Lower Corner Canyon Road

Corner Canyon has a huge network of mixed use trails. The lower canyon is no different. I had planned on doing the Creek View Trail but we ended up doing the Corner Canyon Road instead. But that’s okay, we’ll do the creek view trail some other time. we got a bit of a late start today so I just wanted something a little shorter and easier so this seemed like a good option.

Quick Details:

Length: We did about 2 miles out and back to the Crossroads. The road splits there and you can keep going for another quarter mile to the Coyote Hollow TH, Or for a ways up to the top.
Trail Type: Out and Back, or connector, or you have loop options.
Difficulty: Old dirt road which is pretty smooth and a gentle climb. DR3.
Elevation Gain: We did about 360 Ft.
Restroom: No. But there is one at the Coyote Hollow TH if you go just a bit further.
Dogs? Yes, leashed, but know you are skirting the boundary. Do not go above the crossroads.
Other Info: Pay attention to the signs so you don’t end up on a bike only trail. And watch for bikes!

To Get Here:

Take i15 to the Bangerter Hwy exit and head east. Go about a half mile and turn left onto 13800 S. Take that 1.7 miles it will curve to the north. Turn right on 1300 E. Immediately turn left on Highland Dr. Go about .4 miles and turn into the parking lot. You want to park near the northern end.

Look for the tunnel under Highland Drive. The trails on either side will get you down to it.

The Trail:

The trail is nice and wide and pretty gradual.

The creek is dry.

Warning to not enter the downhill bike Rush Trail.

The Rush Trail looks like a lot of fun. Might have to check that out one day. ...Says the guy who tried mountain biking once.

Another warning. I found the signage in this section to be quite adequate.

The creek bed.

Hitting more forested area.

Oh. well, that explains a few things. Fast downhill bikers use the left (or right on the way down) side of the road. Everybody else must stay to the right (or left on the way down). Which was a little weird. We had passed another couple heading down a little ways back and they didn’t veer very far to our left, which at the time I thought was rude. But, now I get why.

Continuing up.

Looking back down.

Another creek crossing.

Dry creek.

I do love me these old wide dirt road trails.

We might have to come check this trail out earlier in fall.

Gnarly old tree.

Oh. So the creek isn’t dry, it’s just redirected here.

Fun old tree.

Of all the areas I have explored all around northern Utah, this is the only place I have seen warnings for poison ivy. And there are quite a few of them haha. So, yeah, don’t touch the plants!

More trees.

The creek below.

More trail.

Leaf littered hillside.

Colorful hillside.

We found a teensy bit of snow left.

The hill above, and you can see the silica pit we have hiked through.

Nearing the full moon.

We made it to the Corner Canyon Crossroads, which was my intended destination. If you head right, you will hit the Coyote Gulch Th in about a quarter mile. Left will continue up the canyon to the top I believe.

Looking up canyon.

Little bit closer look at the silica pit.

The color still holding out.

Frozen creek.

I was hoping to return via the Creek View trail, and thought there might be a connection to it here, but it doesn’t appear so. Although to be honest, with the mess of trails, there honestly could be and I just didn’t see it. We would have to continue to the Cayote Gulch TH to connect to that. Then I thought that since it is a bit later, if we do get caught on the trail after dark, I think I would rather it be the wide dirt road. So we went back the way we came.

Heading back down.

Normal trail courtesy is that you should keep right, to allow opposing traffic to pass on the left, and faster people to pass on your left as well. So it is super weird hiking to the left. o.O. But I am glad they set it up this way as we did have a couple fast bikers pass us in their lane.

Crazy trees.

The creek again.

More neat trees.

The cities below are starting to light up as the sun sets.

Tree silhouette.

Looking back towards the rising moon.

Last little bit of a sunset.

The valley below.

The tunnel under Highland Dr.

It was absolutely pitch black in the middle, which was quite unnerving. However, by the time I thought about pulling out my headlamp we had reached the light again. But uh, lesson learned.

The other side. I love the stylized deer mural.

We weren’t sure which way to go to get back to the parking lot but left seemed to go uphill so we went that way. Tip: There is a connecter trail to the right as well. It was just obscured by trees.

Where the creek comes out.

The valley below again.

That little white dot is someone’s flashlight or headlamp slowly making their way down the mountain, guess we aren’t the last ones on the mountain.

That was a nice shorter hike, that I have been thinking about doing for a while, so I am glad we got to do it. It wasn’t too busy, and we had plenty of room to distance so it was a good option. There isn’t a whole lot to it, other than a walk in the woods, but you can add additional options if you want to do more. Like I said, there is plenty of trail through the canyon. 7 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, its wide, old maintained dirt road, almost like paved, with a slight incline. DR3.

Dogs are allowed, leashed, up to the Bonneville Shoreline. Trail. I believe you can continue to the Coyote Hollow TH, but not up above the crossroads.