Absolutely beautiful. Parking is tight. Trail goes straight up, it's steep and rocky with loose…read moregravel and rocks. I had foot surgery less than a year ago and this was difficult for me. I didn't read any reviews mentioning that it was steep or rocky so here's your warning. My husband and I loved it though and my dog was in heaven. He got a good workout meeting a lot of friendly dogs and owners. Please take poop bags and plan on carrying them out, saw a lot of poop and filled poop bags left on the trail.

Beautiful nature AND it's dog friendly?!? Why, yes, please! This is a great hike (or more like a…read morenature walk for true hikers) that is absolutely beautiful. There are several paths you can take, most of them are pretty clearly marked but I could see how people could get lost if they venture off the path. The leaves in the fall were breathtaking with the sun sneaking through the trees as if to spotlight them on the world's stage. Yes, I wax poetic when it comes to nature. I can't help myself. Go see for yourself and you'll do the same. Along with the spectacular array of colors, there's a nice rope swing that someone put up for people to enjoy (thank you to whomever did that!) and a few random forts made out of fallen trees and branches. My inner nine year old was loving every moment of it! The map showed us that we were near a cave, but we struggled to find it. We eventually found one (I think?) but the entrance was cemented over. Maybe there were others, but we gave up and vowed to return again to find them.

This is a nice short hike close to the city…read more Moderately traveled with lots of dogs off leash, and runners. On the North side of the trail it was nice, and shady going up, a bit more rocky than the South side such was a bit slippery because of the dry dirt. The fee booth was closed today so no one had to pay a fee. Usually it is $5.00. Nice trail to get your heart rate up on a trail close to home.

Hands down one of my favorite places in Utah. The hiking is incredible, with so many trails to…read morechoose from that it never gets old. It's also super dog-friendly, which makes it even better, I love being able to bring my pup along and see other happy dogs out on the trails. I come here year-round and every season is special in its own way. Snowshoeing in the winter is peaceful and beautiful, and visiting in the summer, fall, and spring brings totally different scenery and vibes each time. Whether you're hiking, snowshoeing, or just soaking in nature, Millcreek Canyon is a gem and absolutely worth five stars.

Millcreek Canyon is located close to Big Cottonwood Canyon but is far more pet-friendly. In fact,…read moreit felt designed with dogs in mind--there were bag and trash stations for pet waste, plus signs posted noting which days dogs are allowed off-leash. We love giving Luna off-leash time on hikes like this, as long as she stays on the trails and listens when we call her back or ask her to wait. After a long day of driving, we decided to stretch our legs on the Rattlesnake Trail (not my favorite name, but we went for it). The hike was 2.79 miles and took us about 1.5 hours to complete. It was rated as moderate, with plenty of inclines and beautiful views on the way up--the descent was much easier. Entry was $5, which you pay on your way out. Overall, it was a great way to get some exercise and let Luna roam in a safe, welcoming environment.

This waterfall is only about 150 feet off Highway 190. There is plenty of parking across the…read morestreet. The trail is relatively easy but plenty of roots and rocks. You only need to walk for about five minutes to enjoy the falls. You will know when you are getting close as thee is an old mine shaft next to the falls. It is spooky and open for anyone brave enough to go in. Lots of hiking at trailhead nearby, but if only up for a quick walk, this is the spot.

Trail is graveled and well maintained. Took the route up to pipeline overlook. First mile up was…read morethe steepest. Last mile up evens out a bit. View was fantastic. There's a mix of hikers, runners, dogs on/off leash, and bikers.

