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Killyon Canyon is a lovely side canyon off of Emigration Canyon. The trail features a creek, some lovely mountains, wildflowers, and a mixed forest. This time of year it is a great spot to enjoy the fall color, and well that is what we were after today so it was perfect. This is one of my go to fall trails, so we have done it a few times before.
Quick Details:
Length: We did about 4 miles out and back, but it does keep going.
Trail Type: Out and back
Difficulty: DR3. It’s a real gentle climb.
Elevation Gain: We did about 850 feet.
Restroom: We randomly found some at the bottom of Pinecrest Canyon Rd.
Dogs? Yes, leashed. Please clean up after your furry friends.
Other Info:
To Get Here:
The mountains are looking nice and colorful (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).
Suicide Rock (PSP).
Heading up Emigration Canyon (PSP).
It is a super mild canyon for driving (PSP).
It’s pretty up here right now (PSP).
More color (PSP).
Pretty (PSP).
The hairpin turn, where the turn off to Pinecrest Canyon Road is (PSP).
Fun rock formation (PSP).
Looking back at the main parking lot. We probably could have fit, but we opted to go to the smaller overflow lot above.
The Trail:
You will have to walk up the road from the parking area for a bit because there is no parking anywhere on Killyon Lane. Just above the parking area is the split to Killyon Lane on the right, which you will want to take.
Some color on Killyon Lane.
Emigration Creek.
The upper road used to not be paved beyond here.
Little bit of color.
Emergency vehicle turn around.
There is absolutely no where you can park on Killyon Lane, you must park in the small pullouts below on Pinecrest Canyon Road and walk on foot up to here.
At about 6/10ths of a mile you finally reach the dirt trail.
Color.
Reds.
Oranges.
Yellows. The maples cover a lot of the color spectrum.
Some green holding on.
Some purple.
The creek.
Color.
Little hill.
I love the maples.
I love being surrounded by the colorful leaves.
Maples.
Still some green.
Some flowers that have gone to seed.
Nice oranges.
Mix of color.
Dedication stone.
Area rules. As well as one of the fabulous 'There is no poop fairy' signs.
The lower bridge.
The creek.
Colorful hillside.
Some sad asters hanging on.
Lots of color.
Maples.
Pretty hillside.
Oaks that haven’t turned yet.
Hillside.
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Panoramic.
More color.
Reeds.
More color.
Middle bridge.
Upstream.
Downstream.
Color.
Closeup.
Lovely tree tunnel.
Aspens.
Little hill with a pair of landslides on it.
View down.
More color.
Bright reds.
Yellows and golds.
Trail split. Forward leads up to a ridge, and then some. Left leads into the side canyon that as far as I can tell is not named, so I just call it Left Fork.
The very much faded sign. All of these points of interest are to the right.
Oranges.
More color.
Upper bridge. It was damaged in the epic 2022-23 winter.
Emigration Creek.
Cut away logs.
Colorful hillside.
Pretty color.
More color.
What do we have here?
A moose? Here? This is not a place I think of for a moose sighting! But it’s our first moose of the year so I will take it.
Oh! She has a baby too! Hooray! Hello little cutey!
But of course that means we are absolutely keeping our distance. Moose are mean in general. But a mama moose, yikes!
I am pretty sure she is aware of us by now. However we are far enough away that she is pretty unbothered.
Zoomed out shows the color around the moose.
Closer again.
Again.
Surrounding color.
Well, we decided to let them be and continue our hike, I am still just completely floored we saw a moose up here.
Continuing along.
Enjoying the color.
Pretty hills.
Color.
Not all of the forest has changed color though.
It rained earlier, quite a few of the leaves are still wet in places.
Thin trail, thick forest.
Pretty berries.
Google says elderberries.
Burdock.
Color.
There are a lot of rather large trees back here.
Color.
The creek.
This log across the trail is starting to break down.
Color.
Burdock.
More elderberries.
More color.
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Another large tree.
Thin trail along the hillside.
Orange leaves.
Squirrel yelling at us.
I had a random curiosity. When squirrels chirp at you in the forest are they yelling at you, or warning their friends? Turns out it’s both. They are yelling at you to go away and warning their friends a predator in in the area. Neat.
Tall dead tree.
Color.
Forest.
A pretty patch.
Lots of pines.
Color.
More thin trail on a steep slope.
The creek below.
Continuing along.
Maples starting to turn.
The creek.
Pines.
Color.
Pretty forest.
At about 2 miles you come to this crossing.
Closer.
Upstream.
Downstream.
I had been debating about how far I wanted to go today, and ultimately decided 2 miles was good.
I am glad We turned back here. As the weather turned.
Heading back down.
Forest.
Moody clouds coming in. Where did those come from?
Forest.
Looking up.
Gnarly old tree.
Continuing down.
Oh boy. I hope we don’t get rained on. Luckily it held out until we were back in the car heading back home. Phew!
Colorful spots.
Spooky trees.
Fallen tree.
Color.
Maples.
Neat cracked log.
Maple leaves.
Moody skies.
