Ferguson Canyon Trail to Upper Meadow is a 4.3 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Salt Lake City, Utah that features a river and is rated as difficult. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail.
Know Before You Go. This trail accesses or travels through potential avalanche terrain. For more information and to read the daily avalanche forecast please visit: https://utahavalanchecenter.org Ferguson Canyon is a short steep canyon located immediately south of the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The lower canyon is enclosed by granite walls popular with rock climbers, while the upper canyon contains open meadows.
Turn left at the stoplight at 7800 South and Wasatch Blvd. Follow Honeywood Cove Drive to Top-of-the World Drive, turn left, and then turn right on Timberline Drive (7780 South)
March 3, 2021Beautiful today, snow packed all the way to the lookout, spikes needed
February 26, 2021very icy. the trail is packed down until the last quarter mile. you can keep going but need snow shoes. should have spikes as the whole trail is slick coming down.
January 11, 2021I didn’t find it anywhere as difficult as some said. My 12 year old daughter and I have done it many times and she loves all the fun trees and boulders you can climb on. Plus it’s just beautiful!
January 8, 2021January 1, 2021Very icy!
November 6, 2020Probably my least favorite hike this year. Hiked November 5th- there was a “mountain lion sighted” warning at the bottom. The fall colors & creek are beautiful, but the trail is very difficult and becomes incredibly steep with lots of rocks to climb over. If you follow the route exactly on the AllTrails map you will do more like 6 miles round trip as indicated by a couple other reviewers. The “meadow” at the top was NOT worth the trek also as indicated by other reviewers. It’s not a meadow- there’s nothing there, not even a view! I would go on the trail again but stop around the 1.5-2 miles point where you can see the twin peaks. Then turn around. Also, dogs are supposed to be leashes, not that anyone up there was following that rule.
November 5, 202011/4/2020 Trail conditions were beautiful today with the fall leaves. We went all the way up to about 1 mile from the first peak of twin peaks, hardly any snow on the trail. I really enjoyed this trail in the fall with the leaves on the ground and there was hardly any bushwhacking. It is a bit overgrown in the summer. The large rocks are beautiful to see as well.
October 13, 2020Here’s why I gave this hike a 2/5 stars. I gave it a 2 because the views were amazing. But this hike made me question my existence on earth within the first 15 minutes up. This hike wasn’t just hard, it was CRUEL. When I say steep, I mean it felt like I was walking at a 120 degree angle the ENTIRE time. Don’t get me started on the way down. It was so dry that even with the best shoes, your ass was going to hit the ground at least 2-3 times (which mine did). Lastly, the colors of the leaves were beautiful, but wear pants. I wore shorts because you know, warm weather, and my legs are cut up from the branches I hit. That is a hike I can confidently say I do not need to do again.
September 19, 2020Grueling, exhausting. So worth it. Got hit pretty good with rain, hail and freezing temperatures throughout the first day. Got "off trail" a bit and did a couple extra spicy 5 pitches at Devil's and Red Baldy. Slowly but surely we made our way and by God finished. Lost my phone at the "end" above the Upper Bells Reservoir. So add on another 5 miles or so with a pretty good descent down the Bells Canyon Trail. *Found my phone!*
August 26, 2020Ferguson trail Very dry and there is no water running wich i love, its dry out. so I was disappointed. the trail is not marked well so you just go up wherever. i was a bit confused I didn't make it far maybe 1 to 1.5 miles. I did not see the waterfall as usual, maybe I didnt go high enough to find water im not sure. Seems like a great place for rock climbers,saw a few. shady and peaceful.
August 3, 2020Hands down the hardest hike I’ve done in Utah. We were backpacking on the hottest day of the year, so the 30 lbs extra weight and 103 temps could have been part of it. But after the pleasant, shady beginning that follows the stream for a while, it was mentally very difficult to find motivation to keep going on the unrelenting stairmaster, overgrown, slippery gravel trail. Oh, and I brushed up against stinging nettle and we had to walk through a gauntlet of hornets (about 100, swarming). We saw three rattlesnakes in the upper area and I was so tired at 4 miles that we camped at the first possible spot off the trail. It was a sleepless night on rocky ground, but the sunset view over the valley was stunning. Glad I got to see that view, but this is a hike I only need to do once in my lifetime.
July 27, 2020Go to Ferguson, but don’t go to “the meadow”. Either go to the view point (turn left at the fork) or keep going higher up the mountain. It’s tough slogging through the woods below “the meadow” (yes, I keep putting it in quotes bc it’s not really a meadow) and nothing to see when you get there. But again, lower Ferguson is beautiful and the view point is great.
July 16, 2020Beautiful. Great views. Some rocky steep parts. Worth it.
July 12, 2020I liked it very much except for the bugs.
June 25, 2020full disclosure, its June I'm 61 female from Florida I loved this hike ya sometime you couldn't tell exactly where it was but I understand if you follow all trails you won't have a problem. I made it to the last creek crossing and then I thought I'd better come back because you better have some good hiking boots on are you will slip going down . just be careful don't ever do more than you feel you can. I loved it nice and shaded thought it was a beautiful hike. I've been hiking every day for 2 weeks and it was one of my favorites
June 20, 2020Super fun hike. Not many people go beyond the first 1.5 miles. Really sweet views on top. Stays wooded and cool majority of the way. Highly recommend.
June 15, 2020Hard work for little reward. If you enjoy bushwhacking while on a slippery stair master, then this is the hike for you! Made it to the “meadow”...not sure who deemed this a meadow. Without signs, and the many side trails, made it hard to follow. Download the map and refer to it frequently. Views are minimal as you are in the trees most of the way. The creek is nice and provides cool air. The elevation gain wore us out. More so due to the loose gravel and slippery trail MOST of the way! The trail towards the top is extremely overgrown so wear long pants unless you want scars.
June 13, 2020One of my favorite hikes! This one is short and steep but worth it!
June 7, 2020This trail is rated hard, and for good reason. It's a beautiful trail, and starts out with a pretty easy walk. But that doesn't last long. This was not heavily traveled today, so I didn't have the luxury of following other people. Thank goodness for the all trail map! Trail is not well defined, and you can get off the trail very easily. You will be walking in water (I crossed the river twice) and climbing over large boulders. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was almost to the top, and thought I'd better turn around. Slippery, Sandy, Wet Terrain! I did make it to 6,177 feet, climbing a hard vertical climb. Parking is in a neighborhood and has very limited spaces. No street parking.
June 6, 2020June 6, 2020This trail is rated hard, and for good reason. It's a beautiful trail, and starts out with a pretty easy walk. But that doesn't last long. This was not heavily traveled today, so I didn't have the luxury of following other people. Thank goodness for the all trail map! Trail is not well defined, and you can get off the trail very easily. You will be walking in water (I crossed the river twice) and climbing over large boulders. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was almost to the top, and thought I'd better turn around. Slippery, Sandy, Wet Terrain! I did make it to 6,177 feet, climbing a hard vertical climb. Parking is in a neighborhood and has very limited spaces. No street parking.
May 31, 2020Beautiful trail that opened up once we got into the canyon. Plenty of space to roam, explore, and have fun if going to the end of the trail isn’t your thing. From what we saw, most people didn’t go to the end. Lots of rock climbers too. It’s a difficult one, but it is shorter than some other hikes. Lots of steep terrain and rocks to scramble over. Shallow river crossings here and there. We ran out of water as it became more arduous than we thought, so bring plenty. I had 58 fluid ounces and ran out as we were heading back from the end of the trail. You will get sunburned at the end or the beginning if you’re not wearing sunblock, so keep that in mind. Most of it is shaded and cool. Parking lot is incredibly limited and parking nearby is prohibited, so you’ll have to walk a bit to the trailhead if the lot is full. It only adds an extra 1/4 of a mile I’d say. Some hikers wear masks when walking past others, so that’s a good idea to remember. Gorgeous area, for sure will return later.
May 20, 2020Wonderful hike with lots of wildflowers and creek crossings. There's many areas with small falls, A few areas were flooded from runoff, but they made the hike more enjoyable. Well worth the effort
May 20, 2020Beautiful area! The trail is straight forward till you get lower near the creek. Only hiked for about 1.5 miles due to the trail being washed out. This is also a great area for climbing and is perfect for summer climbing since the majority of the routes are shaded. Dog friendly, and my dog Goose loves the water.
May 10, 2020Only giving 4 stars due to difficulty keeping on the trail as you often found yourself in the creek or hiking up a steep mountain that was NOT the trail Overall this an amazing hike! You get a little of everything. Loved the look out point. We ended up stopping about 2.4 up when the trail became overgrown but found an amazing large granite rock to take the views in on! Will definitely do this one again!
