A Quick Morning Favorite!
Location: From Salt Lake, take I-215 towards Big Cottonwood Canyon/ exit 6200s.  Follow Wasatch Blvd. south past Fort Union Blvd. and up the hill. Turn left into the Prospector Drive neighborhoods and an immediate right up the hill.  Take the second left onto Timberline Drive and park in spots on right side of the road.  Train heads up the mountain to a water tower and continues past it.

Cost: free

What to Expect: Fun and easy hike for kids, at least until you hit the steeper sections of trail further up, but we usually turn around there. First part of the hike is up to the water tower.  Great views of the valley, and the kids have fun throwing stones at the tower and making it “ring.”

Dogs are welcome and the canyon has occasional fresh water springs for them to drink from.  It is cool, thickly shaded, with towering rocks on either side.  Beautiful every time we’ve been there! Nice during the hear of the summer cause the springs keep the air cooler.

FYI: Early spring might have heavy water flowing in the creek- could be dangerous for young kids. In late fall we ran into lots of burrs which proved not fun for the dogs.  Hit it mid to late summer for best results.