From Salt Lake City, Silver Lake Interpretive Trail is about 14 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon Road. Hiking and fishing are the main activities because dogs, bikes, and horses are not allowed. Parking is free. The trailhead includes restrooms and the visitor center has water. Cell phone service and GPS signal were weak; which explain the inaccurate GPS coordinates in the map below.
After hiking to Doughnut Falls, we made a quick trip to Silver Lake and walked the short loop around it. The loop is less than a mile long with an elevation gain less than 100 feet; between 8,700 and 8,800 feet. The path includes several interpretive signs that explain the area’s ecology (e.g., fish) and dendrology (e.g., plants).
The trail is half wooded boardwalk and half dirt; both of which are wide, smooth, and very accessible.
The following picture was taken from the high point on the loop. Shortly after this point you can connect to another trail that leads farther up the ridge.
We saw a lot of people fishing. Native fish in Big Cottonwood Canyon include Mountain Sucker and Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. Non-native fish include Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Brown Trout.
The highlight of our evening walk around the lake was seeing a Moose slowly approach the path. I had never seen a Moose before so it was a real treat.
In addition, on our drive to Silver Lake we saw the following Moose near the side of the road (photo credit: Sari Soutor).
In sum, Silver Lake is family friendly place with numerous outdoor activities and an educational focus. Other nearby trails include:
