Provo sits right up against the Wasatch Mountains, which means you can be on a trail within 10 minutes of downtown without much planning. The range here goes from stroller-friendly walks along the river to full-day summit grinds that will leave your legs useless the next morning. Here’s a breakdown of what’s actually out there, organized by how hard you want to work for the views.
Easy Trails (Great for Families and Beginners)
Provo River Parkway is the trail that gets used the most because it’s accessible to basically everyone. It runs about 15 miles along the Provo River, paved for most of its length, with sections connecting to Vivian Park and Bridal Veil Falls. You can go as far or as short as you want. It’s popular with cyclists, joggers, and families with strollers. No elevation gain to worry about.
Bridal Veil Falls is a short walk from the parking area, maybe half a mile round trip, to a waterfall that looks genuinely impressive especially in spring runoff. The falls drop about 607 feet in two tiers. It’s the kind of place you can take out-of-town visitors and they’ll be impressed without you having to commit to a full hike. The area can get crowded on weekends.
Battle Creek Falls sits just above Pleasant Grove, about 20 minutes from Provo. The trail is around 1.5 miles round trip with a modest elevation gain of 500 feet or so. The waterfall at the end is worth the easy effort. It’s one of those trails that feels like a real hike without destroying anyone who isn’t in shape yet.
Rock Canyon Trail starts near Brigham Young University and heads up into the canyon. The first mile or two is a gradual climb on a good trail surface. You can go as far as you want and turn around whenever. It’s a popular after-work trail for Provo locals because the trailhead is easy to access and the scenery changes as you go up. The canyon walls get impressive pretty quickly.
Moderate Trails (Worth the Effort)
Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a 3-mile round trip with 1,065 feet of elevation gain, which sounds manageable until you’re on the trail and realize it’s a sustained climb the entire way up. The payoff is the cave system at the top, which you tour with a ranger. The cave formations are legitimately cool. Book tickets in advance because they sell out, especially in summer. The trail closes in winter.
Stewart Falls is accessed through Aspen Grove, about 40 minutes from Provo. The hike is around 3.5 miles round trip with 800 feet of elevation gain. The waterfall at the end is one of the better ones in the area, tall and high volume in spring. The trail passes through aspen groves that turn golden in September and October, making it one of the best fall hikes in Utah County.
Emerald Pools at Payson Lakes is a bit of a drive, about an hour south of Provo near Payson, but the trail through Payson Canyon up to the lakes is worth it. The lakes are at elevation and surrounded by pines, and the crowds thin out noticeably compared to the Timpanogos corridor. Bring a lunch and plan for 4 to 5 miles depending on which lakes you visit.
Squaw Peak (the trail, not the road) is a solid moderate hike that most Provo locals have done at some point. It’s about 5 miles round trip with around 1,500 feet of gain. The views from the top look back down into Provo Canyon and across Utah Valley. It gets warm on exposed sections in summer, so morning starts are smart.
Hard Trails (Bring Water and Tell Someone Where You’re Going)
Y Mountain is the hike everyone who moves to Provo does once and then has opinions about. The trail to the Y itself is about 1.4 miles with 1,000 feet of gain in that distance, which makes it steep and relentless. Going to the actual summit of the mountain is a longer, harder effort at around 6.5 miles round trip with 2,800 feet of gain. The views of Utah Valley from up high are some of the best you can get with a day hike from Provo.
Mount Timpanogos Summit is the big one. There are two main routes: Aspen Grove and Timpooneke. Both are in the 14 to 17 mile round trip range with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain. This is a full day commitment. Start before sunrise to beat the afternoon thunderstorms that build up on the summit. The views from the top are spectacular and the saddle area sees snow well into June most years. This is a legitimate alpine hike and you should be in shape before attempting it.
Provo Peak is a long, hard ridge hike that gets far fewer visitors than Timpanogos. The route goes up from Slate Canyon and involves about 9 miles round trip with 4,000 feet of gain. The trail is less defined in places and the upper section requires some route finding. The solitude and views are worth it for people who want a challenge without the crowds.
Utah County trails range from afternoon strolls to full commitments, and most of them are within reasonable driving distance. The best time to start is before 8am if you’re heading anywhere with significant elevation in summer, and always check whether trails are snow-free before heading up in spring.
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