Trailing Ahead : Adventures in Hiking Utah

Yesterday we bagged 6 lakes in the Brighton Basin. This compromises two hikes in our guide, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City, but since there is another Silver Lake in American Fork Canyon and we did them both in the same day, I thought I'd put them in the same post.

We started at the Brighton Silver Lake, which is a marshy lake right off the parking lot, with a boardwalk/trail that surrounds the lake. There were lots of people fishing.

Here's where the trail splits to go to Lake Solitude.

I was surprised to see Lake Solitude was little more than a big pond.

There's my love.

We met this begger at the end of the Lake Solitude trail.

On the way back to Silver Lake, passing under one of Solitude Resort's lifts.

Back to Silver Lake, continuing around back to where we started.

The boardwalks over the lake remind me of Cascade Springs. We're through here for the day.

On the other side of the Brighton Loop is the trailhead to Lake Mary, Dog Lake, Lake Martha and the 'crowning jewel of the trail' Lake Catherine.

You head up under the Brighton Lifts at the head of the trail.

Here's where we take a short jog over to Dog Lake, named for the Water Dogs (a native salamander).

Dog Lake, another big swampy pond.

Continuing on we cross this waterfall/cascade on the way to Lake Mary.

Lake Mary is made larger with this dam.

Most people stop here at Lake Mary.

Another begger. Dixie gave in and offered him some peanuts.

The trail continues above Lake Mary.

Not far and you come to Lake Martha.

Dixie liked the stand of pines in the middle of the lake.

Looking down on Dog Lake from an overlook.

And back on Lake Mary from the same overlook.

This trail would have led around to the far end of Lake Catherine but we got stopped by snow. So we had to find an alternate route.

Catherine from the first trail we took.

OK. We made it to Catherine.

Coming back, there's Dixie's stand of pines.

Back to Mary.

The sun is getting low and the shadows of the lovers long.