Friday, October 16, 2015

The Albion Meadows and Cecret lake, Alta, Utah

The Albion Meadows basin starts at the very east side of the Alta Ski Resort. It is a maintained path that is primarily used for hiking and mountain biking. Right now the meadows are the typical fall colors, but during spring and summer they are covered in a variety of wildflowers.
There are a number of side paths that will take you up the slopes on the sides of the basin. There are also 2 paths that you can take to connect up to the Cecret Lake trail. We recommend taken the western trail, as it will take you through a shaded pine grove with a beautiful little stream that you would miss otherwise.
The Cecret Lake trail is fairly gentle until you get to the slope just under the lake. The switchbacks ascend roughly 450 feet in about .25 miles. Since it is a short hike, it is also very crowded. There is plenty of room to pass people, so you don't ever feel like you'll be squeezed off the path. The lake itself is a beautiful blue green sitting at the base of a mountain peak. You can explore all the way around the lake and climb up on some of the boulders that have rolled down the slope.
If you have little kids, you should probably just take the road up to the Cecret Lake trail head. If you have older kids and are looking for a bit longer hike, start at the Albion Base and hike the whole thing. You are exposed most of the way, so bring plenty of water and sunscreen. The hike from the base is a total of 5 miles out and back with around 1500 feet of elevation gain.
Activity rating 0-10
Kid fun: 8
Difficulty: 6
Cost: $0

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