Slate Canyon Trail — Attraction in Provo

So far I have hiked Slate Canyon 6 times. I first hiked this canyon because I wanted to experience something other than Rock Canyon. I quickly realized why Slate Canyon is not as popular, the incline. It is a far steeper canyon than Rock Canyon. Going up doesn’t seem that crazy, yet coming down you realize just how steep the trail is. That being said, if you are looking for a trail in Utah County that has unique beauty, very few people on it, and provides a good workout then look no further than Slate Canyon.

One of the big perks of this canyon are the options it provides. Though there is only one trail up the canyon once you’ve gone through the canyon you can connect to the Heritage Peak trail which connects to the Provo Peak trail, you can go down the Y Trail and/or connect to the Y Mountain summit trail, or go down Side Canyon to Rock Canyon.

The Slate Canyon trail crosses the canyon stream 9 times. This is only an issue if you happen to be hiking the during the spring, at peak runoff, following a big snow year. There are no bridges over the stream. The rest of the year the stream is most likely dry. I recommend hiking it in the spring, early summer, or fall.

If you are into cool rock formations Slate Canyon is a good place to fix your fancy. With vertical sediment layers, spires, stone ribs, variety of colorful sediment layers, and large cliffs the canyon is quite beautiful.

You can hike, horse ride, or ride mountain bikes in...

This is a semi-difficult hike. We hiked starting from here and went to Y mountain (7.8 miles, about 5 hours at a moderate/slow pace). It is mostly uphill for 3.5 hours of the hike and you ascend around 3300 feet fairly quickly. You will want at least 2 liters of water or more if it’s a hot day. Wear sunscreen since you tend to be under the sun for much of the hike. I give this hike a 4-star review because the beginning of slate canyon is slightly boring and very difficult, but it becomes absolutely beautiful once you reach the 1st out of 3 meadows.

Other recommendations: -Have one person park at Y-mountain (or rock canyon, depending on where you want to end), and then drive over to slate canyon so that you have transportation once you finish the hike. -Hiking in the middle of February, there was still a lot of snow and the trail was impossible to find after the first meadow, so you would have to know where you’re going to finish the hike -Hiking in June, definitely wear longer pants. There can be stinging nettle along the trail after you hit the first meadow. (fun fact—stinging nettle can be used to make homemade cheese. Collect it at your own peril). -Use hiking poles and your feet will thank you at the end of this hike given the steep, rough terrain at the beginning...

I like the wide, well-groomed feel of this trail. My first visit was before the snowpack had melted, so I did not make it to the connection with Slide Canyon trail. The uphill trek is a good challenge with some breaks along the way to catch my breath. I was pleased to see some wildlife. I met multiple people on the trail, and everyone was friendly. There were bathrooms at the trailhead. A shelter with a picnic table was a short walk from the parking area as well. Hikers and bikers shared the area, the Bonneville shoreline trail crosses just above the trailhead. Great views of Utah Lake and many geological formations...