Sunday my dad and I took a hike up to Cecret Lake, which is in Alta Ski Resort (up Little Cottonwood Canyon). This was a fun experience. According to the internet, the hike is an "easy hike" that is "1.5 miles round-trip." This is true, if the road leading to the trailhead is not closed. However, the road was closed when my dad and I arrived. My GPS told me to continue on the road for one mile, and I thought that meant that it would only take one mile to get to the trailhead. My dad and I figured that was not too far of a walk, so we parked at the gate and began walking on the road to the trailhead. As it turns out, my GPS was actually telling me that, in one mile, I would need to continue straight and walk farther. After around two miles, we finally arrived at the trailhead. We were somewhat tired by that time, but we were NOT going to give up! We began the actual hike to the lake.
The trail is gorgeous, and it was easy until the end. The end is a bit challenging because it is steep and there are many rocks to climb over. Overall, the label of "easy" for this trail is probably accurate, but we were very tired by the end, so we found the last bit of the hike more difficult than it would be if you were not previously walking for two miles in the hot sun. I actually enjoyed the entire trail immensely because there are many trees, there is a stream, and the end with all the rocks is very fascinating. Even the walk on the road to the trail was beautiful because there were many wildflowers and some spots that provided an excellent view.
Cecret Lake itself is marvelous – a sight worth seeing. Although it is small, it is calm and reflects the mountains beautifully. There were only a few people at the lake, so it was a nice, peaceful atmosphere. The view from this altitude is also breathtaking. I think this is my favorite hike I have taken thus far.
Even though it was longer than expected (we hiked a total of six miles, according to my dad's new FitBit), I am thankful for the entire experience – the walk to the trailhead, the trail itself, and the view. It provided some good exercise and some great bonding time with my dad.