Kenney Creek Trail

 

I am a little mad that I have not gone out hiking as much as I wanted to this year. Particularly since we have had the most amazing mild summer, since I can ever remember. After a few weeks of angsty I need nature, and having no one to hike with I decided I would do the Kenney Creek Trail within Mueller Park in Bountiful. I have passed this trail head a few times while doing the trail in Mueller Park, so I decided it was time to explore it.

I really wish they would post this sign on all trails. Sadly people just don't seem to grasp hiking etiquette.

I honestly thought this trail would follow the creek the whole way. However, shortly after this crossing, the trail veered to the east away from it.

Here you can see the scar from the new pipeline they are building. Which by the way, there was a sign informing me the trail would be cut short due to this. Sigh. This pipeline is something I hate. It scars the entire mountain side visibly from the valley floor. The company claims they will restore it when the pipe is in, but how far off is that?

Not too much higher the trail gets really thin.

I wonder what caused this.

Okay, starting to get REALLY thin.

About this point this trail was really starting to kick my butt. I was almost ready to turn back, but rested a moment and decided to push on.

Better view of the scar.

And then I came up above the trees, and got this amazing view. I love that feeling after almost giving up, deciding to keep going, and being rewarded for it.

Not much further up I arrived at this small meadow.

After crossing the stream, the trail disappeared completely. I was not sure how much more stream, or swamp was under there so I turned around. I later learned that I just had to “bushwhack” another 50 feet or so and I would find the trail again that would ultimately lead to the old miners cabin. Again, on third thought, after learning how far I had hiked, the trail would have ultimately been closed not much further after this, due to the construction of the pipeline.

On the way down I found a more interesting view of the valley below.

Is this a dandelion? It is huge!

Do you remember that scene from Jurassic Park, where the raptors chase them into that field of grass? Yea, that is what this section of trail felt like!

Decided to play with the the creek a little.

Pretty lone wild flower.

Slightly off trail, but fun.

All in all I would say this was a fun hike. Nothing spectacular, very overgrown, but nice. I think I would enjoy it more when they finish the stupid pipe line. Lots of bugs, and I think I was continually harassed by the same asshole bee for the majority of the hike, but I didn’t see a single soul, even though the parking lot was packed. They all went to the more popular Mueller Park Trail.

Not 100% where I want to rate this. Going to finalize on 7 Squirrels I think. Not particularly pretty,the end prize is not too spectacular, the bugs were just wow, in your face (and that is with a HUGE layer of deet, however, not a single soul so it was a nice quiet in the woods hike. So a good 7 out of 10.