Lake Mary Trail — Attraction in Park City

This may seem as if it's a "tough" hike since the start is rather an uphill slough. But ahead of you you'll likely see oodles of kids and families since this trail is not only easy to get to but is rather family oriented. The bonus is that once you make it to Lake Mary, the tough part is over and just a short distance away are two additional lakes, Martha and Catherine. Wildflowers are likely peaking by now and perhaps fading away; but the temps are a good 10 degrees cooler than the valley and the lakes are full. So NOW is the time to head up there (weekends are indeed more crowded but most people stop at Lake Mary and don't head up to the other less-crowded lakes. To start just drive up to Brighton resort at the very end of Big Cottonwood Canyon and park near the ski-map welcome sign (which is where you'll start the hike). The trail itself is well-marked and follows the chair lift for a tiny bit then veers off into the woods. From there it's quite difficult to get lost as lots of people venture out on this trail since it is so accessible. On a side note, the slight jog to Dog Lake just prior to reaching Lake Mary sometimes has moose drinking from the small, still pond if there in the morning or evening hours. From Lake Mary, the rest of the trail is only slightly up and down but nothing like your initial climb. A quick uphill spurt suddenly gets you to Lake Catherine where you can sit by the lake or clamor up just a bit further to have a view from the rocks above. Well worth the quick venture and despite the intimidating milage, it will seem like half that once you've...

Not for beginners! Sure, I have seen children and older people on this trail, but there are pretty steep and rocky parts and the trail is almost entirely uphill, so be aware of your own health and what you are able to do! I’m admittedly not too fit (I was in a serious accident several months before my hike, and had to relearn how to walk correctly, plus obviously wasn’t in super great shape when I decided to hike this trail) and I did okay, but I did have to stop a few times during steeper parts! It was worth the workout! I have also seen moose on the trail and once even had to hide for a little while in the trees as a baby and fired up mama moose hung out near the trail eating lunch, so be careful up there in the warmer months! Moose aren’t a joke and they can and will seriously hurt you! Otherwise this is a beautiful hike, especially in late summer when the wildflowers are blooming out of control! I grew up around the base of the canyon and have always loved hiking up this trail and the ones around it and so has everyone else I’ve ever brought with me. I’d say give it a go if you want to push yourself a bit and experience the beauty of the surrounding nature we are so lucky to have access to! The reward is more...

This is a short and beautiful trail. This is a very busy trail from 6:30 am to afternoon sometime in the summer. If you're visiting during covid-19, make sure to bring a face covering as you will probably end up closer then six feet to pass/be passed on this trail.

The first part of this trail is exposed and uphill. It is wide and does by some homes and along ski trails. The middle is amongst pines and Aspen trees and not quite as uphill as the previous area. The final section climbs up near the dam before you see the lake. The trail can be rocky and slippery when wet.

There is no swimming or wadding at the lake as Big Cottonwood Canyon is watershed. There are also no dogs allowed in the canyon.

This trail is within a ski area so only usable to hiking after the ski area closes in the spring. It is often so covered into mid to late June in sections. The wildflowers are amazing in the summer and moose, ground squirrels, marrots and pika can be seen frequently. The fall is beautiful for viewing...