McLeod Trail, Park City, Utah
For a scenic, easy, flat trail high in a beautiful mountain valley, McLeod Trail is a great choice. There are four other trails that split off from this trail. Our group hiked along this snow-packed trail in late March on a bright, warm sunny day and loved it!
It is used year round for walking, horsebackriding, biking, snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing. Park City does a great job of keeping this trail groomed throughout the winter.
You will pass horses pastures, old barns, cross over bridges and wide open fields. Gaze into crystal clear streams and ice-cold ponds, admire highly unusual art and sculpture out in the middle of no-where and travel along boardwalks. As a bonus, Willow Creek Park is in the middle of it all, complete with restrooms and a playground for the kids.
There are several places to get on this trail. We prefer parking at a small public parking lot across the street from the Big White Barn. Around the barn you will also find part of the White Pine Nordic Ski Track.
To get there from Salt Lake City, take I-80 east-bound to Kimball Junction. Get off at the Kimball Junction exit and head for Park City. You will pass the Olympic Park and The Canyons Ski Resort on the right side of the road on SR 224. Your landmark is the Big White Barn on the RIGHT side of the road about a mile past The Canyons Ski Resort. Slow down as you come closer to the Barn. Get into the middle turning lane on your far left and start looking for the little public parking lot. In the winter it can be harder to find since the snow is piled up around it.
For a short four-mile hike, plan ahead so you can drop off a car at your final destination, which will be the new Redstone Shopping Center near Kimball Junction. The Trail ends at Wild Oats, which makes for a great place to sit outside, relax and eat
By Sheryl McGlochlin, Sheryl’s Hiking Tours
www.crazysheryl.com/hiking
Add comment March 28th, 2006