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
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.
Hiking to Mt. Elliott (7,142 ft) – Book Cliffs, Utah
Mt. Elliott (elevation 7,142 ft) is a remote and rugged peak located in the Book Cliffs between Price, Utah and I-70. If you’ve ever driven from Salt Lake City to Moab, you've likely passed this distinctive peak without even realizing it. Near the small town of Woodside, UT, look southwest from the abandoned gas station (sometimes home to roadside jerky vendors), and you’ll spot Mt. Elliott’s jagged, isolated summit. It’s hard to miss—its sharp profile stands out against the surrounding ridgelines.
This obscure summit ranks #24 out of 29 on the Utah County Prominence Peak list, and due to its isolation and tough conditions, only a handful of hikers reach 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.
The Cataract Gorge is located near Murdock Basin in the High Uintas. After turning off the Mirror Lake Highway, you'll drive 3 miles along a well-graded dirt road until you reach the forest road intersection for FR027.
At 11,633 feet, Fish Lake Hightop is the highest peak in Sevier County and a must-do for those completing the Utah County High Points (CoHPs) list. I finally completed this peak as my last CoHP, and I was thrilled to finish the list!