Sunday, November 20, 2016

Big Beacon Mount Wire Hike - Salt Lake City, UT



Introduction


This past weekend, I decided I wanted to follow up on my Living Room Hike.  Previously, I had hiked the Living Room Trail only to discover that there was another trail further along the way. 

Basically, the easiest way to get to the Big Beacon Mount Wire Trail is to follow the Living Room Trail.  About 80% of the way to the Living Room the trail goes due east through some brush (it is pretty obvious).  

The trail isn't very technical and does involve a bit more altitude gain.  I know I was breathing pretty hard but the trail was certainly manageable.  Also the trail was definitely less used compared to the Living Room Trail.

About a mile into the hike you come upon a saddle.  There are several short trails that allow you to check out the various views.  You can peak down into Red Butte Gardens and get some nice views of Salt Lake City.

After poking around a bit, you want to take the trail to the south, which ascends a pretty steep hill.  The elevation climb is intense but fairly short lived.  After about half a mile, you'll see the Beacon at the top of a hill, which is your destination.

I wound up taking another route back down -- which was less inhabited and definitely more steep.  The route I followed looks sort of like this one.

Parking, for a Sunday, was busy (382 Colorow Road) but there was plenty of spots.  Expect to see lots of people on the trail -- at least on the way up to the Living Room, but after that, the foot traffic was pretty sparse.

The trail is mostly exposed so this trail is good for late spring / fall hikes.  I didn't see any evidence of wildlife, although I would guess it is a breeding ground for rattlesnakes.

The entire hike took me about 60 - 70 minutes to ascend and a bit longer to descend (I took the longer route). All told, approximately a 4 mile round trip hike.






































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