This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
This is a fantastic, baby-steps leg of the Brighton Lakes trail system. It's slightly easier than Lake Mary and, some might say, a prettier destination: Dog Lake is a small, natural pond nestled in a conifer forest that's studded with boulders. It can be a rewarding hike for beginning hikers and small children. My daughter made it to the top without much help when she was 2 ½ years old, but I carried her back down because she slipped on the gravel over some of the steep sections.
Directions • Drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to the Brighton ski resort. The trailhead is at the resort parking lot, near the southwest corner of the main lodge. A note on place names: There are two separate Dog Lakes in Big Cottonwood Canyon. This one is at the very end of the Big Cottonwood Canyon road; the other sits between Mill Creek and Big Cottonwood canyons near Mill D, across from the Jordan Pines campground.
Hike • Take the Lake Mary trail east of the chair lift terminal structure near the lodge and through a gate in a wooden fence. From there it climbs south, going under the lift. At a quarter mile, the trail zigzags east a bit and continues south up the hill. At about 0.4 mile is a wooden structure with some benches and enthusiastic rodents; please do not feed them. The trail continues south until a sharp turn west at 0.75 mile. A tenth of a mile farther, you will see a sign pointing south to Dog Lake. The landscape becomes extremely green and lush as you approach the lake.
Early in the hike, you will see a number of footpaths and service roads crisscrossing the meadows near the Brighton lodge. The Lake Mary trail is quite well-marked and extremely popular. If you feel unsure of your way, ask a descending hiker to confirm you are on the right path.
Digital map available at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Kr6b-uUKW3Yjf_KUgrR-kJ05RPk&usp=sharing. The purple track represents the route.
— Erin Alberty
Destination: Dog Lake
Hiking time • 2 hours
Round-trip miles • 2 miles
Elevation gain • 630 feet
Difficulty • Easy
Trailhead restrooms • Yes
Dogs allowed • No
Bikes allowed • Yes
Fees • None