The Timpanogos Cave hike combines a scenic and strenuous mountainside trail with the unique experience of exploring a dark, subterranean world full of fascinating formations. Access to the cave requires purchase of cave tour tickets; however, hikers may hike the paved trail to the cave entrance without tour tickets. The trail is quite strenuous, with 1,065 feet of elevation gain in 1.5 miles. Hikers should be in good physical condition before attempting the hike. Those uncomfortable with heights may want to avoid this trail, and children should be watched closely near the many exposed cliff edges along the way. The hike to Timpanogos Cave begins at the Timpanogos Cave visitor center in American Fork Canyon: For hikers with advanced reservations to tour the cave, it is important to show up to the Timpanogos Cave visitor center at least 15 minutes before your scheduled start time. Hikers without reservations may be able to purchase tickets the same day; however, availability is limited, and the tours are often sold out on busy weekends.

Check with the Timpanogos Cave visitor center for more information. After picking up your tickets at the visitor center, begin hiking on the trail immediately east. A park ranger is stationed here to give you a quick orientation of what to expect and to make sure you are prepared with enough water and a jacket for inside the cave. Beyond the entry checkpoint, the trail begins the long, gradual climb up the steep mountainside. Some sections of the trail are marked with a yellow line, indicating that hikers should not stop due to risk of rock falls. Many benches are located in safe spots along the trail to rest your legs and catch your breath. There are several exhibits along the trail about the local geology and wildlife. A brochure available in the visitor center explains the numbered signs along the trail. Further up, the trail passes straight through large cliffs via two unique tunnels. The views of American Fork Canyon are spectacular all along the trail. Signs along the trail mark your progress to keep you motivated.

A metal storage box is located near the top of the trail. Baby carriers or hard-framed backpacks need to left here before continuing to the cave entrance. Only small, soft-sided backpacks are allowed in the cave. The exit trail at the other end of the cave passes back by this box for those who need to retrieve items after the cave tour. Once at the cave entrance, park rangers accept your cave ticket, and your tour will begin shortly. You may have to wait a little while, depending on how fast you made the hike. The park service anticipates that hikers will take as long as 90 minutes to reach the cave entrance. Faster hikers may get lucky and be put into an earlier cave tour if there is room. The cave tours are in small groups led by knowledgeable park rangers who teach you all about the history and science of the cave. Be prepared for plenty of crouching, bending, ducking and twisting as you are led from room to room in the cool, dark confines of Timpanogos Cave. Be careful not to touch any of the formations, and follow all directions for your safety and to preserve the cave.

After about one hour, the tour ends at the cave exit. A trail returns hikers back to the backpack storage box near the cave entrance and then back down the main trail to the visitor center.backpack inpaklijst thailand Round trip hiking distance including the cave tour is approximately 3.5 miles.tusting backpackOverview: Lake Blanche is popular so consider doing this overnight backpack on a weekday rather than a weekend. authentic tcp backpackThe hike provides a climb through shaded forest, up canyon meadows, and over glacially cut quartzite to three lakes at the top of the canyon: Lake Blanche and her sister lakes, Lillian and Florence, to the west.jansport backpack moa

Start: East side of the Mill B South trailhead Distance: 7.0 miles out and back Hiking time: About 4.5 hours Trail surface: Sidewalk, packed-dirt path, rock, boulders, and talusbackpack cn600 Best season: Late spring through early fall; vanguard biin backpackavalanche hazard during winter months Land status: Twin Peaks Wilderness Area of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Fees and permits: No fees or permits required Trail contacts: Public Lands Information Center, Recreational Equipment Inc., 3285 East 3200 South, Salt Lake City 84109; Special considerations: Due to the wilderness area and watershed status, no campfires, dogs, horses, or bicycles are allowed. All backcountry camping must be at least 200 feet away from trails, lakes, or streams. There is a limit of 10 campers per group.

Finding the trailhead: In Salt Lake City take I-215 south to 6200 South (exit 6). Turn east off the exit and continue along 6200 South as it changes to Wasatch Boulevard for 1.7 miles to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon (UT 190). Turn left (east) at the signal and head 4.2 miles up the canyon to the Mill B South trailhead. The trailhead sits just before the S curves in the road on the right (south) side of the road. If the good-size parking lot is filled, hikers park out along the canyon road. Lake Blanche lies in the upper section of Mill B South Fork. This area has been popular with hikers since the late 1800s. The trail to Lake Blanche begins near the restroom on the east side of the trailhead. The walkway starts out paved and after 0.25 mile takes off to the right on a trail of dirt and boulders. A sign marker indicates the trail intersection. Soon after entering the trail, it forks (0.3 mile). Take the left fork and stay on the main trail over the bridge in front of a memorial bench.

From here the trail crosses to the north side of the creek and begins its climb up into the canyon. At 0.5 mile the trail enters the Twin Peaks Wilderness area of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. A stream accompanies the trail for this first section as you steadily climb east into the canyon. The trail is well defined and easy to follow. At 3.0 miles the trail changes from its eastern route and begins to switchback up the south-facing mountain to reach the upper cirque. When the trail runs into a quartzite boulder slide, make a small, sharp U-turn and continues off the slide boulders to the east, where the trail continues. Within a few hundred feet other large quartzite formations become visible. Make your way across these interesting, glacially carved rocks to stay on the trail. Quartzite is prominent the rest of the way to Lake Blanche. Notice the striations on the quartzite that are still visible from the glacial carving that took place during the canyon’s creation. You cannot see Lake Blanche until you’re right upon it.

An old dam wall shows past lake boundaries. Follow the wall to crest the rock and look down upon the lake. Head west to the broken dam you can see on the other side of Lake Blanche, from which vantage point you can see Lake Florence and Lake Lillian. The old dams were built in the 1930s to contain much larger lakes. Lake Blanche’s western dam broke in 1983. Footpaths are visible around all three lakes. Sundial Peak is the majestic mountain that overlooks Lake Blanche from the east. It is as much an attraction as Lake Blanche itself. If you are staying overnight, remember there are no campfires allowed. 0.0       Start at Mill B South trailhead. 0.25     Exit the paved path onto a dirt trail. 0.3       Come to your first fork; head left on the main trail, crossing the bridge. 0.5       Enter Twin Peaks Wilderness Area. 3.0       The trail starts switchbacking up the south-facing mountain to climb to the cirque. 3.1       Come to the quartzite boulder slide.