Name: 2026 Park City Film Festival
Start: 2026-10-23
End: 2026-10-25

A medium-length family friendly hike with beautiful lake view.

This well trafficked hike is a must. While the trail shown here is a great loop, it can be adjusted for any level of hiking - it can be shortened to an out and back to just see the beautiful Lake Mary, or it can be lengthened to take in Mary, Martha, Catherine, Dog, and Twin Lakes. Many families and groups of all types on the Lake Mary trail section, but the link between Mary and Twin is less crowded. It's recommended to avoid weekends and holidays, if possible, as this is a popular hike. Spring hiking can be difficult as the snow still sometimes covers the trail even as late as June.

**Local's recommendation:** This is a good summer or fall hike - the temperatures at this elevation in Big Cottonwood Canyon is 10-20 degrees cooler than the Salt Lake valley.

**Details**

**Difficulty:** Easy

**Highest point:** 9675 ft

**Lowest point:** 8766 ft

**Best time of year:** May - October

**Safety information:** Bring comfortable hiking shoes, plenty of water, and extra snacks. There are steep parts, so a walking pole is helpful. Swimming and dogs are not permitted anywhere in Big Cottonwood Canyon because it is a watershed area.

**Roadbook**

From the parking lot at Brighton Resort, follow the signs for the Lake Mary trail. The trail is well signed all the way up, and if you choose to take the loop to Twin Lakes Reservoir, it is also well marked.

- Start point - 8302 S Brighton Loop Rd, Brighton, UT 84121 - 0 mi
- Highest point, 9675 ft - 1.7 mi
- Lowest point, 8766 ft - 4.6 mi
- Lake Mary - Destination - 4.7 mi

**How to Get There**

**Public transport:** Bus routes do not travel up to this trailhead in summer - best access is by car.

**Parking:** Parking at Brighton Resort near the trailhead is free outside of the ski season.

Lake Mary to Twin Lakes Reservoir Loop Trail

Pamper yourself with some “me” time. Solitude Mountain Spa offers a full array of luxurious services including facial, scrubs, and more. Long day hitting the slopes? Relax in our dry sauna. Foot cramps from stiff ski boots? Enjoy a pedicure or deep tissue massage.

Solitude Mountain Spa

Glide in our winter wonderland. Solitude’s Nordic & Snowshoe Center is one of the best-kept secrets. Explore twenty kilometers of pristine trails through some of Utah’s most stunning terrain. Easily accessible from the Solitude Village, the center has both classic and skate styles of Nordic skiing.

Solitude Nordic Center

Alta’s finest luxury resort, the Snowpine Lodge, provides guests with the best ski-in/ski-out access, world class dining, rejuvenating mountain spa, and views that take your breath away during every season. Built in 1938, the historical Snowpine Lodge was the first ski lodge in Little Cottonwood canyon, home of both Alta and Snowbird ski resorts, and the "Greatest Snow on Earth”. The Snowpine Lodge was completely rebuilt in 2017/2018, adding numerous amenities desired by every guest, including a full-service restaurant, full-service bar, outdoor pool and hot tub, indoor grotto, game room, and ballroom. Cozy room accommodations range from family suites to private rooms to dorm style lodging

Snowpine Lodge

Experience Alta's finest in cuisine and service, while enjoying magnificent views. Winter: lunch and dinner served daily.“Inviting feeling of home with spectacular views, sumptuous breakfast and gourmet dinner. For those who like to be pampered…, this is the place to stay." Remote and Luxurious Ski Resorts,

The Rustler Lodge Dining Room

Renowned cuisine in a romantic alpine setting. Open from June through September for [Saturday lunch](http://altalodge.com/brunch/index.php?parent=105&subnav=244) and [Sunday Brunch](http://altalodge.com/brunch/index.php?parent=105&subnav=125).

[Weddings](http://altalodge.com/weddings/index.php?parent=93), receptions, [conferences](http://altalodge.com/conferences/index.php?parent=88) and retreats in a beautiful mountain setting.

Alta Lodge Restaurant

There are few precious places in the world like [Alta](https://www.alta.com/), an independently owned ski area since 1938. From its humble roots tied to Utah’s rugged silver mining era, Alta Ski Area emerged as a stellar powder skiing destination. Nestled at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon deep in the Wasatch mountains, Alta is a skiers-only mountain. With an annual snowfall average of 548 inches, powder days at Alta are a way of life.

Come for the skiing. Stay for the skiing.

Included in the Salt Lake Ski Super Pass

[Learn more about the Super Pass](https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/skiing-snowboarding/super-pass/)

Alta Ski Area

This easy out-and-back hike is family friendly and great for all skill levels. Just one mile in leads to a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by stunning mountain beauty.

Located in Little Cottonwood Canyon at Alta Ski Area, Cecret Lake Trail is a popular hike that is surrounded by nature and great views.

This hike is popular, so it's best to arrive early, especially on the weekends. There is a $10 fee to park at the trailhead, which is located right by Albion Basin Campground. You can park right at the trailhead, or park for free before the gate and extend your hike a few miles. The very last portion of the trail is steeper than the rest, bringing you up to the lake. Once there, enjoy the scenery! You can walk around the lake for a longer hike or take your time before you head back down. Though this is an excellent summer or fall hike, the best views are during the summertime. During warmer months, the trail is filled with stunning wildflowers and lots of wildlife.

