Look no further. I've created this list for those wanting to take the kids out for a hike, but aren't ready for an all day adventure. These 3 hikes range from 15 minutes to 2 hours, and can be safely hiked year round. No matter how long or short your hike, be prepared with at least one bottle of water per person, a small snack, and sun protection. For more tips when hiking with kids, read more of this post. Grab your hikin' boots, and let's hit the trails!
Cross country skiing in the Uintas is one of my favorite winter activities! I've been cross country (XC) skiing since 2008 when I lived in Montana. My favorite place to ski was Lone Mountain Ranch, but when we moved to Utah, no resort compared to that. So, I had to find new places to ski, and of course, I wanted to bring Charlie along. Yes, Utah has some small xc ski resorts like White Pine Touring, but you can't bring dogs to those places. Round Valley is a nice dog-friendly option but gets boring after awhile. The past few years I've been dying to get out and xc ski in the Uintas but didn't have a good car to get there in winter. I was afraid my little Sonata would get stuck, and I didn't want to deal with it.
The Top 10 Hikes in American Fork Canyon (called AF Canyon by locals) are located near Lehi, Utah and home to the Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Alpine Scenic Loop Road. In summer, you can drive over the entire scenic loop road, however in Winter it is closed for a bulk of the road. You can still enter via the East entrance at AF Canyon or via the South entrance in Provo Canyon just past Sundance Resort. AF Canyon is home to several outdoor activities - biking, camping, swimming, backpacking, dirt biking, snowmobiles, and of course my favorite, hiking!
The Pine Hollow Overlook is in American Fork Canyon, and provides an amazing view of the North side of the Timpanogos basin.
Flat Top Mountain (10,620 ft) is the highest peak in the Oquirrh Mountains (pronounced like "oaker") in Utah, which lies to the southwest of Salt Lake City. Most of the Oquirrhs are private property and mining land for the Rio Tinto Kennecott Mine, however the two areas you are allowed to hike are in Butterfield Canyon, and the Flat Top Mountain trail (update: 2019 land access below). Flat Top Mountain has a prominence of 5,370 ft, making it Utah's 6th highest prominent peak.
Mt.Elliott (7,142 ft) is located along the Book Cliff Mountains, in between Price, Utah and I-70. Ever driven to Moab from SLC? Then you've passed this peak and know exactly where it is! Near the town of Woodside, UT there is an abandoned gas station with people sometimes selling jerky. Look directly up and SW, and you'll see this pointy peak clearly. You can't miss it, it sticks out because of it's jagged yet isolated summit. This obscure peak ranks #24 out of 29 on the Utah Country Prominence Peak list, and because of its low popularity, only a handful of people will make it to the summit each year.
Iron Canyon in Park City, Utah is a beautiful, secluded trail that overlooks the Park City valley and the ski resorts. On a clear day you can see all the way out to the Uinta Mountains. The trail is more popular in winter as a fun sledding spot, but my favorite time to go is in early Summer when everything is turning green again. Most of the mountain is on private land, but the Iron Canyon trail allows for public access.