Dry Gulch Trail Head
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Dry Gulch Trail Head offers a flexible, scenic outdoor experience ideal for active families, mountain bikers, and hikers. It's unique for its accessible trail that leads through a slot canyon with shady sections and provides stunning views, allowing visitors to choose their distance and pace. Its dog-friendly nature and shared multi-use paths promote a respectful outdoor community.
Key Highlights
- ✓Very flexible trail length, allowing families to go as far or as little as they like, without a set destination.
- ✓Features a beautiful single trail in a slot canyon with shady sections (especially lower down in the gulch), offering a pleasant environment.
- ✓Multi-use trail suitable for biking, hiking, and walking, providing diverse activity options.
- ✓Dog-friendly with poop bags available at the trailhead, making it easy to bring pets along.
- ✓Mountain bikers reported to be very courteous, using bells to alert hikers, ensuring a shared, safe experience.
- ✓Offers a rewarding 'great view from the top' for those who hike further up to areas like Limekiln.
Standout Features
- ⭐Flexibility in trail length (go as far as you like).
- ⭐Scenic 'slot canyon' environment with natural beauty.
- ⭐Shady areas in the lower gulch, providing relief on warm days.
- ⭐The option for various activities: biking, hiking, walking.
- ⭐Specific 'dirt parking area' available (access via Jewish center parking lot).
- ⭐Courteous interaction between mountain bikers and hikers.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Arrive early:** Visit in the morning, especially on nice days or during summer, to avoid crowds and hotter temperatures.
- →**Bring water:** Essential for everyone, especially if bringing dogs, as no water is available on the trail.
- →**Be prepared for altitude:** If not acclimated to higher elevations, expect the 'slight incline' to be more challenging.
- →**Consider a bell for bikes:** If mountain biking, a bell is helpful and appreciated by hikers for safety and courtesy.
- →**Plan your distance:** There's no set turnaround point, so decide how far you want to go before starting, especially with kids.
- →**Check parking access:** Navigate to the dirt parking area via the Jewish center parking lot.
- →**Layer clothing:** The trail can go from 'shady' and cooler in the gulch to 'much hotter less shade' higher up.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Can become incredibly crowded in the evening on nice days, which might detract from a family's peaceful experience.
- ⚠No public restrooms available at the trailhead or along the trail.
- ⚠No water sources for dogs (or humans) on the trail, requiring visitors to bring their own.
- ⚠Some sections have 'a few rocks to climb over', which might be challenging for very young children or those with limited mobility.
- ⚠While generally 'not so steep' and 'not too difficult', the 'slight incline' and altitude could be challenging for individuals not acclimated to higher elevations.
- ⚠Lack of shade higher up the trail means it can get 'much hotter' later in the day, especially in summer.
Price & Value
No entrance fee mentioned; assumed free access. Offers excellent value as a natural, outdoor recreational space without a cost, providing varied activity options and scenic beauty.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •Not specifically designed for strollers or wheelchairs due to 'single trail' sections and 'a few rocks to climb over'.
- •Generally 'not so steep' and 'not too difficult', making it manageable for many individuals including those who are pregnant (as per one review).
- •No specific accommodations for sensory needs or other special requirements mentioned.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •No explicit food policy, but visitors should bring their own snacks and water as there are no facilities on site. The lack of water for dogs implies a BYO approach.
🚗Parking Info
- •Free dirt parking area available at the bottom of the trailhead.
- •Access to the parking area is through the Jewish center parking lot.
👥Crowd Levels
- •Incredibly crowded in the evening on nice days.
- •Lovely and presumably less crowded in the morning.
- •Monday mornings saw only 'mountain bikers and trail runners occasionally', suggesting weekdays are generally quieter.
🛡️Safety Features
- •Mountain bikers are described as 'very courteous' and using bells, contributing to a safer shared trail experience.
- •Poop bags are available at the trailhead, promoting a clean environment.
- •No explicit staff supervision, first aid stations, or controlled entry/exit points are mentioned.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Evening on nice days if you prefer a less crowded experience.
- • If you require easy access to public restrooms.
- • If you need stroller access for the entire trail due to 'rocks to climb over' and 'single trail' sections.
- • If you or your children are highly sensitive to heat, avoid hiking in the mid-day sun, especially in higher, less shaded sections.
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Eric Gonzalez
a week agoVery nice trail for biking, hiking, walking etc. Biked here many times, it’s lovely in the morning, but can be incredibly crowded in the evening on nice days. This is a trail entrance and there is no set place to go. You can go as far back as you like from this point.
Melissa Jensen
7 months agoRode my MTB on this trail up to BobSled - maybe 3 miles one way. Started in the UofU campus and hit the trails right up behind the hospital. I'm from "sea level" and this little climb smoked me (I hadn't acclimated to the altitude)! It is a beautiful single trail in a slot canyon, windy, slight incline, shady in some spots. A few rocks to climb over (or walk over if you so choose). The ride down was a hoot and my bell came in handy for the hikers.
Aubrey Messick
9 months agoGreat early morning hike in summer. First part while in gulch is shady lots of scrub oak and tiny stream in parts. Once higher up much hotter less shade. I'm 6 months pregnant and did fine. Lots of side trails but easy to stay on main trail. Started at dry gulch trailhead and hiked a little past limekiln turn-off. 45 min hike (longer for me cuz I'm pregnant.) Only saw mountain bikers and trail runners occasionally (hiked Monday morning.) MTB's very courteous. Was easy to hear them coming and step to side. Dirt parking area at bottom (go thru Jewish center parking lot to reach.) No bathroom. Dog friendly--poop bags available at trail head.
Ingrid Ribeiro
3 years agoGreat trail, not so steep. It took me 1h40 walking from the start (closer to the hospital) until the Limekiln. Great view from the top!
Reed Smoot
2 years agoIt was a very fun hike. The trail was super wide and was not to difficult. The only problem was that there was no water for our dogs. But other then that it was a great hike.
Contact Information
Salt Lake City, UT 84103, USA
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