Dog Lake - No Dogs Allowed

Matt & I went for a short hike yesterday morning up to Dog Lake in the Wasatch Mountains. By the way, I believe Wasatch is pronounced "Wah-set". Dog Lake, Lake Mary, Martha and Lake Katherine are all along the Brighton Trail, which is in the Big Cottonwood Canyon. Brighton Trail begins at the Brighton Ski Resort and has pleasant lawns during the summer months for picnics and such.

Our hike was pleasant, although the elevation (about 9,000 feet) proved things to be a bit challenging at first. The first mile was all uphill, but as you reach Dog Lake, there are many lookout areas to stop and catch your breath, which we did. The great thing about being up so high is the wind. It's SO incredibly hot in the sun, but the breeze is a little slice of Heaven!

Dog Lake... although I would personally call it Dog Pond.

 The trail is busier than I would like. There were a lot of people, but this is probably due to the fact that Big Cottonwood Canyon is literally 9 miles outside of Salt Lake City proper. In fact, at the entrance of the Wasatch State Park entrance, there is a 7-Eleven store. It's pretty evident people go up to this trail for day hikes and an short opportunity to get out of the city. In fact, by the time we drove up, hiked, and had lunch... we were home by Noon.

Thankfully, everyone was courteous and mindful of those around them. We found no trash and no evidence of severe trampling off the trail. It's wonderful that no domestic animals are allowed in the park. No dogs. No dog poo. No doggie poo bags. I found it refreshing and ironic that there are no dogs at Dog Lake.

Lucas was strapped on back...he whined the entire time.

This is Big Cottonwood Canyon. Unfortunately, none of the greenery you see is old wood. All of the lumber was milled for homes in Salt Lake City back in the old days.

We had a picnic at Brighton after our hike.

Lucas was overjoyed at the idea of exploring!

A scrappy family portrait!