Mill Creek Canyon 5-9
Summary:New trails in upper Mill Creek Canyon, east of Elbow Fork are addressed in the Great Western Trail narrative. Trails in the lower part of the canyon, discussed here, descend from Elbow Fork to the mouth of the canyon, and in the future to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. No new trails are proposed for the lower canyon. Mill Creek Canyon receives heavy use due to its proximity to the densely populated East Bench of the Salt Lake Valley. Uses include road biking, mountain biking, hiking, picnicking, and a large Boys Scout camp facility. Many recreation issues have been addressed in the 2012 Salt Lake County Mountain Transportation Study, which includes Mill Creek Canyon.
Introduction: The perennial stream that burbles along under the shade of mature stands of Rocky Mountain maples and Box Elder make Mill Creek Canyon a popular draw for the residents of the Salt Lake Valley, especially during the hot summer season. Fall colors are spectacular and attract picnickers and sightseers in great abundance. The canyon has many picnic sites and a variety of trails climbing up out of riparian woodlands and into cool conifer forests. Unlike most canyons in the Central Wasatch, Mill Creek Canyon is open to dogs. This, no doubt, increases its popularity. Dogs are allowed off-leash on odd-numbered days but must remain on-leash on even days throughout the canyon.
The even/odd management scheme also applies to mountain bike use in upper Mill Creek Canyon and has been very successful at separating users and maintaining the quality of the trail experience for hikers, dog walkers and bikers. This management system applies to the Big Water, Little Water, Old Redpine Road and Dog Lake Trails in the upper canyon. These very popular mountain bike trails are discussed as part of the Wasatch Crest Trail narrative. In the lower canyon mountain bikers enjoy the Pipeline Trail, which contours the length of the canyon from Elbow Fork down to Rattlesnake Gulch. Mountain bikers often create a loop by riding the Pipeline Trail one direction and the pavement of the canyon road the other direction. A growing trend in recent years has been for riders is to utilize commercial shuttle services that take them to Guardsman Pass at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon where they traverse the Wasatch Crest, and then descend through Mill Creek Canyon to the Park and Ride on Wasatch Boulevard where their trip began. Both lower and upper Mill Creek Canyon are very congested on summer days and parking lots are often full.
Riders will often descend the lower canyon from their Wasatch Crest adventure along the Pipeline Trail, exiting onto the road from the Rattlesnake Gulch trail. The lower section of this trail is eroded at the bottom in a gully that funnels water. It is a steep narrow constricted space where there is conflict between hikers and bikers. Ideally, portions of the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail could be rerouted in the future.
User Importance: Both upper and lower Mill Creek Canyon trails are traversed by mountain bikers on a daily basis, whether they are returning to the valley floor after being dropped off at Guardsman Pass, out and back on the Big Water Trail, or riding the Pipeline Trail. Lower reaches of the south side of the canyon are included Mount Olympus Wilderness Area where mountain biking is not permitted. The popular Pipeline Trail will be outside the proposed Grandeur Peak Wilderness Area, which spans a large area between Millcreek and Parley’s Canyons west of the Lambs Canyon Trail.
There are many great options for hikers, from short out and back and loop hikes to long hikes along the ridge separating Mill Creek and Big Cottonwood Canyons. Some of the most sought after hiking trails are Church Fork, BurchHollow, Mount Aire, Thaynes Canyon, Porter Fork, Alexander Basin and Bowman Fork. Destinations include Grandeur Peak, Mount Aire, Mount Raymond and Gobblers Knob. At least 13 picnic areas are available for enjoyment during hot summer days.
In winter the canyon is closed to car traffic about half way up where it becomes an exceedingly popular winter playground for Nordic skiers, dog walkers, and those seeking to walk the road and take in the beautiful winter scenery. The road is mechanically groomed for Nordic skiers once a week. On weekend days mid-season it is often difficult to find parking at the end of the road. Backcountry skiers also come to the canyon seeking serenity and deep powder among the high peaks and bowls on either side of Mill Creek Canyon. Gobblers Knob and Mount Raymond are two of the most popular ski tours in the canyon and are accessed via the Porter Fork drainage. Ski touring parties also like to descend Mill Creek Canyon much like mountain bikers do in summer, having begun their tour in Big Cottonwood Canyon and either picking up a shuttled vehicle at the end of the road or getting pickedup.
Feasibility: No new trails are being recommended in the lower reaches of Mill Creek Canyon at this time. A reroute of the existing Rattlesnake Gulch Trail is possible as it exits on Forest Service land.
Impacts: The creation ofadditional options for the Great Western Trail may help to reduce the flow of mountain bikes down Mill Creek Canyon during the summer and fall. Because of the alternating even/odd day management scheme, the segment of the Great Western Trails that descends Upper Mill Creek is not open for biking. The proposed Great Western Trail going down Lambs Canyon, plus the two proposed Mid Mountain extensions on the Park City side, will provide options when Mill Creek is not open to mountain bikes. An extension of the Pipeline Trail from Elbow fork up to the Big Water Trail has been considered by the Forest Service for some time and would help to disperse mountain bikers in the upper canyon.
Manageability: Mill Creek is managed cooperatively by the U.S. Forest Service and Salt Lake County.