Hiking And Mountainbiking Guide
Hiking and Mountainbiking in Cache Valley can reward you with some of the most beautiful scenic views in Utah. The Cache Valley area is known for it’s beautiful mountain scenery, and the mountain trails provide the gateway to that scenery. Utah is known for the greatest snow on earth but before the snow comes, the golden and crimson colors in Logan Canyon in the fall will blow you away.
Cache Valley Hiking And Mountainbiking Trails
Most of the well known trails are in Logan Canyon, which is only a couple miles from the heart of Logan, and can be reached from anywhere in the valley within 15 minutes.
Logan Canyon Hiking Trails:
Crimson Trail: Difficulty = Intermediate – Distance is 2 Miles one Way/1-1.5 hour walk. The crimson trail climbs up limestone cliffs, and gives you a great view of the canyon. The trail begins at Guivanah-Malibu Campground and ends at Spring Hollow Campground.
Jardine Juniper Trail: Difficulty = Intermediate – Distance is 10.4 miles round trip/5 hour walk. The trail ends at the old Jardine Juniper that is said to be as old as 1,500 years. The trail climbs to it through the forest along the Bear River Range. The trail head is 10 miles up Logan Canyon on the left hand side of the road.
Naomi Peak: Difficulty = Difficult – Distance is 6.4 miles round trip/6 hour walk. This trail takes you to the top of the highest peak in the Bear River mountains at 9,980 feet. If you take the hike during the summer months of July and August, you will be rewarded with some of the most abundant wild flowers Utah has to offer. Quite simply, nowhere else in Utah will you see wildflowers in such abundance. The view from Naomi peak is absolutely stunning, you can see for miles in each direction, the hike highly recommended for avid hikers.
Old Ephraim’s Grave Trail: Difficulty = Intermediate – Distance is 10.8 miles round trip/4 to 4.5 hour walk. Old Ephraim was the last known Grizzly Bear in Utah, and a stone marks the spot of his grave where he was killed in 1928. The trail winds through open meadows and forest to the site, the trial head is at the lodge campground.
River Trail/Riverside Nature Trail: Difficulty = Easy – Distance is 4.2 miles one way/2 hour walk. Both of these trails are close to the Logan River and the highway, but the trails are very scenic with a lot of forest and great views of the river along the way. The trail head is only 3/4 of a mile up Logan Canyon on the right side of the road just before a bridge.
Wind Cave Trail: Difficulty = Intermediate – Distance is 3.6 mile round trip/1 hour walk. This trail climbs through mountain maple to the eroded caverns of the Wind Cave.
Wellsvilles Mountain Trails
Maple Bench Trail: Difficulty = Difficult – Distance is 7.5 miles round trip/6 hour walk. The Maple Bench trail will take you up to the Wellsville Cone at 9,350 feet. The trail is also along the migration route of eagles and hawks that can be seen during the fall months, and allows an 80 mile view across the valley on a sunny day.
Deep Canyon To Stewart Pass Trail: Difficulty = Difficult – Distance is 4.5 miles on way/4.5 hour walk. Not only is this hike virtually devoid of surface water, but high winds on the ridge sometimes make the trip shudderingly cold. Be prepared. This range reportedly has more raptors winging by during migratory season than any other in America.
Wellsville Ridge: Difficulty = Intermediate - Distance is 7.5 miles(+ 6.5 miles by car or bicycle.)/6 hour walk. The Wellsville Ridge is very well known among Utah’s bird watchers. It is probably the best place in the state to see such birds of prey as the Cooper’s hawk and the red tailed hawk. The views of Cache Valley from atop the ridge are marvelous, and with little vegetation, it makes it easy to see the entire valley floor.
More Utah Hiking Trails And Information
http://www.utahtravelcenter.com/activities/hiking/
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Utah sounds great!
I have to say, I’m in the UK and as far as Utah goes, I’d only really heard of Salt Lake City and the Mormon Church but it sounds like a good place to visit for hiking and mountain biking. I don’t know if I’ll ever make it over to the USA but if I do, I’ll add Utah to my growing list of places to visit!
Really liked the article. I am one of those guys who is obsessed with cycling and always on the lookout for new bicycle gear. So it was interesting to see what you had to say on the subject.