Heughs Canyon Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Fall Colors · River/Creek · Waterfall

The parking lot and trailhead are actually on Wasatch Boulevard. To get to the actual trail, you need to first park in the marked lot at approximately 6250 Wasatch Boulevard in Holladay. Once you've parked, get out and walk or run north on Wasatch Boulevard, then turn right onto Canyon Cove Drive (your first right) from Wasatch Boulevard. From there, take your second left onto Oak Canyon Drive, then take your first right onto Canyon Winds Drive. Follow this road to the end of the cul-de-sac, and head straight through the driveway on the west end, which turns into the trail. It is approximately 0.3 miles from the parking lot to the actual trail.

This trail starts just past the driveway at the end of the cul-de-sac at the end of Canyon Winds Lane. Although the first part feels pretty urban, the trail quickly becomes more remote feeling as it gets into a canyon bottom surrounded by scrub oak and other vegetation, as well as huge, rugged rock formations. You can have great views in many places along this trail, as the vegetation isn't thick and often opens up to great views all around.

After a little over 0.5 miles, the trail meets up with the BST: Tolcats Canyon to Heughs Canyon , which heads back to the east. To continue on the Heughs Canyon Trail, continue to the northwest (keep going straight). A little bit past the junction with the BST, there is a little spur trail to the left that leads to the mouth of an abandoned mine shaft, which is an interesting and quick side trip.

Continuing past this area, the trail passes through some forest and meadow areas, then at a little under 1 mile from the beginning of the trail, there is a small foot bridge that crosses over the creek. After this crossing, the trail becomes increasingly steep as it leads up to the boulder field where you can get a view of the Heughs Canyon waterfall. From the bottom of the boulderfield, you can also cross around to get to the bottom of the waterfall, with some easy scrambling and rock hopping.

If you choose to stay on the trail instead of go to the waterfall, the trail continues through the boulder field and onto the other side, and then soon fades, and branches into several unmaintained trails leading to rock climbing destinations in the area. The main destination of this trail, currently, is the waterfall.

During the winter, this trail can be especially cool as there are several sections where large icicles form from water seeping out of rock faces and freezing. The frozen waterfall can also be an especially cool destination in the winter, and this trail often gets packed down by traffic pretty quickly.