summer hikes
There have been many requests to set up a schedule of summer hikes again this year, so here it is. We will do short hikes on Thursday evenings and longer hikes on Sunday afternoons. Note that there is a meeting place and time for each hike so we can car pool, but also a slightly later time where you can show up at the trailhead. We will head up the trail at 6:00 p.m. on Thursdays and at 1:30 p.m. on Sundays. If you have any questions please call the church office or click here.
Remember to bring water, sunscreen, hat, hiking shoes and walking stick (optional). You may want to bring snacks for extra energy. Bug repellent recommended. Light jacket if the evenings get chilly. Wildflower and bird guides are helpful. We take the hikes slowly and will turn around anytime as time, energy, weather and light allows. Note the carpool times vary slightly to accommodate the drive to the trailhead.
Thursday June 4 – Porter Fork This is an easy hike along a paved road along a creek in a shaded side canyon of Millcreek Canyon. Meet at the MOPC parking lot prepared to leave at 5:30 or meet at the trailhead ready to start hiking at 6:00. Porter Fork is up Millcreek Canyon on the right past Log Haven. Parking is limited at the trailhead, but more parking is available 100 yards further up the canyon.
Thursday June 18- Desolation Trail to Overlook- The trail begins up Mill Creek Canyon at the parking area on the right just above the Mill Creek Inn. It is about 2-2.5 miles up this easy-moderate trail to the Overlook of Salt Lake Valley. The elevation gain is about 1250 feet. Carpools will leave MOPC at 5:40 p.m. The hike will start at 6:00 p.m.
Sunday June 28-- Twin Lakes-Solitude Loop- This moderate hike is about 3 ¾ miles with an elevation gain of 1260 feet. Plan for about 2 ½ hours. The trailhead is 14.7 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon at the Silver Lake information center (Nordic Center). To carpool, meet at the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 1:00 p.m. or meet at the trailhead to start up the trail at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday July 2 --Donut Falls Meet at parking lot at mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 1:00 or at the trailhead at 1:30. To get to trailhead, go up canyon to Cardiff Fork, which is a paved road that turns right about ¼ mile below the Spruces campground. The paved road will turn to gravel. Park at the trailhead just before the road turns right and crosses the creek.
Sunday July 5 We will skip due to the July 4th holiday.
Thursday July 9- Mill B North Fork Trail to Overlook-Several large rock outcroppings, offer hikers view of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The hike is out and back the same trail, approximately 2.6 miles with 800 feet elevation gain. The trailhead is about 4 1/2 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Park in the small lot located on the right (southeast) side of the road in the second, upper curve of the “S-Turn”. Head up the stairs near the information signs of the parking lot, and cross the busy highway. Remember to look both ways before crossing. A trail sign is on the opposite side of the road. To carpool, meet at the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 5:30 p.m. or meet at the trailhead to start up the trail at 6:00 p.m.
Sunday July 12- Dog Lake via Mill Creek Canyon. This is an easier hike up to Dog Lake about 3 miles round trip. We’ll snack at the top before we come down off the trail. The trailhead is 9.1 miles up Mill Creek Canyon. Carpools will leave MOPC at 1:00 p.m. The hike will start at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday July 16- Catherines Pass via Albion Basin- This easy hike is about 2 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 740 feet. The trailhead is two miles beyond the town of Alta on a gravel road. Parking is available near the top of the Sunnyside chairlift. The Alta Shuttle may be running. We will leave the Park & Ride lot at the base of the canyon at 5:30 p.m. to carpool. We will begin the hike at 6:00 p.m. at the trailhead.
Sunday July 19--White Pine Lake. This is a strenuous 7 mile round trip hike, but relatively cool and very beautiful. Plan on at least 4-5 hours. The elevation gain is about 2000 feet. The trailhead is up Little Cottonwood Canyon before you get to Snowbird. Look for the White Pine Parking area to the right. We will meet at the Park & Ride lot at the base of the canyon at 1:00 p.m. to carpool. We will begin the hike at 1:30 p.m. at the White Pine parking lot.
Thursday July 23—Lake Mary Lake Mary is above Brighton. We will meet to carpool at the Park and Ride at the base of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 5:30 or at the trailhead at the Brighton Ski Resort parking lot at 6:00.
Sunday July 26- Butler Fork-Mill D Loop to Dog Lake. This is a moderate 4 ¾ mile hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon with an elevation gain of about 1700 feet. Plan about 3 ½ hours. The trailhead is about 8.5 miles up the canyon on the North side. There is a small amount of parking at the trailhead with more parking just up and across the road. To carpool, meet at the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 1:00 p.m. or meet at the trailhead to start up the trail at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday July 30-- Cecret Lake from the Albion Basin parking lot. We will meet at the Park & Ride lot at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon at 5:30 to carpool. We will begin the hike at the top of the Albion Basin road at 6:00.
Sunday Aug 2-- Lake Blanche- This is a strenuous 6.5 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of about 2600 feet. Plan about 5-6 hours. The trailhead is about 4 1/2 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Park in the small lot located on the right side of the road at the beginning of the “S-Turn”. To carpool, meet at the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 1:00 p.m. or meet at the trailhead to start up the trail at 1:30 p.m.
Thursday Aug 6--Bowman Trail. This is a longer hike, but still shady and relatively easy and follows a creek part of the way. The trail is up Mill Creek Canyon. Go just a short distance past Log Haven restaurant and Porter Fork. There will be a road to the right across a bridge to the Terraces picnic are. Follow this road until it splits. Go right to the parking area and the trailhead. There is additional parking to the left. Carpools will depart MOPC parking lot at 5:40 p.m. We will begin hiking at 6:00 p.m.
Sunday Aug 9—Flowers at Alta. Meet at the Park-and-Ride at the base of Little Cottonwood Canyon at 1:00 or at parking area just past the guardhouse at the base of the Albion Basin road at 1:30. We will hike trails and roads through fields of wild flowers and end at the Albion Basin campground. Cecret Lake. We will then follow alternate trails back to the parking area or take the free shuttles from the top of Albion to the base.
Thursday Aug 13-- Honeycomb Fork via Solitude- This was an area of intense mining activity. This moderate hike can be 50 min to the lower Honeycomb junction (380 foot elevation change) to 2 ½ hours to the Upper pass (1840 foot elevation change). It is about two miles to Woodlawn mine. The trailhead starts about 12.5 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon at the lower Solitude parking lot. Park at the West end. To carpool, meet at the parking lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon at 5:30 p.m. or meet at the trailhead to start up the trail at 6:00 p.m.
Sunday August 16—Scout Falls/Emerald Lake Scout Falls is about 1.5 miles from the trailhead, but Emerald Lake is about 6.5 miles from the trailhead at the base of Mt. Timpanogos, so one can hike as little or as far as they desire. We will meet at the MOPC parking lot at 1:00 to carpool. We will take I 15 to the American Fork Canyon / Timpanogos Cave exit (Utah Rt. 92). Follow this to the canyon and to the information/fee station. 4.6 miles past the fee station, take the right fork (the South Fork), which is the Alpine Loop. About 8 miles from the fee station, head west at the Timpooneke turnoff to the parking area at the trailhead. Restrooms and drinking water are available. We will begin the hike at about 1:45.
For questions regarding the hikes, call the church office at 277-2674 or click
here.