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Fun Hikes
Battle Creek Falls 1.8 Miles
One of my favorite hikes! Fairly easy hike along Battle Creek
that ends up at a beautiful waterfall. It was really wet when I went this
early June and one of the bridges was a little tricky, but it was totally
worth it. Great hike with kids.
Located in Pleasant Grove at the end of Battle Creek Road (200 South)
Also, the trailhead is Kiwanis park with picnic benches so pack a lunch to
eat when you get back from the falls
Battle Creek to Grove Creek Loop 8.5 Miles
Just went yesterday and had a great time. The trailhead is the same
as Battle Creek Falls (see above), but instead of stopping at the falls,
you can follow the trail up into the mountain. The trail goes for about
3 miles into the mountains and then crosses across three huge meadows
separated by trees. These meadows cross around the back of the mountain
and lead you to the back end of the Grove Creek Trail, where it is an
all downhill hike back to Pleasant Grove. This would also make a great overnight
trip. Bring plenty of water and maybe a lunch to eat in meadows. Also, maybe bring
a camera to photograph the deer and foxes that live in the area.
Same trailhead as Battle Creek Falls
The trail splits off in some spots and is a little confusing. It would be wise to bring a
map and plenty of extra water or go with someone like me who knows what he is doing :)
Timpanogos Cave Trail 1.5 Miles to the caves, 3.5 Mile total trip
I haven't been there for forever, but this is a really fun way to spend the day
during the summer. The hike to the caves is a climbs 1,065 feet in 1.5 along a set
of switchbacks and will leave you a little sweaty and ready to enter the cool caves.
The cave tour is 1/2 mile long and winds through Hansen, Middle, and finally Timpanogos Caves
The caves are beautiful with their natural mineral formations and cave pools.
Get to the trailhead by taking the Alpine exit (287) and following the highway east for
10 miles to the monument and trailhead. There is a ranger station there and not too hard to find.
Bring a jacket for the caves because they are usually around 45 degrees during the summer. Also, if you
see Liz or Heather, the tall twins ;) , say hi. They are working as tour guides this summer.
Timpanogos Peak 11 Miles
For those of you who don't know, Timp is a very, very large mountain, second only to Lone
Peak in the Wasatch Range. Standing at 11,750 feet, this is a tough hike. Plan to make a day
out of it. The first mile is a gentle slope and there are two miles of fairly steep switchbacks
that lead to a "hanging valley." 3.5 miles further up the trail is Emerald Lake and only 3/4 of a mile
further to the saddle, where you might encounter snow. I went last year and there was a few feet of snow
a little ways off of the trail. From the saddle, there is only one more mile to the summit. We got mixed
up and though we were waiting for another group when they were actually ahead of us for some reason, so
we found a spot on the side of the summit in kind of a little overhang on the cliffy side of the summit where
we took a nap for an hour. From here, you can either go back the same way you came or take the northwest side
trail to Timpooneke trail, leading back to (I think) the same parking lot. Bring a map :) . Our group
actually went the opposite way that I just described, camping in a meadow along Timpooneke trail overnight
and then hiding our backpacks in some bushes while we hiked to the summit. Since we went the opposite direction
we were able to slide about 1/2 mile down the glacier, managaing to get pretty wet. Maybe bring a trash bag to
climb into. From there we hiked a little ways to Emerald Lake and used purifiers to fill up our Camelbaks (great
brand. Definitely get one.) I had a three liter bladder and ran out about 1/2 mile to the summit so definitely
make sure that you bring lots of water to help with the heat and the altitude. From Emerald Lake we followed
the trail leading back to our campsite, gathered our gear, and headed back home. We got caught in rain in the
last 1/2 mile and the clouds snuck up pretty quickly so pack a poncho too.
Take exit 287 and follow east for 19 miles to Aspen Grove. West of the homes is a paved
parking lot at the trailhead.
When I ran out of water I wanted to die. Literally. I cannot stress enough how important it is to pack enough
water. If you do not bring a pump/filter, I would say to take at least 4-5 liters of water on this hike. Pretty
tough trail but very satisfying!
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