Dead Horse Lake is in the High Uintas Wilderness, and offers an 11 mile hike through large, open meadows, stunning vistas, and of course, leads you to a turquoise lake. This lake offers a great spot for fishing and day hiking. People hiking the Uinta Highline Trail also pass right by Dead Horse Lake. It's a dog friendly trail, though you'll want to give the sheep herds passing by in the meadows plenty of space. Bring your hammock or tent - there are several nice campsites around the lake and plenty of trees for shade. Be sure to check fire restrictions before heading out.
Cascade Mountain (10,908 ft) is the large mountain located directly above Orem, Utah and is one of the "Wasatch 7" Peaks. Not many people hike to summit, as it requires a full day and all routes are difficult. However, for Peak Baggers it's a must. It's crazy how just to the north of Provo Canyon is one of the most popular summits - Mt. Timpanogos. It's also interesting how different the terrain is compared to each other, and how much more difficult Cascade is.
The Shingle Creek Trail in the High Uintas is a popular trail for an "early season" trail for hikers and backpackers to follow when the higher elevations haven't thawed out from winter. I have driven past this trail so many times, yet had never done it - until now! I decided to head up for one night with two friends and our destination was South Erickson Lake. East Shingle Creek Lake is more popular, but a little lower in elevation, and seemed to have more mosquitos so we wanted to keep going.
Mt. Watson (11,521 ft) is located on the West end of the High Uintas Wilderness, and though it is surrounded by several popular trails and lakes, most people do not summit this peak. There is a trail for the first 2 miles, but you're on your own after that to reach the top. That's what makes part of this peak fun - it's a "choose your own path" adventure!
Church Fork Peak (8,306 ft) is located along the Millcreek Canyon ridge, in-between Mt. Aire and Grandeur Peak. To get to the summit, you follow the Pipeline Trail, then turn off on the actual Birch Hollow trail, reach the ridge, then bushwhack your away to the false summit and true peak. This trail is very steep, and requires some route finding along the ridge. If you aren't comfortable hiking off trail, bushwhacking, and route finding, this isn't the trail for you.
Noblett's Creek, located in the Southwestern end of the Uinta Mountains, is a good early/pre-season hike when the rest of the high elevation hikes in the Uintas are still covered with snow and mud. Because Noblett's Creek is at an elevation of 7,400 ft it is typically ready to hike by end of May/early June (depending on the snow pack from Winter). This trail is really short at only 2 miles round trip, making it perfect for families and kids.
Blind Lake is located on Boulder Mountain in Utah - it is the deepest and biggest lake on the mountain at 52 acres and 52 feet deep. Most people come to the lake to fish for trout, but there the trail itself is great for dogs, kids, and families. It's only 1 mile to reach Blind Lake, but you can continue on to Pear & Fish Creek Lake, and the Beaver Dam Reservoir.
The Behunin Trail and Meeks Lake Trail are both located on Boulder Mountain, Utah, and are often done as separate hikes. However, you can combine them into one big loop to really see the East side of Boulder Mountain, and on clear days, all the way to the Henry Mountains. First, you'll hike up to "Boulder Top", the ridge, where you'll cross several open meadows, a stream, and will pass by an old airplane crash. Then you'll make your way over to Pleasant Lake, which offers great trout fishing and refreshing cooler temperatures, since the lake is at an elevation of 10,300 ft. After that, you'll hike over to Meeks Lake, another popular lake, and though it's pretty, doesn't have many fish. At the end of the day, you'll drop down the Meeks Lake Trail, and make your way through more meadows, and end back at your car.
Singletree Falls is a short, family-friendly hike on Boulder Mountain, Utah. It's conveniently located off the popular HWY 12 in between Torrey and Boulder, UT. Singletree Falls flows from Singletree Creek, overflowing at a 30 ft waterfall.