North Canyon Trail photo by Stephanie Greenwood

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Description:
North Canyon Trail is located in Bountiful and is basically the "other side" of Mueller Park Trail. You can walk 4.5 miles to Rudy's Flat, or make a 13 mile loop and end up at the Mueller Park trailhead. Once you get to Rudy's Flat, the trail is kind of a saddle to Elephant Rock, without much more elevation gain. At the end of Canyon Creek drive there is a 1 mile dirt road that is very rough that leads to the trailhead. Unless you have a very rugged 4WD you'll need to park at the end of the pavement. The road is rutted and gets increasingly narrow with no turnaround. It's a nice walk, though, and you'll see lots of birds along this path in the summer. Habitat starts out with a somewhat riparian habitat with willows, spruce, and mixed oak woodland as the trail follows the creek. Further up the trail you'll encounter more of a montane environment with mature spruce trees and even a patch of mountain mahogany. The first mile and a half of the trail is a gradual ascent, and then starts to get steeper as the trail winds up the mountains. Go a few miles and you'll be rewarded with amazing views of the valley. The trail will wind in and out of habitats between scrub maple and mature pines to give you a variety of birds.

Birding:
Durig the winter, look for BLACK-CAPPED and MOUNTAIN CHICKADEES, BROWN CREEPER, GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, and STELLER'S JAY. In the summer, along the first mile of road/trail you'll find numerous FOX SPARROW, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, and CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER. Higher up the trail you'll find DUSKY FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, and CASSIN'S FINCH.  Both DUSKY and RUFFED GROUSE  are also possible. NORTHERN GOSHAWK have been known to nest in nearby Mueller Park, so they are also possible. However, there are also many COOPER'S HAWK around so view your accipiters with a careful and discerning eye.

Directions:
From I-15, take the 2600 South (Woods Cross) Exit, head east on 2600 South. This curves around to Orchard Drive, heading north. Turn right (east) on to 1800 South and head east up the hill. Once you get to Bountiful Blvd, turn right, and head south to Canyon Creek Drive (about a mile) and turn left (east). At the end of this road is where North Canyon begins.