This is my very first post on my very first blog! On Friday, Jaben and I decided we wanted to go on a nice leisurely hike. I looked up some hikes online and I picked Bell Canyon to First Waterfall because not only did it sound gorgeous, it also was at the base of the mountain. I didn't want to have to hike through snow. This is the information I found on http://www.utah.com/thingtodo27110.htm.
Bell Canyon to First Waterfall
Length: About 4 miles round trip
Difficulty: Moderate
Description: This hike runs up Bell Canyon, past a scenic reservoir, and up to a beautiful waterfall. Along the way you get majestic views of the Salt Lake Valley. The canyon is located on the east side of the valley, above the community of Sandy. Wildlife is commonly seen along this trail, including mountain goats in rocky areas. Some do portions of this trail in winter using snowshoes.
Trailhead: The trailhead is located at about 10245 South on Wasatch Blvd. It is clearly signed. The trail runs east up the mountain, initially following a dirt road.
Bell Canyon Reservoir: Bell Canyon Reservoir is about 1/2 mile above the trailhead. It's a great place to take a break, enjoy a snack and soak in the natural beauty. The trail is easy to this point. Some choose to turn around here, avoiding the more strenuous hike up the canyon to the waterfall.
First Waterfall: The stream here flows over a series of waterfalls. The first is the most impressive, and the destination of our recommended hike. The trail becomes considerably more strenuous as you proceed beyond that point.
Well, after telling Jaben that the hike was going to be nice and easy, we were in for a surprise! Jaben is in much better shape than I am and I had to stop a lot! One of our first stops was at a gorgeous bridge. We took a lot of pictures there and it was a shady place to rest. We then hiked up the mountain toward the reservoir. There were many large stair-like steps in a row and that proved difficult for my short, squatty legs! It didn't take us long to reach the reservoir. It is beautiful! There is a waterfall on one side of the reservoir, and when I turned around I saw a beautiful view of the valley! The trail evens out for a long while after the reservoir, but then proved to be too difficult for me after an hour of unrelenting steepness (steepness is a word, right?). Unfortunately, I made Jaben stop before we reached the waterfall (I bet it was just around the next bend!) We are going to hike it again near the end of the summer and hope we (okay, me) are in better shape to see a beautiful waterfall!
