Beautiful hike today out of Big Cottonwood Canyon to Desolation Lake. The trail starts out in a dense forest of massive pine (feels like the Pacific Northwest), and climbs 2,500 feet through pine, aspen, juniper, and oak. It's a relatively easy hike (6.6 miles round trip), with great views and a beautiful lake at the summit of the hike.
The lake itself is located at the bottom of what, at first glance, looks like an old volcanic crater. The 550-foot-deep crater is actually a large bowl that was scooped out at the head of Mill Fork Canyon by a glacier during the last ice age. The view from the crater rim (a very strenuous almost vertical climb/hike) is spectacular, and the aspen trees on the northwest side of the lake were bursting with fall color.
The only downside to this hike is this a popular mountain bike trail, and I had to share the trail often. I have nothing against mountain bikers per se, but it does tend to shatter the quiet and solitude of a backcountry hike when they come clattering by every so often. :)
Unfortunately, my camera was in the shop being repaired, and all I had on this hike was my cellphone (which takes lousy pictures). I have included the few I took with the phone (just to give you the idea), but so you don't miss the beauty of this amazing place I am including pix from other photographers.
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