Fall may not be the longest season in Park City, but it’s nothing short of spectacular. As the sunlight begins to wane, the trees begin to put on a show for us, and this special season presents itself in a display of color that one must revel in. A great way to immerse yourself in the beauty of these mountains in the Fall is to head out on some of our most spectacular hikes.
This is truly an amazing time of year to be in Park City, with the transformation from Summer to Fall, the newly crisp chilly air, and the colorful foliage beauty all around us. It’s not too hot, and not too cold (yet), what a great excuse to get out on the trails for a couple more hikes before the days get shorter and the snow begins to fall.
Details
What: Hiking Trails to See Park City's Fall Foliage
Where: Park City Area
When: Late September - October
Who: Great fun for the whole family
Experience
With this being my first fall living in Park City, I really wanted to immerse myself amongst those beautiful autumn colors. I’ve been told that fall is the shortest season here in Park City, so it’s imperative to get out on the trail to experience the foliage as soon as they start popping. Early autumn reds and oranges pop up first on the slopes and then soon after the hillsides are covered in gold. I’ve noticed that the seasons DO change quickly here, as one day I was hiking in shorts and a t-shirt, and the next I was bundled up in a beanie and sweatshirt, so I’ve been trying to catch those sunny days in between the rain showers (that will soon lead to snow!). Here are a few of my favorite trails that I’ve explored to take in the fall and all her glory in Park City.
Bloods Lake
Back to Top of List- Distance: 2.8 miles round trip
- Elevation Gain: 465 feet
- Trail Use: Hiking Only
- Loop or Out and Back: Out and Back
- Dog-Friendly: No
- Access: Trails to Transit
With the town of Park City purchasing the Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, approximately 1,350 acres of undeveloped backcountry majesty nestled in the upper elevations of the Wasatch Mountains, a new Bloods Lake Trailhead was created. Tucked on the side of a 10,000-foot mountain, Bloods Lake is a local favorite, you can’t beat a pristine high alpine lake perfect for swimming with peninsulas, rock features, and even a rope swing! The trail is fairly easy, but it does have some moderately steep areas.
The new trail is more environmentally friendly as it helps visitors to leave less of an impact on this natural setting by creating a distinctive trail that helps alleviate the amount of erosion that has been happening to the hillside on the original trail.
To get to the Bloods Lake Trailhead, you need to go up Guardsman Pass, one of the 58 Scenic Backways designated by the State of Utah, where epic mountain views are abundant. Note: Guardsman Pass is only open from May to October.
The trail is beautiful as it meanders through meadows, with scenic views of the Wasatch, and dense Aspen groves, which are showing their true colors! As I made my way through the golden tunnels, I found myself at the base of some switchbacks. This is where the trail gets pretty steep and a bit strenuous. Once I made my way up through the steep section, the trail flattened out, and Bloods Lake came into view. To catch my breath, I found a spot on the shore to grab a snack, hydrate, and take in the views. I even hiked around the entire lake and took a mental note of where the pretty awesome rope swing was for next summer’s adventures.
Deer Valley - Mid Mountain - Silver Lake Lodge to Montage Hotel
Back to Top of List- Distance: 1.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: ~150 ft
- Trail Use: Hiking
- Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back
- Dog-Friendly: Yes
- Parking: If hiking from Silverlake, park at Snowpark lodge and take the Silverlake Express lift to access Mid Mountain. If hiking from the Montage, there is limited parking at the Mid Mountain trailhead on Marsac Ave. Transit to Trails and the Purple or Orange bus lines access this section of trail for free as well.
This short section of Mid Mountain is incredibly scenic as it wraps and winds through Deer Valley, connecting Silverlake Lodge to the Montage Hotel. Down canyon views, dense woods, huge open meadows, and ski run crossings all make for a unique hike. The Mid Mountain trail hovers around 8,000 feet, requiring you to hike up to it or get a ride. But one of the best parts of this section is the access via public transit. The Orange bus line accesses Silverlake, and the Purple line accesses Montage. Or you could book Transit to Trails for an even faster trip up the hill.
Family friendly and even a great run, hiking Mid Mountain is always a treat. Plus you can reward yourself at either end with treats and meals at the Montage or Silverlake lodge.
Park City Mountain - Jennis Trail
Back to Top of List- Distance: 3 miles
- Elevation Gain: 195 ft
- Trail Use: Hiking and Biking
- Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back or Loop
- Dog-friendly: No
- Parking: Large lot at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, easy-to-find parking
Now that lift access is closed on Park City Mountain, the only option to get involved in some golden Aspens at the resort is to hike up! At the base area near the First Time Lift, I found signage for Jenni’s Trail and followed the meandering, gentle uphill trail through gorgeous Aspen groves with smooth switchbacks that crossed numerous ski runs until it opened up to some beautiful views of Park City Mountain with the leaves going off. The trails are a bit of a choose-your-own hiking adventure, as you can go as long or as short as you want, try an out and back or a loop, by hooking up with a couple of other trails.
Partway up Jenni's Trail, there’s an intersection to head down the lower portion of Crescent Mine Grade (CMG) that will allow you to cut back to the base for a shorter loop hike. To complete Jenni's trail in its entirety, ignore the CMG turn-off and keep going up until you get to Mid-Mountain trail, where you can turn around and head back down Jenni’s or for a longer hike head across Mid-Mountain Trail till it connects with CMG on the right to take you back down to the base. All along the way, you’ll be inspired by the autumn glow.
Deer Valley - Silverlake Trail
Back to Top of List- Distance: 4.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1,433 feet
- Trail Use: Hiking/Running Only
- Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back
- Dog-friendly: No
- Parking: Visitors can park at the Silver Lake Village or take the Orange bus line for free!
Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Trail is designated as a foot-traffic-only trail, so you're guaranteed more tranquility as you hike through the peaceful landscape. The trail is nicely marked beginning at the base of the Silver Lake chairlift. This is an absolutely gorgeous hike that ends at Silver Lake with picturesque cliffs on one side and a bird’s eye view of the Heber Valley on the other.
As I started my hike up, I navigated through a narrow trail of dense trees that made me feel like I was in another world. Climbing higher I popped in and out of golden aspen groves, and as I crossed over ski runs and lift lines, the scenery was put on display as it opened up to panoramic views of the Jordanelle Reservoir and the surrounding foliage. The last 600 feet of elevation is a steep push, but once at the top, I continued to enjoy the views from the East Side of Bald Mountain wherein the distance, I could see the mist in the valleys of the Uinta Mountains.
Advice
- Set realistic goals and research the trail ahead of time - pay attention to the total distance and the total elevation gain. Have an idea in mind of how far you can comfortably hike in a day and how much elevation gain is too much, and get an idea of how long the hike will take so you don’t get stuck on the trail in the dark.
- Bring enough water and snacks for twice the time you think you’ll be on the trail.
- Tell a friend where you are headed in case of an emergency.
- Bring layers and rain gear - the weather can be fickle this time of year.
- Wear comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes.
- Keep in mind the altitude if you are coming from a lower elevation - stop as many times as you need to catch your breath, stretch your legs, and hydrate.
- Wear sunscreen - even on cloudy days, at our elevation, sun exposure is a year-round concern.
- Leave No Trace - Pack out all trash, including dog waste, and stay on the trail.
- Make sure your phone and camera are charged to take all the photos of the beautiful foliage.
- Practice proper trail etiquette - downhill hikers always yield to uphill hikers. All hikers yield to horses.
- If you are on a shared multi-use trail, stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Mountain bikers should always yield to hikers.