Am I really the first person to review this trail? Because I see people here all of the time. It's…read moreprobably one of the more well-used trails in Millcreek Canyon, and for good reason: it provides a nice little workout, some easy level terrain cruising, and a nice payoff view at the end. Do take the time to familiarize yourself with Millcreek Canyon, the rules, the trails, the trailheads, the fees, and more. It's super close to SLC and it's well used, and it's got a few things you need to know. As a basic primer, though, know that dogs are allowed up here off leash on odd numbered days, you have to pay a nominal fee to use the canyon, and the trail system winds around and connects up with other trails, other canyons, and can go by different names. Just have a map handy and you'll be just fine. Rattlesnake Gulch itself is just that: a gulch on the north side of the road that carves up the middle of Millcreek Canyon, and it's the southern exposure. It's one of the first areas that is freed up from snow in the winter as it's low enough in elevation to not get too terribly snowpacked. The trailhead sits on the north side of the road, at roughly 3/4 of a mile after you pass the fee station. Strictly speaking, the Rattlesnake Gulch portion of this hike is only about .7 miles long. It runs straight up the belly of the gulch through somewhat steep terrain, with good maple and oak cover, until finally meeting up with the Pipeline Trail (listed separately here on Yelp). Most people who do this hike, though, don't just end at the Pipeline Trail, they head west on the Pipeline Trail and take it to the bend that overlooks the Salt Lake Valley. This portion is nearly flat, but totally exposed to sun. You can technically continue down the trail from there further, but most folks stop. The views are incredible, but for my money, the best views are near dusk when the last sun hits the canyon walls just across from you. To do that entire portion--from the trailhead, up Rattlesnake Gulch, and to the overlook on the Pipeline Trail, is about 1.8 miles each way. That makes it a lovely after-work 3.6 mile adventure that shouldn't take much longer than 1.5-2 hrs depending on how long you sit there and gaze. I did just that the last time I was here. I came up the Gulch, hit the Pipeline, and then just gazed at the overlook. It's amazing the insights you can get when you just listen. I just sat there and let the wind hit me, watched the sun eek out its last few rays of the day, and I looked at the city below. I thought about a lot of things, about trails, about the paths we take, and about trees. I thought about Rattlsenake Gulch, and how it sounds scary, and it's a lot of work to climb up, but I thought about the payoff. I thought about how we go through long, hard times that hurt, but that when we do hard things that scare us, if we just picture the destination we can take the courage we need to get from point A to point B. We can get from where we are to where we want to be. And when we do get to where we want to be, it's really worth it. Join me at the overlook, ya?

OH the stairs, the stairs. They can be a blessing or a curse. Stairs were put in to help with the…read morevery steep elevation gain going up to Mount Olympus or Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Personally I like hiking just on the dirt trail, even though there is a very steep elevation. Because it has been so dry this trailhead is very slippery. I didn't use any poles coming up here, and thought maybe I should have to help me from slipping every which way. This is another busy, busy trail, and is narrow in parts which makes it hard to pass. There is no shade on this trail if you turn off on the BST, except if you hike all the way down to the subdivision right towards the end there is a bit of shade, but for the most part there is none. This is also a very noisy trail, and you hear traffic all the way along the trail, unless you go further up closer to Mount Olympus. There has been no parking for years except on the street, so I was glad to see that there is a small one being built right by the trailhead. **Dogs are allowed on this trail, but please pick up after them. ***No bathroom available

"What was I thinking?" That phrase went through my mind over and over again on this hike. This…read morewas hard. 1) Bring a lot of water. I went on a day that was about 90 degrees in the valley, so I thought I was prepared by taking 3 liters of water in my camelbak and then another 16 oz Gatorade. I ran out of liquid. I was sooo dehydrated by the end. I typically carry around a 40 oz hydroflask everywhere, so I do drink more water than most people... but still... be prepared. 2) Trekking poles are a good idea for this hike. Definitely not needed, but lots of people had them and I was grateful for mine. My upper body was able to take a lot of the stress off of my quads and knees. 3) Bring snacks. I ate an apple, some fruit snacks, some almonds, half a protein bar, and some Clif Shot Blocks. I also brought tuna, but didn't touch it. You're working hard for an extended period of time. You need some fuel to keep you going. 4) Head up early, if you can! It seems like this hike typically takes people 3-8 hours. I was right in the middle with being just shy of 6 hours. I did go all the way to the top and I took a few good sit down breaks. 5) Last, but definitely not least. The scramble to the top? It's hard. You are climbing up big rocks. It's fairly technical. WEAR GOOD SHOES! Leave the worn out tennis shoes at home. Wear your best, most grippy trail shoes for this. I was terrified of this scramble. Almost turned around. But I made it up, and if you take it slow on the way back down, it's not too bad. You can do it. Just be safe, smart, slow.

this large trail goes through cottonwood canyon, and the river follows all along the trail. i don't…read morewalk all of it, but took a small walk towards the trail once i parked in sure the trail is long, beautiful and great experience to have in Utah. i loved just the views alone

Close to SLC, and it's A great little trail to punish your preteens - on five gold stars!!read more

