Hiking Lake Mary in Wasatch National Forest, Utah

The Beta

The Lake Mary Trail is a 2.6 moderately tracked trail with 849 feet of elevation gain located at the base of Brighton Resort near Salt Lake City. It features fantastic views of parts of Brighton Ski Resort as well as Lake Mary at the end! Lake Mary is best completed in mid-May to mid-June, or late September to mid-November. Dogs are not allowed to use this trail, and swimming is not allowed at this lake or any lake in the SLC watershed.

Need to Know

While this trail isn’t long or necessarily steep, it should be noted that the first .75 miles are in near direct sunlight with no shade. Always wear sunscreen on sunny days, or long layers to prevent sunburns. Remember, you come down this same pathway, so you’ll have a total of 1.5 miles in total sun exposure. Come with some water if you attempt it on a hot day, too!

Justin’s Suggestion

Bring a snack and take in the lake, and venture around to the south end of the lake to get a great aerial perspective of the whole lake! This hike can get quite crowded since it is such an easy hike in the Brighton region. Arrive earlier in the day and try to avoid weekends and summer crowds if able!

There’s also perennial snowmelt that forms small waterfalls on the south end of the lake. Head on over to check them out!

Take A Hike!

This is a great family trail! Pack up the car, head to Brighton, and embark on your journey! This one is a fun one, for sure.

While you’re in Big Cottonwood Canyon, hop on over to Hidden Falls!

See you on the next one!

Parting shot:

Next blog: More lakes and more desert hikes. I’ve got a good backlog of hikes, so hang tight!