Cherry Creek Trail

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The parking area is now well marked as the Cherry Peak ski resort has been built where the original trailhead was. The signs easily point you toward the parking area now, and it is relatively easy to find.

From the trailhead start up the canyon, pass through some woods where you'll start to parallel Cherry Creek. As the trail continues, you'll cross the creek a few times as you weave in and out of the forest canopy. Eventually, you'll rise out of the forest canopy altogether and start climbing more steadily on small switchbacks. At about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, there is an opportunity to see a waterfall if you take a small side trail (off to the right, at just under 7800 feet of elevation).

From this point, you continue up and out of the vegetated part of the canyon and start to get to the rockier portion of the huge switchback that makes up most of this trail. You'll continue up from this for another mile until you reach a large meadow which is where the switchback turns to the northeast and ascends the last few hundred feet to a saddle (at about 9400 feet of elevation) and a wide ridge with great views of Cherry Peak, Mount Naomi, and the surrounding canyons, as well as a good portion of Cache Valley. From here, the trail descends slightly until you reach the base of Cherry Peak (here is a great opportunity to summit with some easy scrambling) and then descend again until you reach the junction of the Cherry Creek Trail with the High Creek Canyon Trail, as well as the Mount Naomi NRT.