explore and cool off in the creek, plus great for kids of all ages. The "trail" starts out by following an old, narrow dirt road, and eventually you are left to hike steeply along Lost Creek.
Backpacking Kane Gulch and Bullet Canyons are two popular routes in Bears Ears National Monument within Cedar Mesa, that require at least one night camping. This area is a mecca of ancient ruins and petroglyphs, deep within the canyon walls. Back in the day you wouldn't see people for days, however, with the increase of outdoor activities due to COVID you now can't go more than 2 miles without seeing other groups. This is not the area for solitude. Oh yeah, and there's another big issue...water.
Hiking Upper Muley Twist is located in Capitol Reef National Park (CRNP), and this route covers extremely varied terrain - from deep and narrow, to high and exposed, all within a relatively short distance. It begins in a canyon paralleling the spine of the Waterpocket Fold, a 100 mile long ridge that juts out from the upper crust of the landscape. This long "monocline" is one of the longest in the world! The bizarre landscape is made of brilliantly colored rocks, including at least 7 visible arches, natural bridges, slot canyons, fins, domes, and more. Hiking Upper Muley Twist gives you the grand tour of this area, so it's a must-do!
The Geyser Pass Yurt is located in the LaSal Mountains, just outside of Moab, Utah. To reach this yurt requires a 4 mile ski or snowshoe in, following the forest road that is usually drive-able in summer months. It's located right in the pass, just to the SE of Haystack Mountain and to the south of Mt.Tomasaki at 10,500 ft! While on the Manti-LaSal National Forest land, this is a privately owned yurt by Talking Mountain Yurts (TMY). They have a special permit for their yurt to be on National Forest land.
The Great Chamber at Cutler Point is a large open dome with a tall sand hill - perfect for photography. This is less of a hike and more of a scenic viewing area, as long as you can drive all the way! The roads are extremely sandy - high clearance and 4x4 is a MUST.
Alstrom Point is a vast, open overlook at the edge of Lake Powell, and offers amazing views of Gunsight Bay, Navajo Mountain, and tall red buttes. It's considered one of the best views in Southern Utah, and requires an SUV or larger to reach the end of the road at the overlook.