Living Room Hike
383 Colorow Road
$
seasonal-activities, hikes
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This is a short (2 and a half miles) out-and-back -- and up-and-down -- hike that delivers great views of the valley from the foothills above the University and Natural History Museum. It's pretty steep and climbs about 1,000 feet, so better for slightly older kids. The turnaround point is a "living room" with chairs made out of slabs of sandstone -- a great spot to rest, have a snack and enjoy the view before heading back down.
The signage on the trail is essentially non-existent, but there aren't too many places to go wrong. You can enter "Living Room Trailhead" into your GPS to get to the right spot to begin. Park on Colorow Road and the trailhead is on the east side of the street. (Or if you go early, you can park until 10 am at the Museum of Natural History -- which also makes for a great bathroom stop and additional activity after the hike.) Depending on where you park, you'll make your way through scrub oaks to the wide Bonneville Shoreline Trail, then look for the smaller trail that leads upward - right by the yellow sign with the numbers 174. Follow the path up, staying right at the junction. The trail takes you gradually to the left, past a viewpoint and along a wash. At the top, there's one last split - stay left! (The trail to the right heads up to Mount Wire.)
It's a popular hike, so you'll probably see other hikers and runners along the way. Dogs are allowed on leashes.
There isn't much shade, so in summer or on sunny days be sure to wear a hat and drink water!