A steep but rewarding out-and-back peak hike with incredible vistas.

This is a mild to moderately trafficked steep hike to a gorgeous overview. The first two-thirds of the trail have excellent shade, following a stream up the mountainside for a good portion of it. In just under two miles from trailhead to the peak, the elevation gain is nearly 2,000 feet, so this is considered a difficult trail. In the late summer, the wildflowers along the trail are spectacular, and the views from the saddle and the peak are well worth the steepness.

**Local's recommendation:** An excellent spring, summer, or fall hike. Dogs are allowed; they must be kept on-leash on even days, and can be off-leash on odd days.

**Details**

**Difficulty:** Difficult - steep with high elevation gain

**Highest point:** 8609 ft

**Lowest point:** 6647 ft

**Best time of year:** Spring, Summer, and Fall

**Safety information:** As with any trail in the foothills, watch for rattlesnakes, especially in summer months. Wear closed-toed shoes when hiking, be aware of your surroundings, and always look carefully before placing hands or feet. Be sure to stay hydrated - even with the shade cover on the lower half of the trail, it can get very warm.

**Roadbook**

From the trailhead at Elbow Fork, follow the signs up the trail. There are very few branching trails on the first half of the trail, but when there are, stay on the northern-most branch. At the saddle, take the trail that heads north and east up the peak.

- Mount Aire TrailHead, Mill Creek Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 - 0 mi
- Lowest point, 6647 ft - 0 mi
- Highest point, 8609 ft - 2 mi
- Mount Aire - 3.8 mi

**How to Get There**

**Public transport:** Bus routes do not travel up to this trail head - best access is by car.

**Parking:** There is parking just off the road, near the Mount Aire trailhead at Elbow Fork. Be aware that there is a $5.00 fee when exiting Millcreek Canyon.

Mount Aire Trail

1.75 mi/2.8 km one-way — The Elbow Fork trailhead starts 6.4 miles up Millcreek Canyon on the south side of the road, about 200 feet past a sharp turn. Start walking at the footbridge and proceed through a short series of steep switchbacks to reach an excellent view area. The trail then continues with a gradual ascent and crosses a ridge before descending to the Terraces Picnic Area. With a change in elevation of only 430 feet, this trail is great for families. Situated on the north-facing slope, the trail is shaded, making it a perfect choice for summer hikes.

Elbow Fork to Terrace Picnic Area

From exit 295 on I-15 go east about 5 miles to the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Continue east up the canyon 4.5 miles. Park in the Tanner’s Flat campground parking lot south of the road.Birds you can see—Black-chinned, Calliope, and Rufous Hummingbirds; Hammond’s and Dusky Flycatchers; Clark’s Nutcracker; Stellar’s Jay; Swainson’s Thrush; Tree, Violet-green, and Cliff Swallows; Pine Grosbeak; Red Crossbill; Cassin’s Finch; Black Rosy-finch.

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Year-round adventure awaits - golf, hike, bike, camp, horseback ride, snowmobile, cross-country ski, and snowshoe at Wasatch Mountain. During warmer months, reserve a tee time at the popular Lake and Mountain golf courses. In winter, ski or snowmobile through the alpine terrain.

Wasatch Mountain State Park

Rainbow Ryders, Inc. is the premier and largest hot air balloon business serving the Southwest since 1983, with offices in Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs and forty balloons in our fleet. Our pilots have flown more than 50,000 hours, serving more than 750,000 passengers. All our pilots are FAA-certified and have nearly 200 years of combined experience. We are also the only “Covid Safe Practice” Certified hot air balloon ride company. Pilot expertise and commitment to safety are two important reasons why Rainbow Ryders has been the official hot air balloon ride provider for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® since 1999. Our founder and president Scott Appelman was the originator and organizer of the Fiesta’s Balloon Glow from 1987 – 1992, an event that is one of the most popular today. He also organized the event’s Special Shapes Rodeo and Albuquerque Aloft and won the Heritage Award from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta as well as the Tourism Hall of Fame award from the Tourism Association of America.

Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co.

Short, easy hike with beautiful canyon views and access to other trails.

A moderate to heavily trafficked hike in the trees with a few beautiful canyon views. Many other options to lengthen the hike exist here, including the Salt Lake Overlook, Thaynes Canyon Peak, and access to other trails that branch off through Millcreek, this hike is a great way to warm up and see what hiking is about in this fantastic area.

**Local's recommendation:** An excellent summer or fall hike. Dogs are allowed; they must be kept on-leash on even days, and can be off-leash on odd days.

**Details**

**Difficulty:** Easy

**Highest point:** 6467 ft

**Lowest point:** 5748 ft

**Best time of year:** Year round

**Safety information:** Bring comfortable hiking shoes, plenty of water, and extra snacks. There are mildly steep parts, so a walking pole is helpful.

**Roadbook**

From the parking lot, take the Desolation Trail and stay to the left on the Thaynes Canyon trail. At 0.6 mile, there is a trail sign with a branch to the right for Desolation - go right on that trail. It will loop around and back down to the trailhead.

- Thaynes Canyon Trailhead, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 - 0 mi
- Photo - 0.3 mi
- Highest point, 6260 ft - 0.6 mi
- Lowest point, 5745 ft - 1.6 mi
- Loop - 1.6 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 is available for free near the trailhead. Be aware that there is a $5.00 fee when exiting Millcreek Canyon.

Thaynes Canyon Loop

Jordanelle State Park is located in a picturesque mountain setting near Heber City. The park offers an array of recreation opportunities near the Wasatch Front. Camping, boating, swimming, fishing, and hiking are some of the activities to do at this very popular park. Anglers fish for trout, bass, and perch. The park offers two recreation areas, Hailstone and Rock Cliff. Hailstone is a large developed campground and day-use area on the west side of the reservoir, and is a favorite location of boaters and RV campers. Many of our campsites offer water and electric hook-ups.

