Hike of the week: Davis Creek trail | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Directions • From Salt Lake City, take Interstate 15 north to State Road 227. Keep right on the exit, heading into Farmington, and merge onto 200 West. Turn right at 200 South, then right again on 200 East. Turn left on 500 South, which will become Little Valley Road. Park near the reservoir; the entrance is off the dirt road and well-marked.

Davis Creek trail is a beautiful hike with options for hikers of different levels. A short, though somewhat steep, hike goes to a pretty waterfall on Davis Creek, and there's even a bench to take in the sight. Keep left at a fork near the bench to get closer to the water, and finish a short out-and-back in less than an hour.

For a longer hike, go straight at the fork on a trail labeled Pretty Valley. It traverses the mountain in a short series of small switchbacks. The hiking is a little challenging, but the variety is great, including both wooded areas and grassy meadows. The views are top-notch. As the elevation increases, the trail forks again, and branching from the Pretty Valley trail onto one labeled Hellhole brings more woods, and eventually, an alpine environment of evergreens and a little snow even on a hot spring day at close to 5,900 feet.

Turn around when the snow gets deep, come back down Hellhole and turn back onto Pretty Valley for another nice viewpoint at a craggy rock, then head back down the mountain. Davis Creek trail

Hiking time • 2 hours

Round trip miles • 3 miles

Elevation gain • 1,151 feet

Difficulty • Moderate

Trail head restrooms • No

Dogs allowed • Yes

Bikes allowed • Yes