Albion Meadows

 The Albion Meadows are beautiful meadows above Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon. This time of year the meadows practically explode into a riot of color. More than 120 species of wildflowers bloom here. However depending on how the rain goes they can disappear just as quickly as they appear. This year we timed it just about right and I believe actually got to enjoy the prime bloom. Another favorite trail that we do often. Though due to construction it’s been a minute since we have done the full route.

You can use this trail as a connector to several other trails, in order to avoid the Summer Road fee as well.

Quick Details:

Length: About a 3 mile balloon.
Trail Type: Balloon, Out and Back, Connector
Difficulty: It’s rocky, and a bit of a climb, with not a lot of shade. DR3.
Elevation Gain: The map says 1100 feet.
Restroom: There are flush toiles at the Albion Base, and pit toilets at the Cecret Lake TH.
Dogs? No. Little Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Drive to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon, turn right just before the ranger station (signed for Albion Base) Park. You will pick up the trail between the Alta ticket booth and the Albion Day Lodge.

Alternately, you could have someone drop you off at the top and cut the climb out, but that would add a $10.00 fee to use the Summer Road.

They have not resumed shuttle service since it shut down in 2020, but if that ever comes back that is an option as well.

The mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

Heading up the canyon (PSP).

Collins Gulch (PSP).

The Trail:

As I mentioned, you pick up the trail between the Albion Day Lodge and the Alta Ticket Booth.

After heading down the hill you will want to go left. Right is the Lower Albion Meadows to Wildcat Base.

Stunning purple penstemon of some kind.

More penstemon.

Old microwave reflector.

Greeley Hill.

It’s a little far away, but I am pretty sure that is a red-tailed hawk.

Pretty skies as we head up.

Lupine.

Pretty forest.

Wildflower covered slopes across the canyon.

Some pretty paintbrush.

More lupine.

Temporary trail reroute.

Not sure what they are doing, but they dug a big hole.

We later pieced together that they might be removing, or replacing ski lift poles. Not sure if that is true but it's our theory.

Geranium.

The temporary reroute isn’t too bad.

Gorgeous paintbrush.

Back to the main trail.

Cow parsnip.

Blue bells.

Daisies. I think.

Some kind of arnica. I am leaning towards longleaf.

Trail split. You will go right. Left heads to the Summer Road and was the detour route wile the Albion Base was closed for construction.

This looks like lupine, but it seems too tall.... Larkspur! A different species than I am used to.

Rocky climb!

More arnica.

The trail is just lined with them. Wow!

More geraniums.

More wildflower covered slopes.

Devils Castle and Sugarloaf Peak.

Paintbrush.

Hills full of color.

Arnica.

Some more purple than usual geraniums.

More colorful hills.

Nice mix of color.

Mix of paintbrush.

Colorful hillside.

Devils Castle. And an example of how busy this trail can be right now.

Geraniums.

Lots of arnicas.

With Devils Castle and Sugarloaf Peak.

Just the flowers.

Another angle.

Colorful hills.

Some colorful spots a little higher up.

Geranium.

Arnica and mint.

There is a new trail split here leading to the Catherin Pass trailhead. It is called the Albion Meadows Reroute. It’s only a half mile but it looks like quite the climb!

Devils Castle and Sugarloaf Peak again.

Geraniums.

They rerouted this trail here a couple years ago. Looks like the old route is growing back in pretty decently.

Pretty hill.

Greeley Hill.

Lots of color.

Mint.

Geraniums.

Devils Castle.

Little waterfall below Germania Pass.

Devils Castle.

Alf’s Restaurant. If the fields of wildflowers is all you are after, this is a good spot to turn around. There are more wildflowers after this point, but it turns more foresty.

Devils Castle again.

Little Cottonwood Creek.

Sugarloaf Peak and Supreme Chairlift.

Daisies.

Entering some forest.

Lots of lupine.

The creek again.

Landis was just commenting that we hadn’t seen any columbines today so maybe they are done for the season, and then we found this haha. I don’t know for sure, but I think they like a little more shade than the meadows offer.

Little waterfall.

Geraniums.

Short boardwalk area.

Elephant heads and white bog orchids.