Jordanelle State Park

A beautiful out-and-back hike through varied mountain terrain to the top of one of the many peaks looking down on the Salt Lake valley.

This trail has many fantastic attributes: for the first part of the hike, it follows a small stream up the mountain with plenty of shade, it has great views looking down into Millcreek Canyon, and finally, the peak looks out over the Salt Lake Valley. The hike will get your heart racing for sure, with a consistently steep, well-packed trail. Although it is moderately difficult due to distance and steepness, it is perhaps one of the easiest peak ascents overlooking Salt Lake. There are two main trails to get to Grandeur Peak; the West Trail is shorter but considerably steeper and has less shade cover.

**Local's recommendation:** An excellent spring, summer, or fall hike. Dogs are allowed; they must be kept on-leash on even days, and can be off-leash on odd days.

**Details**

**Difficulty:** Moderate - based on elevation gain

**Highest point:** Grandeur Peak, 8294 ft

**Lowest point:** 5686 ft

**Best time of year:** Spring, Summer, or Fall

**Safety information:** As with any trail in the foothills, watch for rattlesnakes, especially in summer months. Wear closed-toed shoes when hiking, be aware of your surroundings, and always look carefully before placing hands or feet. Be sure to stay hydrated - even with the shade cover on the lower half of the trail, it can get very warm.

**Roadbook**

From the Church Fork Picnic Area, follow the road up the mountain to the Grandeur Peak trailhead. Follow this trail to where the Pipeline Trail crosses the Grandeur Peak trail. Follow the sign to turn on the correct trail for Grandeur Peak. As you get closer to the top, stay on the trail that takes you west towards the peak.

- Start point - Church Fork Picnic Area, 5802 Mill Creek Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 - 0 mi
- Lowest point, 1,733 m - 0.1 mi
- Grandeur Peak, 2,529 m - highest point - 3.3 mi
- Grandeur Peak - Destination - 6.6 mi

**How to Get There**

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

**Parking:** There is some limited, but free parking at the trailhead. Parking at the Church Fork Picnic Area is reserved for those using the picnic area. There is also free parking on the canyon road, but will require about 1/2 mile extra hiking to get to the trailhead through the picnic area. Be aware that there is a $5.00 fee when exiting Millcreek Canyon

Grandeur Peak from the East Trail via Church Fork

Longer hike with beautiful canyon and city views. Easier and family-friendly with little altitude change.

A moderate to heavily trafficked hike on the popular Pipeline Trail with beautiful canyon views. The first mile (and last, as this is an out-and-back trail) are well shaded, but the rest is in the sun, so bring a hat and sunscreen, as well as plenty of water. The trail follows the canyon for many miles in both directions from the trailhead, and it follows it a few hundred feet up on the north slope of the canyon - but it is largely a flat trail with little elevation change. Views are spectacular all along the trail and particularly at the overlook, which takes in the Salt Lake Valley.

**Local's recommendation:** An excellent spring, summer, or fall hike. Dogs are allowed; they must be kept on-leash on even days, and can be off-leash on odd days.

**Details**

**Difficulty:** Easy

**Highest point:** 6037 ft

**Lowest point:** 5699 ft

**Best time of year:** Spring, Summer, Fall

**Safety information:** As with any trail in the foothills, watch for rattlesnakes, especially in summer months. Wear closed-toed shoes when hiking, be aware of your surroundings, and always look carefully before placing hands or feet.   
Be aware of bikes - this is also a popular trail for mountain bikers and they are allowed on the trail year-round.

**Roadbook**

From the Church Fork Picnic Area, follow the road up the mountain to the Grandeur Peak trailhead. Follow this trail to where the Pipeline Trail crosses the Grandeur Peak trail. Turn left on the Rattlesnake Gulch section of the trail, and follow it to the Pipeline Overlook.

- Church Fork Picnic Area, 5802 Mill Creek Canyon Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84109 - 0 mi
- Pipeline Overlook - 3.5 mi
- Highest point, 6033 ft - 4.3 mi
- Lowest point, 5699 ft - 7.1 mi
- Pipeline Overlook - 7.1 mi

**How to Get There**

**Public transport:** Bus routes do not travel up to this trail head - best access is by car.

**Parking:** There is some limited, but free parking at the trailhead. Parking at the Church Fork Picnic Area is reserved for those using the picnic area. There is also free parking on the canyon road. Be aware that there is a $5.00 fee when exiting Millcreek Canyon.

Pipeline Trail - Church Creek to Pipeline Overlook

Victus Advisors was founded in 2012 with a clear mission: to provide independent, data-driven venue consulting that helps communities, teams, and developers make informed decisions. What started as a vision in the mountain town of Park City, Utah, has evolved into a nationally respected firm specializing in sports, recreation, entertainment, and performing arts venues. Our journey began when Brian Connolly — an expert in market research, financial advisory, and strategic planning — recognized a gap in the industry. Too many projects were built on unrealistic expectations, with financial risks and operational challenges often overlooked. Victus Advisors was created to change that. Fast forward to today, and our firm has led feasibility studies, economic impact analyses, and strategic planning efforts for some of the most recognizable venues in the country.

Victus Advisors

Solitude Mountain Resort has something to offer skiers and riders of all abilities with an average of 500” of annual snowfall, 1,200 acres of incredible terrain, 77 named runs, three bowls, a Nordic Center, Snowsports Academy, snowshoeing as well as some of the most impressive off-piste terrain in the country. 

Solitude Mountain Resort

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