Posted in Utah Hiking, Nature July 23, 2016 by

Where This Utah Trail Takes You Is Absolutely Stunning

On a steamy summer day in Utah, doesn’t a hike to a lake sound nice? How about a hike that takes you to FOUR lakes? Even better, right? The Brighton Lakes Trail does just that, and you’ll enjoy some gorgeous scenery along the way. The hike is a total of 4.5 miles roundtrip; the trailhead starts at the Brighton Resort Lodge at the base of the resort.

This might just be the most gorgeous place in Utah.
TETON Sports/flickr
First, you'll hike right up the side of the ski run, underneath the ski lifts. Then the trail turns west and is much more shady.

This trail will take you right through aspens and pines.

The trailhead sits an at elevation of 8,760 feet. Make sure you bring plenty of water - you'll need to stay hydrated as you climb to an even higher elevation.
Dog Lake
Andrey Zharkikh/flickr
About .7 miles from the trailhead, you see a fork in the trail. Dog Lake is a little side trip, and it's the smallest lake on the hike, but it's well worth it.
Moose are abundant in this canyon.
Flickr/Brandon Rasmussen
Keep an eye out for moose along the entire trail. Dog Lake tends to be a particularly popular moose-sighting spot.
Lake Mary
Andrey Zharkikh/flickr
As you approach Lake Mary, the trail gets a little steep, but hang in there...look how stunning this is!

Lake Mary sits at an elevation of 9,500 feet.
Lake Martha
Andrey Zharkikh/flickr
Lake Martha is just a half mile farther up the trail from Lake Mary. It's just an elevation increase of 100 feet, but the path is pretty rocky, so navigate carefully.

Take one of the little paths right down to the shores of this pretty little lake.
In several spots on the trail, you'll encounter grassy fields and wildflowers.
Ken Lund/flickr
And the views are amazing, too!
Lake Catherine
Andrey Zharkikh/flickr
It's another mile to Lake Catherine (elevation 9,960). Along the way, you'll glimpse views of all of the lakes you've already visited.

This is seriously one of the most beautiful places in the entire Beehive State. If you have small children, you might consider just hiking to Dog Lake and back. The trail is busy, especially on weekends. If you can break away on a weekday morning, you’ll experience a lot more solitude. This is just one of Utah’s many amazing hiking trails. Check out these 10 Trails In Utah You Must Take If You Love The Outdoors.