With no shortage of outdoor spaces, Utah is an amazing and active place to live, however, in our 7 years here, we’ve rarely made the time to get out and enjoy the beauty. Now, as parents of a curious and brave toddler and with plans to make the world our backyard with the Dream Bigger Project, it’s time. A simple Google search for “Utah family hike” turned up a few hikes that seemed appropriate for a toddler, and Big Springs Hollow made the top of our list.
We looked for short and easy hikes with excitement along the way, and water is always exciting! With reviews telling us there was plenty of water and little bridges to cross, we suspected a fun family hike. Wanderookie did a cute writeup, and made it sound perfect for Vanellope’s first time! It did not disappoint! Our little adventure seeker loved it!
The trail is advertised as a loop, but we opted to turn around once we reached a long meadow. This was our first hike and we weren’t sure where the “hollow” was. the thought of crossing a long meadow in the hot sun only to turn back around wasn’t appealing. Plus, from what we’ve heard, the trail gets a little steeper after the hollow, and it loops around. Our short out-and-back adventure was only about a mile, but Dakota carried Vanellope for a few minutes on the return, so we’re glad we decided to keep it short.
As suspected, the bridges were a hit. We stopped a few times to wade into the icy cold stream. Vanellope giggled and squealed with delight. The various trees, leaves, grasses and butterflies also provided entertainment. Overall, this was a fantastic family hike for our first time out, and we’ll be heading out again soon!
Family Hike Trail Details
Length:1.2 miles round trip to the hollow or around 4 if you do the loop
Difficulty: Easy
Dog Friendly: Yes (Leashed)
Season: May to October
Trailhead: Big Springs Hollow Upper Parking Lot
GPS Coordinates:
Trailhead: 40.3327, -111.52521
Hollow: 40.32476, -111.53204