**Author’s recommendation**  
July and August are the best times to see the wildflowers along the trail. Dogs and swimming in the lake are not allowed.

Cecret Lake

All photos by Outdoor Project Contributor, Brant Hansen

| **Pros:** Views, fast, beautiful **Cons:**Busy **Congestion:** Moderate **Preferable Season(s):** Summer, Fall **Day-Use/Parking Pass Required:** General Day Use Fee ($3.00) **Dogs allowed?:** Yes | **Total Distance:** 6.00 mi (9.66 km) **Terrain Difficulty:** GREEN **Trailhead Elev.:** 7,645 ft (2,330 m) **Net Elev. Gain:** 1,157 ft (353 m) **Trail Uses:** Hiking, Biking **Trail type:** There-and-back |
| --- | --- |

The Dog Lake mountain bike ride usually begins at the Great Western Trail trailhead in Mill Creek Canyon. The lake itself is picturesque and surrounded by a massive aspen grove. Dogs are allowed on the trail and up to the lake, but they must be leashed on even numbered dates. Likewise, bikes are only allowed on the upper Mill Creek Canyon trails on even days. The biggest benefit of Dog Lake is the epic scenery. You’ll get stunning mountain views and broad vistas. You’ll ride through thickly wooded forests filled with aspens, cottonwood, and towering pines.

Dog Lake Mountain Bike Ride: Great Western Trail to Big Water Trail

All photos by Outdoor Project Contributor, Brant Hansen

| **Pros:** Huge vistas. Shady. Cool in summer. Fast. **Cons:** Busy. **Congestion:** Moderate **Preferable Season(s):** Summer, Fall **Day-Use/Parking Pass Required:** General Day Use Fee ($3.00) **Dogs allowed?:** No | **Total Distance:** 6.00 mi (9.66 km) **Terrain Difficulty:** GREEN **Trailhead Elev.:** 8,239 ft (2,511 m) **Net Elev. Gain:** 1,271 ft (387 m) **Trail Uses:** Hiking, Biking **Trail type:** There-and-back |
| --- | --- |

This trail gives you a pleasant and incredibly scenic climb through 3.5 miles of aspen groves, sprawling meadows, and thick pine forests. All this eventually leads you to Desolation Lake itself, a picturesque high-altitude lake. It’s the perfect, tranquil resting spot. From there, it’s a short climb up to the Wasatch Crest Trail that joins in just below the Spine. If you choose to ride to Desolation Lake as an out-and-back, you’re in for a fast and flowy descent. The trail twists and dives, throwing you through the same forests you just climbed through.

Desolation Lake Mountain Bike Ride

Visit Salt Lake

Salt Lake is the place where the Wasatch mountain peaks frame city streets. Sure, Salt Lake's famed for our winter powder ([four legendary ski resorts](https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/skiing-snowboarding/) just 30 minutes from downtown), but that's just one season's story. Summer brings families [hiking through wildflower meadows](https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/outdoor-recreation/) before cooling off at a Jazz game or the Gateway fountains. Autumn paints our mountain canyons in gold, perfect for morning strolls that end at local coffee shops. Spring? That's when you might spot baby bison on Antelope Island before heading to the Eccles Theater for a Broadway show. Our soaring Wasatch Mountains rise dramatically from downtown Salt Lake, creating a place where every day offers both natural wonders and urban energy. And while we sit perfectly between the [national parks](https://www.visitsaltlake.com/things-to-do/outdoor-recreation/state-national-parks/) with Yellowstone's geysers and Utah's red rock country, the real magic happens right here, where everyone can [discover the history](https://www.visitsaltlake.com/plan-your-visit/about-salt-lake/) of the city as they find their own rhythm between mountain adventure and city life.

Sports Salt Lake

Park City Film Festival - Oct 23-25, 2026  
  
The inaugural Park City Film Festival(TM) will feature a curated selection of exceptional films from the 2026 film festival circuit, along with post-screening Q&As and panel discussions. The Park City Film Festival brings new independent cinema back to Park City to celebrate storytelling through the power of film, sparking creativity and conversation.  
  
Film screenings will be held at the Jim Santy Auditorium, aka The Library Theatre during the Sundance Film Festival for 30-years, which has hosted the premieres of such films as “Meru,” “Get Out” and “Boyhood.”  
  
Panel discussions will be hosted by Distrikt F on Iron Horse Drive. Topics TBA.  
  
PARK CITY FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM  
  
Friday, Oct 23rd  
  
"The Life We Leave," Dir. JJ Gerber, at 7pm  
  
Saturday, Oct 24th  
  
-"Zejtune," Dir. Alex Camilleri, at 11am  
  
- "Teeth to the Wind," Dirs. Drew Smith & Ben Knight, at 2pm  
  
- "Adam's Apple," Dir. Amy Jenkins, at 5pm  
  
- "Brian," Dir. Will Ropp, at 8pm  
  
Sunday, Oct 25th  
  
-"Next Life," Dir. Drake Doremus, at 10am  
  
- "The Gymnasts of Fisherman Colony," Dir. Habiba Nosheen, at 1pm  
  
- "Frank & Louis," Dir. Petra Volpe, at 4pm  
  
- "The Last Critic," Dir. Matty Wishnow, at 7pm  
  
This calendar listing is brought to you by NowPlayingUtah.com, Utah's one-stop, online website for arts and entertainment events, powered by the Utah Cultural Alliance.

2026 Park City Film Festival

Business Type

Has Promotions Available

Special Features