This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Directions • From the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, take Wasatch Boulevard south for 1 1/2 miles. Then turn east onto King Hill Drive. Follow the drive for one-half a mile and then turn east again onto Golden Oak Drive. The trail head is at the dead end. GPS coordinates are 40.594612, -111.791779.
Like the south fork, the North Fork of Deaf Smith Canyon has a lot of shade, great scenery and few visitors. From the parking area, go around the barrier and walk south and southeast on the gravel trail. In about a quarter-mile, the path ends at Golden Hills Canyon Road. Turn east and walk past the red brick home and you'll enter the canyon. A few yards into the canyon, you'll reach a junction. Go left to enter the north fork. A few yards later, you will have to balance across some logs to cross the creek for the first time. Be prepared to get your feet wet throughout the hike. The trail will gradually ascend while staying parallel to the creek. At sixth-tenths of a mile, you will see a cave on your left. At about 1.8 miles the trail withers into a rock pile.
Click here for trail data. DestinationEnd of trail
Hiking time2.5 hours
Round trip miles3.72
Elevation gain832 feet
DifficultyModerate
Trailhead restroomsNo
Dogs allowedYes
Bikes allowedNo
FeesNone