| Hiking |
TAKE A HIKE!Virtually every inch of the area’s 210 miles of maintained trails are open to hikers and trail runners. Some trails are extremely popular with mountain bikers and equestrians. Most of the trails suggested below are ideally suited to hikers and you’ll find that you’re not sharing the trail with anyone but bipeds. Note that during snowcovered months, Ogden’s trail network offers ample opportunity for snowshoeing. The development, protection and promotion of non-motorized travel in the greater Ogden area are the mission of Weber Pathways, a non-profit trail advocacy group. They are your best source of trail and trailhead information through their website and printed maps. MALAN’S PEAKFrom either the top of 27th Street or the 29th Street Trailhead, follow the signs to Taylor Canyon. As you move deeper and higher into Taylor Canyon, the trail will switchback to the west and you’ll begin your ascent of Malan’s Peak. About halfway up, you’ll get a small taste of the view that awaits before switching back to the east for the final push. You’ll know when you’ve arrived at the peak. Soak in the view for awhile before either continuing up the trail into the basin or back down to town. HIDDEN VALLEYThere’s a reason this trail is appropriately named “Hidden Valley.” Locals want to keep this trail a secret and often place rocks in front of the inconspicuously painted boulder that serves as a trail marker. Hidden Valley begins with some quick elevation gain to get your heart pumping. The trail winds up through a canyon and the terrain evolves from rocky, rugged trail to pine forest to fern grove to a stunning view of Mt. Ogden and Taylor Canyon. The trail really gets its name from the flat valley you come into just before the summit. You’ll discover that happy moose also enjoy the sweeping view. You can also leave your mark by placing a rock on the Beehive Cairn at the top. After all, the moose need art exhibits too. Start from the 22nd Street Trailhead and follow the Indian Trail for about 7/10ths of a mile. Then, at an indistinct fork, turn sharply right and upward. (It’s marked by the words “Hidden Valley” painted inconspicuously on a rock.) BEN LOMOND PEAKLocal legend has it that Ben Lomond Peak was the inspiration for the Paramount Pictures logo. Company founder, William Wadsworth Hodkinson, sketched the logo based on memories of the mountains of his youth in Ogden. To reach the summit, start from the trailhead at North Ogden Divide. The trail switchbacks several times to get you to the ridge, then you hike straight north through conifer forest. The last push to the summit is a bit of a scramble up some loose, steep stuff, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Have you ever SEEN the Paramount Pictures logo? And the next time you cue up The Godfather and the Paramount logo comes up, won’t it be cool to say to your family and friends, “I’ve been to the top of that mountain.” Ben Lomond Trail is on an east-facing slope that happens to be one of the wettest in the state, so its wild flower display is unparalleled. BEUS CANYON TRAILBeus Canyon Trail is named for the Beus family, Italian immigrants who came to the area as Mormon pioneers. They were the first to use the creek waters for their farm, and they actually got the receipt for their land from Brigham Young. The Beus Canyon Trail is probably the best choice for ascending Mt. Ogden from the west side. The trail makes its way up the bottom of the canyon before climbing the ridge to the south. Don’t be surprised when high on the ridge you find the trail petering out. The Forest Service and Weber State Recreational Center are working together to improve the trail here. But, in the meantime, follow the rock cairns that will mark the rest of your way to the top. Access the Beus Canyon trail at the Forest Service Trailhead on 46th Street (furthest east point on 46th) in Ogden. INDIAN TRAIL/COLDWATERBack before the paved highway was cut through Ogden Canyon, Shoshone Indians used this trail to avoid the high waters at the mouth of the canyon. Indian Trail is a moderate hike that ascends through lush evergreens and past stunning geology. Access Indian Trail from the 22nd Street Trailhead in Ogden or the Cold Water Canyon Trailhead in Ogden Canyon (at the Smokey the Bear sign). WATERFALL CANYONThis short, but strenuous hike is a rugged scramble over the rocks and through the trees, yet it has long been one of Ogden’s most popular hikes thanks to the spectacular 200-foot waterfall at the upper end of the canyon. Please respect the private property on both sides of the trail and don’t be tempted to climb the cliffs around the waterfall. It’s illegal and several hikers have fallen to their deaths from the treacherous rocks. |