LAKES MARY AND CATHERINE
Distance: 3.6 round trip
Time: 2 hours
Location: Big Cottonwood Canyon
Difficulty: Easy / Medium
Elevation Gain: 1200 ft.
What You Will Need:
Sunscreen, Water, Comfortable Shoes
What You Might Want:
Bug Spay, A Snack
LAKE MARY
Distance: 1.86 miles roundtrip
Time: 1 hour
Location: Big Cottonwood Canyon
Difficulty: Easy / Medium
Elevation Gain: 760 ft.
What You Will Need:
Sunscreen, Water, Comfortable Shoes
What You Might Want:
Bug Spay, A Snack
How To Get There:
The trail head is at Brighton Ski Resort up Big Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City. If you need more specific directions on how to get to the resort, click here
Just before you get to Brighton Ski Resort you will pass the Brighton Store and Cafe. If you have forgotten something for your hike (sunscreen, snacks, etc...) they can probably help you out. Also, (depending on the day and time you decide to take your hike) it may be the LAST CHANCE FOR A POTTY BREAK before heading up the mountain.
(This is also a nice place to stop for some post-hike eats, they have a little cafe inside. I have not eaten there, but it seems very nice. If I ever do eat there, I will update with a review).
Just around the corner from this little cafe is Brighton Ski Resort and the Lake Mary trail head.
I recommend parking right next to the Brighton Ski Lodge because it is usually shaded early in the day.
Just to the right of this building is the trail head
Here is my handsome hiking partner (and husband) next to the sign that provides some information about the hike. According to this sign it is 1 mile to Lake Mary and 2 miles to Lake Catherine. According to my foot pod on my Garmin FR60 watch, it is just a bit shorter.
Other notable information on this sign:
- You can camp on this trail so long as you are not too close to the water
- You can only build campfires in designated spots
- No dogs allowed in this canyon
- No swimming in the water (this one comes with a $150 fine if you disobey)
- Elevation Gain to Lake Mary 760 feet, to Catherine 1200 feet.
The trail can be a bit steep at the very beginning and there is no shade for about the first half mile. However, I have seen small children do this hike (though they will likely need a little help and encouragement). Here's a picture of the cute family that was in front of us as we headed up. (note: they do not know I took this picture of them).
As you hike up the mountain you are between two chair lifts for the Bright Ski Resort. It's hard to believe that you are hiking up a ski run, it looks so different when the snow has melted.
The scenery is really beautiful on this hike and during most of the hiking season there are magnificent wild flowers growing all over.
The mountains are really green this year with all the rain we've been getting. It really was a picturesque hike (as evidenced by all the pictures I took, only a few of them shared here on the blog).
The first half mile can be the hardest on this trail. It's a bit steep and there is no shade. Luckily, this rock marks about one half mile from the bottom of the trail. Once you pass this rock, the trail levels off for a bit and isn't so steep. When it does start to get steep again you are in the shade of the trees. The worst is over!
The big rock is seen next to the bunch of trees and then looking back at the rock as you pass it
Soon you will be to the wooded part of the trail and out of the sun =) Before you know it, you will reach this sign:
It says you still have a half mile to Lake Mary. My calculations say you have just a little less than that. This is a good place to pause a moment and look out to the East (your right). The view right here is awesome. I have a picture of it, but I want you to go and see for yourself just how beautiful it is.
You know you are really close when you see the wall. The dam wall that is.
There's just one last, tricky part to get through.
When the water is high (and this year it is quite high!) part of the trail become a little creek =)
You can't see very well in this picture, but there's a little creek running down this part of the trail. There are plenty of rocks to hop around to keep your shoes (mostly) dry. But do take caution because I have seen many people take a misstep and end up with a wet shoe.
But once you've passed this last challenge, you only have a few more feet until you are over the hill and in awe of the gorgeous Lake Mary.
These pictures does not do justice to the Lake. Go and see for yourself just how pretty and serene it really is.
But your hike isn't over yet. You are only about halfway to...
LAKE CATHERINE
Distance: 3.6 round trip
Time: 2 hours
Location: Big Cottonwood Canyon
Difficulty: Easy / Medium
Elevation Gain: 1200 ft.
What You Will Need:
Sunscreen, Water, Comfortable Shoes
What You Might Want:
Bug Spay, A Snack
Once you've made it to Lake Mary, the hardest part is over. You need just to continue on the trail about another mile and you will be to Lake Catherine.
Getting from here to Catherine is easier than it is getting to Mary. Follow the trail East around the Lake. Just a little ways past Mary you will see another small Lake on your Right.
This is not Lake Catherine...
This is Lake Martha. Lake Martha is like the red-headed step sister of Mary and Catherine. Not liked enough to be acknowledged on the sign at the beginning of the trail, or in the heading of this blog post. But I will briefly show her here so you are not confused on your hike. This is Martha. Enough said.
Just past Martha the trail will begin a short series of switch-backs, keeping the incline steady and gradual. This part of the trail is also nicely shaded.
Once to the top of the switch-backs, if you look down the mountain to your Left, you will see Dog Lake (if you refer to the sign shown previously, you can branch off to another trail to get to Dog Lake). I have never been to Dog Lake on the trail, but judging from what I can see from here... It doesn't look very appealing
Left: zoomed in picture of the swampy Dog Lake.
Right: the view looking down on Dog Lake, showing how far away it actually looks.
I should also mention that the trail to Catherine still has snow in some places and can be muddy.
Here is Eric standing next to the snow: And some muddy parts of the trail:
Eventually you will reach a fork in the road. There are two signs. The one on the right says "Trail" with an arrow pointing ahead. I regretfully do not remember what the sign on the left says. However, we also go to the LEFT not the right. This is the quicker way to Lake Catherine.
If you go to the right, it will lead on the trail to Catherine's pass (up and over the mountain to Little Cottonwood Canyon). You will see Lake Catherine from this trail, but you will not get very close to Lake Catherine. However, if you feel like continuing your hiking journey... by all means go RIGHT =)
Going LEFT will put you up close and personal with Lake Catherine. It is much smaller than Lake Mary, but pretty nonetheless. I often see people fishing in this Lake and assume it is the better fishing hole. It can be a little buggy with mosquitoes by this lake, so you may want bug spray if you are sensitive to the pests.
If you wander to the left of this lake, you will see than many little critters live on the hill. If you have a snack, you should share with them. Some will get pretty close to you if you give them a treat.
Remember to be a polite hiker:
- Say "Hi" to everyone you pass on the trail
- Those coming down the hill have the right-of-way. Move to the side to let them go by
- Also move to the side to let faster hikers pass you
- Always offer to take pictures of others if you see them trying to take them by themselves (thanks to the nice man hiking with his family for offering to take this picture of Eric and me.
Most Importantly, Have FUN!
Happy Hiking,
Kim
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