Wheeler Farm: Inner Loop

 Wheeler Farm is an historic old farm located in Murray. It features a pretty good trail system that offers farm animals, a creek, forests, and fields. It is a great option to do after work. There are quite a few options to go as short or long as you like. We previously did the outer loop and today we did a shorter inner loop. My friends have started our walkies with friends thing again and this is a good option for our group with different abilities.

Quick Details:

Length: We did a shorter loop today at about 9/10ths of a mile.
Trail Type: Loop
Difficulty: DR3. Its pretty flat and like paved for most of it.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: Several.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Take i15 to exit 9. head North to the light. Turn left (West) on Winchester (6600 S). Turn right on 900 East (heading North again). Turn right into Wheeler Farm.

The Trail:

The old farm house, circa 1898.

We had never noticed these neat trellis's before. Looks like there are training roses up them.

Stunning purple columbine. One of my favorite local wildflowers in my favorite color that does not occur naturally here.

The side of the farm house.

One of the peahens up in a haybarn with some pigeons.

Another peahen.

Why does this horse have a male symbol on him?

This horse was super friendly. There was a sign that informed us his name is Cowboy.

This one too.

Note: They specifically mention they are a working farm, not a petting zoo and ask that you not feed them anything, including fingers.

I interpret that to mean: if they bite your finger off, it's your own dam fault.

More peahens.

Donkey.

Pretty tree flowers.

The peahens again.

Little Cottonwood Creek. Probably the first time this sign has been accurate for a few years. It says Caution, high and fast water.

Pig butts.

Baby goats!

Ahh!!! So stinking cute!

Gotta climb!

We noticed he had itty bitty little horns coming in.

They are sharing a pen with a little lamb.

Giant turkey.

The female.

WHOA!!! I have never had the pleasure of seeing a peacock displaying. So cool!

Peahen.

Peacock. I wonder why he is allowed the roam while the other is in a pen.

Baby cows.

The free roam peacock displaying! Yay!

Wow!!!

Super cool.

Here comes a peahen.

She does not appear to be interested.

Quick Video.

Little Cottonwood Creek looking very full.

Lightning Tree.

Struck and split by lightning twice! The fencing around it is new.

From the other side. It is an impressive tree.

Sign about Little Cottonwood Creek.

Low head dam. These are super, super dangerous and you should make every precaution to avoid getting pulled into one. They are referred to as “drowning machines” because the back flow just doesn’t let you escape it. We watched a log cycle around it for over 5 minutes.

The pond on the other side of the dam. This dam diverts the water to the ice ponds.

The water spilling in makes me a little uneasy.

Back to the other side. This is a particularly dangerous spot as there are 2 low head dams here, If you manage to escape the first, then you have the second one to try to escape. Yikes.

Said ice ponds, well, the south one anyway. They used to harvest ice on these ponds for early refrigeration needs.

From the side.

A twist on the “Thank you for not feeding us bread” signs I have been seeing popping up in our waterways, which I am very happy to see for the record. Bread is not good for the ducks and it pollutes their water. Consider cut seedless grapes, cooked rice, birdseed, peas, cracked corn, oats, or chopped lettuce.

Directional sign.

The little canal system on the farm.

With modern locks.

Well, that was a fun little walk. I enjoyed seeing the animals, and particularly the peacocks displaying! It is a popular park, so lots of people, but it is pretty big so lots of room to space out. We did a shorter loop than we normally do but that’s okay. It’s still nice to get out and chat with friends. 7 out of 10 squirrels today.

As for difficulty, it is pretty flat and like paved for most of it. DR3.

Dogs are allowed but should remain leashed.