Hike of the week: Mueller Park Trail to Big Rock — Davis County

Published: Thursday, Nov. 5 2009 12:00 a.m. MST

The trail to Big Rock starts across from the Mueller Park guard shack. A car is parked at the trailhead.

Steve Baker, Deseret News

Arriving in Mueller Park, you come to the guard shack. Stop before it and park by the footbridge. If the parking lot is full, drive back down to the homes and park along the road. The footbridge over Mill Creek is the start of the trail. Mountain bikers enjoy this trail, too, so watch for them speeding down. Past the footbridge, the trail switchbacks up conifers and opens to views of Bountiful and the Great Salt Lake. As you leave the switchbacks, the trail opens to your first glimpse of Big Rock, at .90 mile. To find Big Rock, look up the canyon for a white spot in a dark green patch of conifers. The trail snakes around and gradually climbs in scrub oaks. If you are lucky, you might see wildlife along the trail. At 2.7 miles, you come to the sounds of water flowing and arrive at a footbridge. Stand on the bridge and enjoy the crystal-clear spring flowing below your feet. You cross a couple more bridges in this wet area and come to the junction for Big Rock. The junction is easy to miss, so watch for a trail going left. At 3.48 miles, you arrive at the sitting bench above Big Rock. Take a seat and enjoy the view!

Directions: From Orchard Drive in Bountiful, go east on 1800 South. This road leads into Mueller Park.

Destination: Big Rock

Difficulty: Moderate

Round trip: 7 miles

Hiking time: 3 to 4 hours

Elevation gain: 1,020 ft.

Trailhead restrooms: Yes/picnic area

Dogs allowed: Yes

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