Upper Bell Canyon Reservoir via Bell Canyon Trail

This is one of my favorite spots in the state of Utah! It is completely secluded high up on the Wasatch front. You can hike here for a nice relaxing day, an overnight camping trip, or do a little fly fishing and hook some fun little brooke and cutthroat trout.

The Bell Canyon trail is one of the most popular hiking trails in Utah. It offers a beautiful lower reservoir and an awesome waterfall. What most people don’t know about is that there is an even higher lake about 3 hours past the waterfall. The Bell Canyon trail starts right off Wasatch Blvd. A short 20-minute hike will bring you to the first lake and past that a few miles is the waterfall. Instead of turning off to the waterfall continue up the trail. It starts to get very steep. If you continue to follow the trail you will cross a little bridge over a stream, from there go right up the trail.

Eventually, you'll come to a boulder field you will have to climb up. Waypoints and a trail will help you through the boulder field. The trail seems to go on forever, and you’ll start to feel like there isn’t actually a lake up there. Once you feel this, you’re almost there! You’ll come up the south end of the lake, climb over the little dam wall, and you’ve made it. Pack in a little fly rod and throw on almost any small dry fly and you’re sure to nail them. My personal favorite is a brown and white mayfly or a royal wolf.