Challenge Buttress, Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Location: 15 Minutes up Big Cottonwood Canyon, across the road from Storm Mountain Picnic Area.  Park on the side of the road.  Follow trail up the steep washout just east of the glacier gully.


Cost: free


What to expect: 5-10 minute approach, steep at first, then levels out.  The base of most the climbs are safe for kids, giving them room to play, but the thick bushes keep them from wandering very far.  Cool in the mornings, sun on the east side mid-morning, sun on west side in the afternoon.  This area can get very crowded so go in the morning to avoid the crowd.

Routes are mixed, with 5.6s right next to 5.9s and 5.10s.  Our kids did awesome on the easier routes, they were very attainable for them, and we had a great time on the harder routes.  This is definitely a family favorite.

Caution: In the spring keep the kids in hand as high run off leads to raging rivers.

 

Ferguson Canyon, Salt Lake, UT

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.

Dog Lake, Wasatch Range, UT

Goin’ to the Dogs!
Contributor: Nancy Henry

Location: Dog Lake can be reached from either Mill Creek Canyon via the BigWater Trail (end of Mill Creek Canyon Road) or from Mill D North Fork Trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon (Trailhead is 8.6 miles up Big Cottonwood, on the left, across
from Spruces Campground).

Cost: Free






What to expect: Beauty!! The wildflowers peaked late this summer, so we picked the perfect weekend to take in their splendor. It also made for some spectacular photo ops. We have also done this hike in the fall and it was incredible – lots of golden aspens.

We have only done the Big Cottonwood option, so what I say from here on out pertains to that one. There is plenty to see on the trail for kids. The beginning has some big rocks for climbing, and there’s a place to stop next to the stream about ½ way up. After the long hike, the lake is definitely the reward. We kept enticing our 4-year-old with the lake and the dogs; otherwise I’m not quite sure he would have made it. The whining immediately turned to glee when he rounded the corner and saw a dog bounding into the water after a ball. “Mom, I want to do what that dog
is doing!” – and he took off running. “Wait, no! You can’t do what the dog is doing!” Thankfully, he wanted to throw the ball to the dog, not dive in the water after the ball.

The lake is set in a wooded area, unlike most of the mountain lakes in Big Cottonwood. The reflection of the trees in the lake adds to the scenery. It’s a great place to kick off your shoes, throw some rocks in the lake, and see your share of different dog breeds. Oh, and have lunch if you happened to be smart enough to bring it.


Important stuff to know before you go:
- Dogs are allowed at the lake (hence the name), but only via the Mill Creek Canyon trail. You cannot bring dogs into Big Cottonwood Canyon because it is a watershed area, but the lake itself has no surface outlet, so dogs are allowed there. For kids, no matter which way you hike, the lake is the reward – all kinds of dogs, big and small, chasing all kinds of stuff into the water! What more could a kid ask for!
- Hike is 5 miles round trip from either trail, and approximately 1400 feet elevation gain. I would typically not recommend this for 4 –year-olds, but we remembered it as shorter and brought ours (having last done it about 3 years ago when he was riding in a backpack.) It is generally not too steep and has quite a few flat sections, however, the end is very steep.
- Mountain Bikers galore! But only on even days – well, we didn’t know this before our hike, which we did on August 6th – enough said. Constant jumping to the side of the trail. On the upside, all bikers were very polite. Also, the kids enjoyed watching them pass by.
- Bug spray is needed! We had just camped in Big Cottonwood Canyon two weekends before so we did know this – we just forgot. If not for meeting some friends on the trail who saw us slapping and scratching and were generous with their bug spray, we would have surrendered to the army of biting flies and headed back.
- Guidebooks say expect 1.5 hours up to the lake, but with one set of little legs and one kid in a backpack it took us just over 2. Since we set out at 10:00, we should have brought our lunch up with us, rather than leaving it in the trunk of the car – lesson learned.

Scout Falls, American Fork Canyon, UT

Location: From the mouth of American Fork Canyon, go 8.4 miles up the Alpine Loop road and take a right at the Timpooneke Campground.  Go a short distance past the campground host trailer to the Timpooneke Trailhead.

Cost: $6/per car or annual national parks pass accepted

What to Expect: The hike to Scout Falls is approximately 3 miles round trip.  In and back- it is relatively gentle uphill to the falls.  As you near the falls the trail takes off to the left and proceeds up some rather steep rocky areas (steep for young kids, but possible).

This was our first time adventuring in American Fork canyon and we loved every minute of it.  The beauty is unreal.  However, on a scale of 1-5, I would give the actual hike a 3.5.  The trail is open to horse traffic so we found ourselves leaping not so gracefully over piles of poop and holding our noses every 10 minutes.  As you near the falls, the trail becomes muddy and slippery, difficult for younger kids.

