Waterfall Canyon Trail | Ogden, Utah

I’ve officially moved from LA to Ogden!

In the three short weeks I’ve been in Ogden, we’ve gotten 6+ feet of snow, i’ve skied seven times (mostly in knee deep powder!) After endless storms, I woke up to a beautiful bluebird day, perfect for hiking! In late Fall, when the last of the autumn colors were just fading, I did this hike to find the Waterfall was dried up. Because of this, I knew I wanted to hike it again in the Winter when the falls would be frozen and beautiful!

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail that runs along the base of Mount Ogden is scenic, leads to beautiful destinations, and is easy to access.

 

The best part of hiking in Ogden is how easily accessible the trails are. There are main trailheads at the end of every street spanning from 22nd street to 29th street at the base of Mount Ogden.

 

Distance: ~3 miles round-trip
Starting Point: 29th Street Trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous
Winter Weather Conditions: expect snow/ice covered trails
Gear: micro-spikes (if you have them!), trekking poles, leggings, base layer, hooded fleece, down vest, light gloves, hat, extra shell in my pack

 

 

 

P.S. Before I had the chance to post this, my Mom visited, and we hiked it again!
There was even more fresh pow!

Parker Mesa Overlook - Santa Monica Mountains

Beautiful view looking back towards Santa Monica

This is the perfect quick hike to get your heart rate up, without having to drive too far out of the city. With it's easy access off of the PCH, you get a beautiful drive and a great hike!  

A little back story: I first did this hike in January 2015 while visiting my brother over winter break. I remember feeling totally out of shape compared to him and his roomate, and I hated it. I returned home, ran my first half marathon, moved to LA, started hiking, and a year and a half later hiked this trail with speed. 

The trail leading off from the fire road, out towards Parker Mesa

Trail Access:
The overlook can be reached by multiple trails: Los Liones Trail, Trippet Ranch and East Topanga Fireroad.  I chose the 5.7 mile route, starting at the top of a windy residential street, Paseo Miramar I didn't have trouble parking either time, as many hikers are locals who can walk or ride their bikes in.

Distance: 5.7 Miles

Time: 1.5 - 2 hours depending on pace

Trail Condition:
With a 900 foot elevation gain, you are hiking at a steady incline the 2.8 miles to the top, and will be sure to work up a sweat. The majority of the hike you're on a well maintained fire road, and can easily choose to run or bike. 

What to pack:
I brought my go-to day pack, GoPro, Water, Sunscreen and a Clif Bar. I may have been overpacked, but when it's 80 degrees at 8:00AM it's always good to bring some water and fuel just in case. 

Next time i'm going to leave the pack, and try a quick trail run instead!

The first time Ben, Hannah and I hiked this trail in January 2015.