The creek again.

Bluebells.

White bog orchid.

Couple of them.

The main trail is to the left. However I decided to go a little ways up the scenic route (as I call it) hoping to see a moose.

Elephant heads. I love these.

Columbine.

More.

Nice mix of elephant heads, white bog orchids, daisies, and corn lilies.

Lovely flowers.

Monks hood.

Pair of spring ponds.

The upper one.

I’m still not sure if this is 2 springs, or 1 spring with 2 pools.

Paintbrush and columbine.

Loads of elephant heads.

Lupine.

Well, no moose. So we decided to head on back.

Split rock.

Sugarloaf Peak and pretty forest.

Lovely mix.

More elephant head.

White bog orchids.

Back to the boardwalk.

The creek again.

Lots of white bog orchids.

Creek again.

Potgut squirrel “prairie doggin”.

The supreme lift and Alf’s Restaurant.

Geraniums.

Looking back at Devils Castle.

Approaching the meadows again.

There is an upper and a lower trail  The map doesn’t show this, but it is clearly an official trail as the sign points to both, and there have been a few recent reroutes on it as well. We came up the upper, so decided to go down the lower.

One of the said reroutes.

More arnica.

Geranium.

Some pretty orange paintbrush.

Couple different shades.

More. I love all the diversity paintbrush offers.

Greeley Hill.

Where the new trail crosses the old trail, twice.

Mine tailings.

We did end up find a columbine or 2 lower down.

More paintbrush.

I honestly cannot believe I spotted this. Do you see it?

How about now.

Getting her munch on.

More flowers.

Wildflowers on the hills above. Plus some more mine tailings I didn’t notice until now.

Where the reroute crosses the old trail again.

Hills full of flowers.

Closeup.

More hills.

View across the canyon.

Flower lined trail.

The hill again.

More color.

Found some fireweeds.

Another favorite of mine.

Some paintbrush.

Arnica.

We can see the moose again.

The yummy leaves are higher up it seems.

Ohm nom nom nom.

So majestic.

Reeeeach.

I just love these guys.

Then she moved in deeper into the trees and, well, all we could see was her rump. so we moved on.

Looking back towards Devils Castle.

Some more fireweed.

Various paintbrush.

More fireweed.

Another spot where the reroute crosses the old route.

Arnica.

Greeley Hill again.

The mine tailings again.

Looks like this is where the reroute ends and it is the original trail after here.

Devils Castle and Sugarloaf Peak.

View down.

Whoops, nope back on a reroute.

They have not, currently, blocked off the trail to the right, so we went that way. Not sure where forward leads. I think that is the original route too.

Microwave tower.

Rejoining the main, upper trail.

I need to remember to try to go up this way next time we come here. It seems like it would be a bit more gentle.

Boulders and flowers.

Geranium.

More larkspur.

Trail split. Both will get you back. Left is more direct, forward heads to the Summer Road, which you can take down.

Some kind of buttercup?

Paintbrush.

Grizzly Gulch. We have not done that one yet.

Paintbrush.

Back down to the temporary reroute.

I think this is looking towards Cardiff Pass. We haven’t do that yet either. Bonus patch of wildflowers.

Lupines.

Back to the main trail.

Little Cottonwood Creek in a deep narrow gorge.

Entering a wooded section.

More lupine.

A whole field of them.

Another potgut.

View down.

Again.

Pretty purple flowers.

View down again.

Back to the parking lot.

View down again.

Random little pond.

Since it was a somewhat clear day I asked Landis to stop at the pullout that offers this incredible view down the canyon. I am a little worried this view is currently threatened by the proposed gondola. I really hope that does not happen.

How many places can you see a perfect U shaped canyon.

So pretty.

Zoomed out.

One on the way down (PSP).

I really enjoy this trail. It is one of the best ways to enjoy our local wildflowers. It can be a bit busy, and there is not a whole lot of shade, but it is spectacular. I am so happy to have such a great trail through such an amazing meadow of wildflowers. 9 squirrels out of 10, removing one for the rough climb.

As for difficulty, it is a bit of a climb, but not too bad. DR3.

Dogs are not allowed in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Be sure to leave Fido home.