I looked up the hike and trail head location, and as soon as Darius got home from work I was headed out the door. I drove to Mueller Park, which can be accessed by heading east on 1800 South in Bountiful. The trail head to the Mueller Park Trail, part of which is also known as Elephant Rock or Big Rock, in total is 13 miles. My goal was to make it as far as Elephant Rock and head back, which was about 7 miles. I allotted myself 1-1/2 hours for the trip in, so that I'd have plenty of time to get back before Darius had to leave for work.
The trail is definitely popular with hikers and mountain bikers. Horses are even allowed on the trail, but I didn't see any of those...just their doodie. The trail was pretty easy, and I saw all ages along the way. The trail is fairly narrow in most spots, so I had to keep an eye out for bikes coming down and up the trail. The trail was very well shaded, which was very nice considering I got started right around noon. With the heavy rain from the day before, there was some humidity in the air which I loved.
I forget how much I enjoy hiking, and I realized that the last time I was able to get away for a hike entirely on my own was back in Alaska. It was nice to be able to go at my own pace, take pictures of whatever caught my eye, breathe in lovely mountain air, and enjoy the peace and quiet.
I almost turned around with 10 minutes left on my clock, but decided to give the hike one last push to see if I could make it to Elephant Rock. At a few points along the trail the rock is visible, but after that it's hidden. I had no idea how far I was from it, but I'm glad I didn't turn back. I made it there right on time and had a few minutes to enjoy the views before heading down.
I'm not sure why it's called Elephant Rock. I didn't see any resemblance there, so I'm going to guess it's called that because it sticks out of the surroundings....like an elephant in a room. :) The view from the lookout was of South Davis and the Great Salt Lake and it was beautiful.
It's nice to have a trail so accessible within a short distance from home. I'm looking forward to my next hike...solo, or not.
