Green Pond

Green Pond is a lovely little pond just outside of Snowbasin in Huntsville. The trail features a lovely mixed forest, wildflowers, a cute little fern filled gully, and of course the pond. It was an almost absolutely perfect last minute add on hike for the day as the fall color up there was just right around prime for all of the colors!  We have done this one a few times, but I think this is the best color we have seen here.

Quick Details:

Length: About 1.6 miles out and back.
Trail Type: Out and back, balloon, long option with a spur.
Difficulty: DR3. It is a very mid climb.
Elevation Gain: About 200 feet.
Restroom: No. I imagine there are some up at Snowbasin, other wise there is a gas station on either end of SR 167.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Head up Weber Canyon take exit 92 for UT167. Go under the overpass and turn right. Follow the signs for Snowbasin with a left to stay on 167. Turn left on UT226. About 1.3 miles the pull out will be on the right.

Holy shit! It is way busier than I expected! however, there are several trails that split off from here.

The Trail:

Trailhead sign.

Right off the bat we are getting some pops of color, plus the first 2 of 5 bridges.

Looking back at the overflow parking.

Color across the way.

Lovely reds.

Continuing along.

The 3rd bridge and some color. I’m not sure if I caught all the bridges today, I was distracted by the pretty colors.

Some aspens.

Some wildflowers still hanging on.

4th bridge.

Some color.

Maples.

Pretty red maple leaf.

More aspens.

Some oaks.

More aspens.

Little mix.

Pretty red.

Pretty color.

Really colorful section.

Lots of orange.

Continuing along.

Maple leaves.

Continuing along.

Color.

Leaves.

More color.

Leaves.

We might actually work our way out from under the shadow of the mountain.

Lots of color.

I love the reds.

I am just loving the color up here. This was such a prefect little addition to the days adventure.

More color.

Leaves.

Trees.

Hitting the ferns.

I loves them.

Closer.

More ferns.

Pretty forest.

Ferns.

Looking up.

More ferns.

They extend into this little gully, so we can call it a Ferngully. RIP Tim and Robin. I need to watch that again sometime soon.

More color.

Leaves.

Continuing along.

More forest.

More oaks.

More flowers.

More oaks.

Closer view of the leaves.

Backlit.

Color.

We are coming out from under the shadow of the mountain. Hooray!

More oaks.

You want to look for this big clearing, it means you are almost there.

With some color.

This is the split you want. The main trail takes a sharp turn to the right, Green Pond is to the left. There used to be a sign saying; 'Picnic Area', but it isn’t there right now. Good thing we have been here before and I remember how to get there.

Short rocky bit.

Through the oaks.

Color.

Almost there.

Just past the trees and poof! Green Pond. There is some nice color around it.

Beaver lodge.

The beaver dam on the other side.

Lovely color.

Panoramic.

Lovely color.

It is a perfect mirror right now. So pretty.

The beaver lodge again.

Mirror again.

Another panoramic.

Last look at the pond. We thought about going around it again, but we had other plans we needed to get to before it got dark dark. It is that time of year that we start losing daylight quickly.

Random floating maple leaf.

Heading back down.

Little purple flowers.

Yellow flowers.

Oaks.

Continuing down.

Blue skies above.

Back to the main trail.

Color.

Oaks.

Going through them.

Trail side Christmas tree. Normally I find them to be whimsical and fun, but either they are wayyyy too early, or this is leftover from last year. If it’s the latter that is littering man. If you decide to make a trail side Christmas Tree, you need to come back and remove it sometime in January at the latest.

Lovely color.

Back to the ferns.

More color.

Pretty.

More lovely color.

View down.

More color.

Probably the shot of the day.

Lots of color.

Looking up.

Color.

Leaf littered trail.

Color.

Continuing along, less color through here.

Some taller oaks.

Looking up.

Forest.

Aspens.

Looking up.

5th bridge.

Bright orange.

Bright red.

Closer.

Yellow, red, green, and orange.

Aspens.

Fluffy clouds.

4th bridge.

Maples.

Aspens.

Looking up.

3rd bridge.

I can see the road, so we’re almost done.

One little spot getting in on the change.

Continuing along.

View of the valley below.

Panoramic.

Patches of color.

Bridges 2 and 1.

The parking lot.

Overflow.

Better view of the valley.

Tall aspen.

Panoramic.

View again.

Panoramic.

That was fun! I think we hit at just about prime fall color this time. The trail was a little busier than I am used to seeing, but it wasn’t horrible. The views were great, the pond was pretty, the weather was absolutely perfect! My only gripe was being in the mountains shadow for most of it, but that’s our fault for getting a late start. Otherwise, it was an absolutely perfect fall hike! 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it is a very gentle climb. DR3.

Dogs are allowed, and should remain leashed. Please clean up after your furry friends.