Black Diamond Ski Trails, Five Lakes & Hiking Trails Await at This Beautiful Utah Canyon

Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Big Cottonwood isn’t Utah’s most famous canyon, but it might be its most versatile. Two ski resorts, dozens of climbing routes, hiking trails for every skill level, and some of the clearest alpine lakes in the Wasatch – all wrapped up in a 15-mile stretch.

Jim Carrey rode a mini-bike here for a movie

Parts of “Dumb and Dumber” were filmed right here in 1994.

The scene where Jim Carrey rides a mini-bike with Lauren Holly was shot on Park City’s Main Street, just a short drive away. Brighton Ski Resort is where they filmed that famous snowball fight.

If you visit Park City, you can see the Smith Apartments at 228 S. 300 E., which was Lloyd and Harry’s home in the movie. It’s fun to see these real places from this popular comedy.

If you visit Park City, you can see the Smith Apartments at 228 S. 300 E., which was Lloyd and Harry’s home in the movie.

People made illegal whiskey in hidden spots

During Prohibition (1920-1933), people made moonshine in hidden corners of the canyon. They sold their illegal alcohol to speakeasies in Salt Lake City. Canyon locations were perfect because they had water and privacy.

Some clever bootleggers built “casket stills” shaped like coffins and buried them underground so police couldn’t find them. You can sometimes join tours that show where these historical moonshine operations once ran when alcohol was banned.

Hikers see strange things on one trail

People say Mill B South Fork trail is haunted by miners who died in accidents. Hikers often report weird sounds, cold spots, and shadowy figures at dusk, especially near old mines.

In 2018, three different hiking groups took photos with strange things in them near abandoned mine entrances.

Salt Lake County’s historical society has 27 written stories about odd experiences on this trail since 1992. Some ghost hunting groups come here regularly in summer to look for proof.

You can find a secret cave behind a waterfall

There’s a hidden cave behind one of the waterfalls that you can only reach in late summer when water levels drop. This cool space goes back 18 feet and has weird acoustics that make even whispers sound loud.

Local explorers first found this spot in 1983 and noted that it stays 55°F all year. The walls have unusual green calcite formations.

You won’t find this spot on most maps since it sits at about 8,700 feet elevation, making it a real hidden treasure for adventurous hikers.

No one has found the $15 million treasure

There’s a legend about a huge silver treasure buried in the canyon by miners running from an Apache raid in 1876. It’s worth about $15 million today. Old documents mention 60 silver bars hidden near “three pines and a crooked rock” somewhere in the upper canyon.

Between 1925-1927, a man named George Watson led three searches but never found it. People still look for this treasure every year using clues from old miners’ journals and modern tools like ground-penetrating radar.

Locals ski some of the steepest slopes in America

Just past the ski resorts, you’ll find some of North America’s toughest backcountry skiing. You can get to untouched slopes with 38-45 degree drops and deep powder just 1.5 miles from the groomed areas.

“Cardiac Bowl” often has snow 12-15 feet deep by February. In 2019, expert skiers mapped out 37 different backcountry routes. If you want to try these areas, you’ll need advanced skills, avalanche safety gear, and knowledge about changing snow conditions.

Hot springs hide in the remote areas

There are secret hot springs tucked away in quiet parts of the canyon. You can soak in 104°F mineral waters after finding these unmarked pools about 4.2 miles up from the canyon entrance.

The main spring puts out around 35 gallons every minute all year long. The water has lots of calcium and sulfur, which some people think helps with aching joints. Most visitors never find these warm pools because you have to follow hidden trails through thick bushes for about half a mile.

The coldest temperature in Utah was measured here

This canyon holds Utah’s cold temperature record. Thermometers hit -56°F in January 1932 at Brighton, beating the old state record by 7 degrees. When it gets this cold, unique “frost flowers” form from frozen tree sap.

There can be a 30-degree difference between the bottom and top of the canyon. Weather stations have recorded temperature changes of up to 50 degrees in just one day during winter.

Five small lakes connect like stairs

High up at 9,800-10,200 feet, you’ll find five connected mountain lakes. You can hike between these beautiful lakes, some just 100 yards apart but at different heights. Local fishermen named them “Staircase Lakes” in 1938 because they look like steps down the mountainside.

The lakes have Arctic grayling fish that were put there in 1923 during conservation work. These fish don’t live anywhere else in Utah. The highest lake is 76 feet deep despite being small.

People ski by moonlight in a tradition since 1947

There’s a special tradition of skiing only during full moons. You can join organized night ski events that started in 1947 when canyon residents would ski home from work after dark. It began with 12 local miners and now brings up to 200 people during winter months.

Nobody uses flashlights or headlamps, so you glide through silver-colored snow in natural light. The tradition includes a toast at midnight at the 10,500-foot summit before skiing down.

A hiker disappeared without leaving any clues

In 2010, an experienced hiker named James Nelson vanished in the canyon even though many people searched for him. The 31-year-old from Colorado started a five-day solo hike on October 3, planning to cover 58 miles of the Wasatch Mountains.

Search teams used 86 people, 9 dogs, and 3 helicopters but found nothing. They never found his backpack or supplies either. Search and rescue teams still use his case to train and learn how even well-prepared hikers can get lost in this tough terrain.

Visiting Big Cottonwood Canyon

Big Cottonwood Canyon sits 12 miles southeast of Salt Lake City on Highway 190. Getting in is free, but you’ll pay to park at trailheads. The ski resorts are Brighton and Solitude.

Silver Lake Visitor Center opens in May 2025. If you want to park along the road on weekends from December-March, you need a reservation. The UTA Ski Bus runs daily.

Your phone probably won’t work after the first five miles.