Wet maple leaves.
Color.
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Another big tree.
Color.
Bright red maple leaves.
Elderberries.
Colorful spot.
Pretty red maple.
More.
More moody skies.
Thin trail through high grass.
More color.
Some aspens.
I was keeping a wary eye on the skies hoping we weren’t going to get rained on.
Moody clouds.
Color.
The little clearing. Looks like our moose friends moved somewhere else.
It’s pretty though. There was a thin trail through here so we decided to check it out a little ways.
Not where the moose was when we saw her earlier, but something large has bedded down here. Maybe she likes this area. We might have to come back.
Color.
There are 2 random street signs up here. It is a snow measurement site. It says not to step between the signs, I imagine that would only apply when there is snow on the ground. But the funny thing is, you have to go between the signs to read it!
Some color.
About here we heard something large moving in the woods. I was a little worried we might be too close to a mama moose we couldn’t see so we decided we had gone far enough and decided to head back to the main trail.
Some kind of berries.
Color.
Brooding fall color.
The upper bridge.
Color.
Moody clouds.
It looks like there was a fire up her at some point.
Maple leaves.
Lots of pinks here.
Patches on the hill.
Color.
View down again.
Bright patch.
An aster hanging on.
Purple leaves.
Yellow.
Heck, lets toss in some green ones as well haha.
Reds.
Pinks.
Color.
Middle bridge.
Oranges.
Colorful leaves.
Clover.
More leaves.
Geranium leaf.
More color.
Multi color.
Closer.
Continuing along.
Colorful hill.
Fun little hole in the clouds.
Color.
The lower bridge.
Upstream.
Downstream.
Color.
Found an aspen starting to turn.
More color.
I know its just pareidolia but still does anybody see that creepy face in the orange tree? Yikes.
Yellows.
A super colorful spot.
Looking up.
Color.
Up again.
Color.
Google says dogwood.
Color.
Back down to the emergency turn around and the road. Just 6/10ths of a mile to go.
Moody clouds.
Someone has this super steep unpaved driveway. I wonder if they still us it. It looks a little overgrown.
Then there’s these guys. Oof. I would not like that in winter, or on a wet day for that matter.
Rosehips.
Some flowers that have gone to seed.
Sunflowers.
Gorgeous purple camas.
We’ve noticed areas like here, and Brighton all the houses have identical street number signs. Landis wondered if the town provided them. I’m of the idea that the town, or HOA probably has a deal with some sign shop and tells the residents you must by this model from this shop. But, neither of us know really. But it is fun that they match and have the forest area theme.
Continuing down Killyon Lane.
Clouds.
Colorful hill.
More.
This lady had the happiest, friendliest dog ever. I have never had a strange dog approach me so happily before! Yeah, my dogs, and my friends dogs, but those are dogs who know me. This guy has never seen us before and was just like… FRIENDS!!!!
The owner called out he’s friendly, and I was just like, yeah I can see that as I started lovin on him. haha. I did apologize for failing to ask if I could pet him, but I mean he was just so dang happy!
Color.
Back to Canyon Crest Road.
Found another aerial target (outside link).
Looking back towards the main parking lot.
We noticed this building on the way up (PSP). It looks old and possibly historic, but we had never noticed it before so maybe it’s a new restroom? I has the right shape of one. We both needed one so we thought we’d check it out. Either we get to pee, or we learn some history haha.
I think I can see a toilet though the open door.
Closer.
Oh yay. It is a restroom, with pit toilets. It was almost as cramped as a port o potty, and no light so it was pretty dark once I shut the door, but it was usable.
I played with google maps a bit and I am confused. The building as it is now doesn’t show up until 2021.
Here is 2021.
So I figured it was new as of 2020 or 2021, and just kind of surprised we never noticed it before then.
Nothing in 2019.
Or 2017.
However, the 2019 and 2017 images just a bit east, both show some stairs up to a building that was about the same size, just completely hidden by the foliage?
I found that it had a grand opening in May, 2024 from Threads (outside link). So it is new I guess. I wonder what might have been here before? Maybe an old, old outhouse similar to what we have seen in Silver Fork?
Meh, curiosity aside, it is nice to have a new bathroom option. Before we would go all the way to the mouth of the canyon at Rotary Glen Park. Or Ruth's Diner if we wanted to stop for food.
The hairpin turn as we hit Emigration Road (PSP).
Heading down the canyon (PSP).
Little bit of sunset (PSP). We also started to see some lightning, so yeah, I am glad we are off of the trail.
Continuing down (PSP).
Nearing the mouth of the canyon (PSP).
Rain clouds and rain (PSP).
Bonus screengrab from the dashcam showing the lightning.
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Well that was a lovely stroll through some pretty fall colors! I am glad we did it today. It was the prefect “first day of fall, eve” hike. As always, it is not a very busy trail, we only ran into a few people. Plus we finally had a moose sighting! 10 for 10 today. But I always gush about trails this time of year.
As for difficulty, it was a really mile climb, DR3.
Dogs are allowed but should remain leashed.
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