Bells Canyonexcerpts from the book Salt Lake City's Incredible Hiking and Biking Trailsby David Day |
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Bells Canyon has something for almost everyone. People with young children often walk only as far as the Lower Bells Canyon Reservoir. It is a gentle grade of only 0.7 mile from the Granite Trailhead to the water’s edge, and there is a scenic loop trail that goes around the reservoir. But those with a little more energy will surely want to continue on to the Bells Canyon Waterfall, a picturesque 80-foot plunge in Bells Canyon Creek that is a favorite destination among young people in nearby Sandy . . .
. . . From the parking lot at Granite Trailhead the to Bells Canyon begins climbing immediately through a dense ground cover of Gambel oak. After gaining some elevation the tall buildings of downtown Salt Lake City gradually come into view below the Wasatch Mountains, while the gaping mouth of Bells Canyon begins to open up in the east. After just 20 minutes and 380 feet of elevation gain the path crosses onto a bench where the Lower Bells Canyon Reservoir is located. From there a wide, flat trail circles the lake, and children and fishermen can usually be seen recreating along . . .
Distance: 4.4 miles (round trip to waterfall) Walking time: 3 hours (round trip to waterfall) Elevations: 1,200 ft. gain/loss Vicinity: East of Sandy Driving Distance: 17 miles from Salt Lake City Season: Midsummer through mid-fall. The upper parts of the trail are usually covered with snow from mid-November through mid-July. Maps: Draper, Dromedary Peak (USGS) Other: Steep, rocky trail with significant elevation gain |
Bells Canyon, pages 102-106 |