This has two trailheads, so please note that the pin drop here on Yelp (as of today) is on the…read moreMillcreek Canyon side. If you're looking to hike to Desolation Lake, you can make it there on this trailhead, but it's the loooooong way. For the most direct way to Desolation Lake, you'll want the Beartrap Fork Trail #057, located one canyon to the south in Big Cottonwood Canyon, here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beartrap-fork-trail-057-salt-lake-city Now that's settled, let's talk about the Desolation Trail. As alluded to above, this is actually quite a long trail that straddles the hump between Millcreek and Big Cottonwood Canyons. Arguably, the most popular section of the hike is here at the Millcreek side, as it delivers hikers a nifty vista after a few miles. First, find the trailhead by going east up Millcreek Canyon. You'll pass the series of Cub Scout and Boy Scout camps on the south side, and come to the Church Fork Picnic area on the north (left) side. Once you pass that, the South Box Elder Picnic Area appears on the south (right) and this is where the trailhead begins. The trailhead hosts a small pit toilet building but there is no available electricity or water, so bring your own before you arrive. There are a few small picnic tables on a first come-first served basis, as well as the Edmund Ellsworth picnic area, which can be reserved ahead of time. Begin the ascent behind the restrooms and you'll see a few signs to begin: first, note that the beginning of the hike is on private property. The Boy Scouts allow the public trail to cross the property, so be nice, and stay on trail. The other sign you see is a mileage indicator which reads: Salt Lake Valley Overlook 2 Thaynes Canyon 3 Porter Fk. Trail 8.5 Mill B North Fk. 9 Bowman Fk. 10.5 Dog Lake 16.5 Desolation Lake 18 Far and away, the most popular hike here is the Salt Lake Valley Overlook. Though marked at 2, it's arguably more like 2.2, making a nice but challenging 4.4 mile round trip activity. This is infinitely doable as an after-work hike in the long days of summer, and even in less illuminated conditions the trail is well worn and can be accomplished on days when you sneak out of the office early. Expect to see lots of traffic those first few miles. Also note that Millcreek Canyon is a popular spot for dog owners, and dogs are allowed on trails and offleash on odd-numbered days of the month. If pups ain't your thing, stick to even-numbered leash days, or skip to the south for the dog-prohibited Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. The Salt Lake Valley Overlook is as far as I've taken the trail from Millcreek. On the other side, I've run around BCC, Dog Lake, and Desolation Lake as a younger fellow and trail is remarkably similar. Expect to find shorter but thick foliage in sunnier, lower elevations. As you rise or find shady sides of the canyon, you can find stands of pine and other evergreens. The flowers light up from early spring and take turns all season; scarlet gilia, lupine, the occasional mountain aster, Indian paintbrush, and many others. The trailhead sits at about 5750ft in elevation. Salt Lake Valley Overlook takes you to just over 7000ft. It's never technical, the trail is almost exclusively dirt (read: dusty in the summer) but it's a constant climb and can get the best of less-than-seasoned hikers. Still, it's a good choice if you have a healthy group. The full Desolation Trail (which, as far as I can tell, ends at Desolation Lake) maps out on paper to be 16 miles, but is listed at 18. The lake itself sits at just over 9200 ft, so you shouldn't be surprised that the Desolation Trail is a constant climb for over 6 miles before calming down and dropping to around 8800ft over the next 7 or so miles, reaching Dog Lake, dropping to around 8300, and then lifting back up over the 9K mark to reach the waters of Desolation. Here again, you're looking at high elevation forest, although never terribly thick, and a lot of shrub and deciduous groves. Pack plenty of water, even if you're just headed to the overlook. Some of it is exposed, and it's a pretty dry hike. Sunblock is a must, because no matter what time of day or season, you're going to pass stretches that are exposed. We're spoiled to have something like this, and all the other great trails, so close to us in SLC. the Salt Lake Valley Overlook is quite the sight, and that's just about 2 miles away. The whole journey -- one I've not completed in a continuous slog, to be clear -- is on my conquer list and a real treat for anyone looking to head for the hills on a summer day.

Millcreek canyon is one of my favorite canyons solely for the fact that dogs are allowed up (it's…read morealso beautiful). There are plenty of trails will all sorts of difficulty levels to hike. There is a $3 fee per car so always keep that in mind. (I buy the annual pass because it is worth it for me.) Desolation trailhead parking takes you up a way and then has a few separate trails you can hike once you get up the path a way. There is the Thaynes Canyon trailhead which is about 5.8 miles roundtrip. Salt Lake Overlook which is about 4.4 miles around roundtrip. Desolation Trail is about 18 miles and Dog Lake is 16.5. The paths are very well maintained and it's beautiful! The fall colors were incredible this time of year. It is an easier hike with gradual elevation gain. I also really enjoy snowshoeing this trail because it is so well maintained. Bikes are allowed on the trails and they have doggy bags at the beginning of every hike. SO CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOGS.

Normally I would love having the trail all by myself but not today…read more I stumbled 6 times coming down this dry, slippery, dusty trail. We need rain. I started on the East end trail head ( Which isn't well marked) but I found it, and immediately the elevation gain starts I noticed how beautiful this trail is with lots of trees and bushes. Some wildflowers still blooming. It's really quite, and you can hear a pin drop. Birds were singing all the way down. Trail tilts slightly towards the cliff side, and the trail hugs the cliff most of the way. Just watch your steps it's rocky in spots along the trail. My feet are burning because I used the pipeline trail to make a loop. 7.1 miles and I got up to 7356 ft. Millcreek river is rushing pretty good. I did step in a low spot to get the dust off my boots. The water felt so cool. Keep your dogs home it's way to hot for them to be out in this heat. *No bathrooms on trail. **No snakes today.