Dry Gulch To Overlook

Dry Gulch is a narrow gulch located in the Avenues. The trail leads to an overlook that offers a pretty nice view of downtown Salt Lake City. You have the option to do this as an out and back, or you have a couple options to make it a loop if you want. I noticed this trail when we hiked up Mount Van Cott and have been meaning to come check it out, so here we are.

View from the overlook.

Quick Details:

Length: About 3.3 miles out and back.
Difficulty: DR3 Pretty easy going.
Elevation Gain: About 700 feet
Restroom: No.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info: This trail is popular for mountain bikes so keep a look out.

To Get Here:

From 700 east in Salt Lake City head towards 100 S and head east. 100 south will turn to the left and become North Campus Dr. Follow that as it winds around and then turn left on Medical Dr towards the Jewish Community Center at 2 North Medical Dr. There is a power station behind the community center with a couple parking spots for the trail. If it is full, there is an alternate trailhead located on the other side of the Gulch at Popperton Park: 1400 Popperton Park Way. This will add a little bit though, not too much.

Small parking lot.

The Trail:

The trail is just through this fence to the left of the power station.

Looking up towards Mount Van Cott.

For this trail, keep on the wide path next to the gulch.

Here is where the trails from both trailheads meet, and continue up the gulch.

As the name suggests, it is dry. The map says there is Dry Creek through here, but I imagine it probably only really goes during run off.

The leaves are dead, but still hanging on.

This is really kind of a neat gulch. It’s super narrow, but you can hike along the bottom of it without getting wet.

There were quite a few muddy sections. For the most part it wasn’t the super sloppy mud that clings on to your boots.

Small scree field.

There are a couple patches of scrub oak to hike through.

Looking up towards mount Van Cott.

Faint trail up a side gulch.

Making our way up.

More scrub oak.

Rolling hills.

Neat rock formation. The rocks on the left there kind of look like a miniature version of the Devils Slide.

Short rocky section.

So far this trail has just been a lovely mild adventure at the bottom of the gulch.

Pretty blue skies.

Looking back down canyon. I didn’t know it at the time, but our destination for today is that saddle there below that peak.

A little beyond a mile up the canyon splits. South Fork above and North Fork below. However, we will not be doing either of those today as the main trail does a hairpin turn here and starts heading uphill.

Most of the elevation will be gained in this last section.

Looking back up the South Fork.

I am not a fan of thin trails on steep slopes, particularly without a lot of trees to obscure that. I almost decided to turn around. I am glad I pushed on. Honestly, this one is not bad at all. The slope isn’t that steep and the trail isn’t that thin. I paused maybe 2 or 3 times, but was able to keep going. Sometimes I tend to psych myself out over nothing.

Looking back down into the gulch. The overlook is at that saddle on the right.

See, not too steep.

Just keep climbing.

Probably the worst little part. It was super short though.

Lovely view down the gulch.

Almost to the saddle, I can do this.

The mud up here is a little sloppier than down at the gulch bottom. But still not too bad.

We rounded a corner and revealed a little more trail than expected haha. But still, almost there.

Almost there. Wow, it’s not bad up here at all! Really glad I didn’t turn around.

We made it to the saddle!

The peak. the University Of Utah Block U is on the front side of this.

The view from the overlook. There are certainly better views of downtown, but this isn’t too shabby.

The peak again. Doesn’t look like it would be too much more work to summit it, but, not what we were after today.

Downtown again.

This is Limekiln Gulch which is pretty cool too. You can head down that way to make a loop, but I am not sure how long that would be. It should be about a half mile from here to the Limekiln Trailhead though.

Another option from here is to continue along the BST to Bobsled Trail (haven’t done that one yet, not sure why it’s called that. All I can figure is it must be a pretty good downhill bike track). or, you can continue along to the Avenues Twin Peaks trail, or even all the way down to City Creek Canyon. Those options would be increasingly longer though.

Or, you can do what we did and just return the way you came.

I don’t even know how the heck I spotted them so far away, but a couple of deer on that peak above.

It still kind of blows my mind that just a few short miles out of DOWNTOWN there is this amazing wild area with abundant wildlife.

Still working our way down to the hairpin turn.

The hairpin turn. Just about a mile to go.

A look at the saddle we were just on. Its weird not being able to see the trail above.

A little closer.

A little better look at the miniature Devils Slide.

Hitting the scrub oak again.

Deer trail.

Back into the narrow gulch.

More deer making their way across the mountains.

The gulch again.

Hikers on the Mount Van Cott trail above.

The gulch.

More scrub oak.

Little mossy alcove.

Nearing the mouth of the gulch.

Little frozen puddle.

Fun rock layers.

You can get a pretty nice view of downtown from the bottom of the gulch as well.

Quick reminder of the rules. All these signs, and still people choose to ignore them.

This was not my favorite trail in the area, but it is the dead season. I bet in spring it is loaded with wildflowers and is probably a lot more enjoyable. We ran into a few other hikers, and a couple mountain bikers, who did seem diligent in not hitting us so that was nice. It is a pretty easy way to get up and see a pretty great viewpoint, with several options to make it a longer adventure. Going with 7 out of 10 squirrels today.

As for difficulty, This first mile is pretty easy going, almost flat. The last bit is more of a climb, but still not so bad. Going with a DR3 today.

Dogs are allowed, leash required. Please clean up after your furry friend!