Fodor's Expert Review Millcreek Canyon

Running parallel to and just north of Big Cottonwood Canyon, this lush mountain canyon east of Millcreek and the Salt Lake County Parks office and the U.S. Forest Service is a wonderful destination for hiking, picnicking, mountain and road-biking, and scenic drives. Certain trails are open to bikes only on odd- or even-numbered days, and dogs are welcome but can only be off-leash on odd-number days. There are about two-dozen well-maintained trails within the Millcreek Canyon system, ranging from quick scrambles to challenging 11-mile round-trip adventures, but even the short jaunts usually entail an elevation gain of at least 1,000 feet. Although accessible on foot year-round, the canyon closes to vehicles from November through around mid-June, depending on snowfall.