The Best Hikes to Find Wildflowers near Salt Lake City
In July and August the wildflowers go crazy in the Wasatch mountains! I have assembled a list of my favorite places to see them.
Some of these spots are easy access, just off the side of the road and others require a hike to get up where the flowers are. Although I will share my favorite spots that consistently have large fields of flowers, almost any trail you take in July and August (at least half way up the canyons) will have some wildflowers along the way!
The trail up to Mary, Martha and Catherine - also known as the Brighton Lakes. This is less than half a mile from the road.
The valley just below Mt. Timpanogos has millions of flowers! It is about a 6-7 mile hike to get to this spot, but if anyone has done this hike, you know its worth it!
This is another shot of a lower valley on the Mount Timpanogos trail (Timpooneke trailhead). You walk for miles through these rolling fields of flowers.
These two shots are taken at Albion Basin which is the very top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I would say that this is by far the most popular spot for the locals to come and see the flowers. You can basically drive up to these gorgeous field (although parking is very limited) and all of the hills are covered in flowers. Trails zig-zag in and out of this entire area, so wander a little bit further to get away from the crowds.
This is the trail going to Desolation Lake from Big Cottonwood Canyon. Flowers line the trail the entire way. This is a very popular mountain biking trail so keep that in mind. They have the right of way, so you will be stepping off the trail a lot to let them pass.
This is a sweet spot on the trail that connects Big and Little Cottonwood canyons. This is a must-do for me every single year. They often take my breath away.
This is an example of what a lot of the upper valleys look like on the trails. This particular one is Mineral Fork, but I have seen flowers on Broads Fork, Grandeur Peak, Sunset Peak, Lake Blanche, Solitude Lakes, Cecret Lake, etc.
As you can see, just get out on the trails at the right time of the year and you can find the flowers! The peak time changes from year to year and I am not good enough to predict it. Keep an eye on Instagram to find when people start posting pictures of them and that is your signal to go!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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