Reservoir Ridge, Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Location: Approximately 3 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Look for Storm Mountain Picnic area, pass it and continue on till the road goes over the river.  There will be a chain link fence on the left and immediately after, a black shale parking lot.  Park there.  Head south towards the fence, go around and follow the trail along the river towards the dam.  At the dam take a right and follow the trail to the rocks.


Cost: Free


What to Expect: My husband and I explored this location last week and decided we must take the kids back!  It is a simple and short approach on flat ground from the parking lot to the climbing.  Nice flat area for the kids to play and simple 5.4 - 5.7 routes for them to enjoy.  There is a bolted anchor 15 ft up one of the routes - hotly contested by many locals and used by outdoor eduction teams for classes - but I say it is great for belaying my younger kids off of!

The down side? No harder routes for Mom and Dad.  But great for beginners and kids!

City of Rocks National Reserve, ID

Location: Southern Idaho.  For more specific direction visit the link at the end of the page.

Cost:  Day use is free!  A camping fee for one vehicle and one site is $12.72.  There is a $8.48 charge for an additional car with a max of 2 cars and 8 people per site.


What to expect:  A lot of rock, a lot of climbers and mountain bikers, a lot of dogs, and a lot of fun... at least on a busy weekend like Labor Day.  I cannot claim any credit for reserving sites, our friends did that.  But just know to make reservations ahead of time and if available get a site with not a lot of hiking.

But this is an awesome place to go with kids and climb!  Huge rocks rise abruptly from somewhat flat, grassy land.   Most approaches are easy with lots of flat space for the kids to run and play.  And there is a great mix of trad and sport climbing.


For more information visit: http://www.nps.gov/ciro/index.htm

Storm Mountain Picnic Area- Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

Location: Wasatch Range, 2.85 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon.  Park either on the side of road or in the Storm Mountain Picnic area.

Cost: $7 day use only, if you park in the Picnic area.

What to expect: Fishing at the river, clean sites with fire pit, flushing bathrooms, and a playground for the kids.  Plus tons of climbing in and around!

This has become one of our favorite family climbing areas.  $7 is totally worth having a playground, shade and toilets for the kids, while you can climb some great routes.  And it is only 25 minutes from our front stoop!

Check it out on www. mountainproject.com for more details.

  

Redman Campground - Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT

We were introduced to this campground, located between Solitude and Brighton up Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT by some friends this last weekend.  Bottom line?  5 stars!

What to expect: 41 developed campsites, including large group sites.  Popular for fishing, a scenic stream, and scenic driving. Nearby is the popular hiking trail to Silver Lake. Other hiking/mountain biking trails and rock climbing areas are in the area. 
Location: Go 16 miles southeast of Salt Lake City to Big Cottonwood Canyon, then 13 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT 190.


I'll keep it simple.  Densely forested, quiet, beautiful, clean bathrooms with flushing toilets, and hikes perfect for kids.  It fills up quickly in the summer so call ahead for reservations or talk to the camp host.
For more information visit http://www.publiclands.org/explore/site.php?id=1203

On the Hike to Silver Lake.

Jordanelle State Park - Camping/Boating/Fishing

Located: Between Park City and Heber City, UT off of HWY 40.
Admission‎: Day Use $7 - $10 Camping $16 - $20

Payment accepted‎: Visa, Master Card

Activities/Services: picnic areas, beach access, boat launch and rental, canoe/kayak, general store, fishing, tent/RV camping, playgrounds.

Our adventure at Jordanelle started off a little rough.  A 10 minute line of cars entering + having reserved one of the only campsites without a tent pad + realizing we forgot the kids sleeping bags and beach towels + lots of debris in the water due to high water = wondering just what the outcome of this overnight was going to be...

But it turned out fine.  It was so hot we didn't need towels after swimming, some friends that arrived later brought us extra sleeping bags, and we popped our tent on the cement (not too comfortable).  Lessons learned?  Check the contents of our trailer one last time before leaving and be very sure of what site you reserve- taking note of proximity to the water, the bathrooms, shade and playgrounds if those things are important to you.

Overall, we probably won't go back.  Jordanelle is one of the closer mountain reservoirs to the Salt Lake Valley, making it very crowded with day trippers and RV over-nighters.  Campsites are close to each other, so either your crying kid keeps everyone up or the drunk neighbors keep your kids up.  The swim beaches are gravel at best, and mostly rocky with 1-2ft banks that are hard for little kids to negotiate.  Be willing to deal with lots of people if you go on a hot weekend in the summer.

On the plus side - beautiful location, very kid friendly and free warm showers at the end of the day!