Silver Lake (Brighton) Loop

The easiest and most accessible hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon — a flat ~0.9-mile loop with about 55 feet of gain that circles Silver Lake at roughly 8,760 feet, on the divide between the Brighton and Solitude ski areas near the head of the canyon. Much of the route is an elevated wooden boardwalk over the lake's wetlands, making it wheelchair- and stroller-accessible and earning a reputation as the only ADA-accessible trail in the Wasatch. The Silver Lake Visitor Center anchors the trailhead with restrooms, a drinking fountain, and interpretive signage, and the boardwalk offers fishing access along a stocked lake. It is a premier family destination and one of the most reliable moose-viewing and birding spots in the central Wasatch.

Quick stats

Distance

0.9 mi round trip

Elevation gain

55 ft

Time

0.5–1 hrs

Difficulty

Easy · family-friendly

Dogs

Not allowed

Fee

Day-use parking fee

Best months

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Getting there & parking

From Salt Lake City, take I-215 to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon and follow SR-190 up the canyon roughly 14–15 miles to its head at Brighton — about 45 minutes to an hour from downtown. The Silver Lake Recreation Complex lot is across the highway from the Brighton Store; a standard passenger car is fine in summer. The lot fills on summer weekends, so arrive early. Big Cottonwood Canyon requires approved traction (snow tires) from October 1 through April 30, and the road can close for avalanche control.

USFS / Cottonwood Canyons day-use parking fee at the Silver Lake Recreation Complex: $10 per vehicle for 3 days, $20 for 7 days, or $60 for a season pass. America the Beautiful interagency passes are accepted. Pay via the QR code in the visitor center lot or at the Brighton Store. Confirm current pricing on recreation.gov / Cottonwood Canyons.

Know before you go

No dogs. Dogs are banned — and not just on the trail. Silver Lake sits in Salt Lake City's protected Big Cottonwood Canyon drinking-water watershed, so pets are prohibited everywhere in the canyon, including left in a parked car. The USFS is explicit: pets are not allowed at all. Swimming and wading are likewise prohibited. Don't confuse this with the dog-friendly Dog Lake in Mill Creek Canyon.

No hiking permit required. A Forest Service day-use parking fee does apply — see Getting there & parking above.

The route

A flat, easy loop — most visitors take half an hour to an hour, longer if they stop to watch for moose, fish, or read the interpretive signs. Sources report the loop anywhere from 0.9 mile up to about 1 mile.

• 0 mi · Silver Lake Visitor Center trailhead — Parking lot across SR-190 from the Brighton Store; restrooms, drinking fountain, interpretive displays. Visitor center open about 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; boardwalk open dawn to dusk.
• 0.3 mi · Boardwalk over the wetlands — Elevated boardwalk crosses the willow wetlands — prime moose and birding zone, with fishing access points.
• 0.6 mi · Forested connector — A short graded natural-surface section through conifer forest links the boardwalk segments before returning to the visitor center.

When to go

Snow-free summer and early fall are the prime window. Wildflowers and active moose make June through September the best months. The lake is stocked for fishing. In winter the area becomes the Solitude Nordic Center's groomed ski and snowshoe terrain.

Silver Lake is snow-covered most of the cold season, when the site operates as the Solitude Nordic Center's groomed ski and snowshoe terrain. Big Cottonwood Canyon requires approved traction (snow tires) from October 1 through April 30, and the canyon road can close outright for avalanche control. Check UDOT road status before driving up.

Check current conditions before you go:

• UDOT Cottonwood Canyons road status
• Utah Avalanche Center — Salt Lake forecast

Safety & hazards

Moose frequent the lakeside willows and wetlands. They are wild and unpredictable — keep well back and never approach, especially cows with calves. The boardwalk gives a safe vantage; stay on it and give moose room to move off.

The trailhead sits at about 8,760 feet. Visitors arriving from low elevation may feel mild altitude effects despite the flat, short route. Take it slow, hydrate, and don't be surprised by shortness of breath on the gentle grade.

Snow-covered most of the cold season; the area becomes the Solitude Nordic Center's groomed ski and snowshoe terrain in winter. Big Cottonwood Canyon requires approved traction October 1 through April 30 and can close for avalanche control. Check the road status before driving up.

Wildlife & geology

A subalpine lake-and-willow wetland complex at about 8,760 feet. The wetlands support moose (the signature draw), waterfowl and songbirds, and beaver activity; the lake is stocked with trout. Interpretive signage along the boardwalk explains the wetland ecology, and the boardwalk itself was built to protect the fragile environment from foot traffic.

Wildlife you might see: moose, waterfowl, songbirds, beaver, trout (stocked).

Silver Lake occupies a glacially shaped basin near the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon, on the divide separating the Brighton and Solitude drainages on the west slope of the Wasatch Range.

History

Not confirmed in available sources; the name likely reflects the canyon's 19th-century silver- and lead-mining heritage, but the specific origin is not verified here.

Big Cottonwood Canyon hosted 19th-century silver and lead mining around Brighton, and the lake name reflects that mining-era heritage. (Origin inferred, not source-confirmed.)

Nearby hikes

• Lake Mary — Big Cottonwood Canyon
• Donut Falls — Big Cottonwood Canyon
• Lake Blanche — Big Cottonwood Canyon