Hi friend,
Here are the featured locations we want to tell you about this week!
This is the SIXTH weekly email (July 5th-11th) to coincide with Lori's Bucket List-Summer 2021! We highlight EVEN MORE locations in the guide (click on image above) and give you extra information, tips & tricks to help you out.
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You can click on the title of the location listed below to load the YouTube video where we visit the location, offering a sneak preview of what you can expect when you go. Clicking on the [GM] will load the Google Map location for easier navigation, and clicking on the [AT] will load the AllTrails information, if one exists for that location.
HIKE OF THE WEEK
“Donut Falls Trail” [GM] [AT]
This hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon is an easy out-and-back (OAB) hike that is 3 miles long and is a great way to call off during these hot summer days. We have some boys who like to climb up to the actual donut where the waterfalls have carved themselves through the ceiling of a cave area before cascading down the rest of the rocks to the bottom. This is dangerous and is something that we do NOT let our younger boys do because of the extreme caution. There is about half of the hike in the shade and since it is up the canyon, things are typically about 8-10 degrees cooler than in the valley.
MURAL OF THE WEEK
"Gateway Mall” [GM]
There are a ton of murals at the Gateway Mall that is in Downtown SLC just to the west of the Vivint Arena. From the musicians that adorn the steps leading up from the corner of 400 West and 200 South to the movie theater to the angelic wings found at the SE corner of Rio Grande St and 100 South. There are SO many murals to enjoy in this area, what is your favorite?
WATER ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK
“Mirror Lake” [GM] [AT]
This is one of our family's favorite lakes to visit during the summer because it is SO much cooler at this lake that is up Mirror Lake Highway. There is a 1.5mi easy loop hike that goes around the lake with plenty of places to stop off and picnic, lounge, fish, kayak, paddleboard or just enjoy nature.
HISTORICAL/CULTURAL ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK
“George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park” [GM]
This location is an awesome dinosaur themed park in Ogden that is much easier to get to if you can't spare the couple of hour trip to Vernal that we highlighted last week. It costs a small amount of money for the kids to get in, but it is well worth it to see the looks on these little kids faces as they encounter some awesome replicas of dinosaurs and learn about them.
NATURE ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK
This natural wonder may not be on the top of your list given the high temperatures lately and not exactly wanting to visit the desert during the day, but this is definitely worth the venture to hit it first thing in the morning or even better toward the evening as the sun is setting. We ventured out further away from the rest stop where we felt like we were the only ones out there and the boys rode scooters, bikes, long boards, hoverboards and even got to drive the van since no one was out there. Next time we go, we want to bring an old set of skis and hook up a tow rope behind the van and pull the boys!!!
CRAFT/ACTIVITY OF THE WEEK
Raise Butterflies & Release Them
We really enjoyed this last summer when we were able to buy these butterfly kits from Riverbottom Butterflies and raised them throughout the summer so that we could release them once they emerged from their cocoons. Have you done this before?
DAY TRIP OF THE WEEK
Davis County, UT
For the day trip this week, we are heading just about 30 minutes north to Davis County and checking off things in Layton, Farmington and Bountiful areas.
- “Jensen Nature Park” [GM]
This nature park in Syracuse is an awesome place to go to observe so much wildlife. Easy paved trails surround many ponds and wetland areas that make for quick easy ¼ mile trips or as much as 2.6 miles if you decide to take them all. Strollers and wheelchairs can navigate these trails and dogs can be brought along as well but must be kept on a leash.
- “Oak Hills Rock Path” [GM]
This hike is an approximately 1 mile one-way easy hike that is on a paved path with a bunch of hand-painted rocks to enjoy and appreciate. A lot of work has gone into making these rocks and this path, so PLEASE be respectful. You are invited to take pictures of the rocks, but please leave them where they are so that others can appreciate them as well.
- “Hobbs Reservoir” [GM] [AT]
This location is also called Hobbs Pond and has a new walkway that is paved around ⅔ of the area that is called Kays Creek Parkway. You can actually walk the entire way around the lake but it will require navigating a dirt path and some stairs. Otherwise, this is the perfect path to ride bikes, scooters, and skateboards on. There are signs reminding people not to swim in the water, so please follow these signs. I have heard reports that these waters are haunted too, have you heard the same thing??
- “Fruit Heights Castle Park” [GM]
This park is super fun because it is decorated like a castle with tons of things to climb and explore. They have this awesome disc swing that you can lay down on and be pushed back and forth. Very fun! We loved the pirate ship out front and we are so grateful for the EIGHT Eagle Scouts that used this as their Eagle Project.
- “Farmington Canyon Trail/Car Graveyard” [GM] [AT]
This hike is a fun one for the boys to go on because it runs along the bottom of a cliff-side road that must have been difficult to navigate years ago because there are a ton of cars that have crashed along this trail. It is commonly called the Car Graveyard hike because of this. The hike is 3.9 mile out-and-back (OAB) moderate hike. We have found 12 cars during our hike and wonder if anyone has found more than that. Let us know!!!
- “Deuel Creek Trail” [GM] [AT]
This hike is a favorite among the boys in our family because of the rope swing and was one that we featured a couple of weeks ago as the “Hike of the Week”. This hike is a moderate out-and-back (OAB) hike that is 4.3 miles long. It crosses 11 bridges over the creek with 3 small waterfalls that are a great relief on hot summer days. The highlight is an awesome rope swing that is perfect for all ages, including adults.
- “Bountiful City Park” [GM]
This park is in downtown Bountiful and has some fun slides and swings to enjoy. We also couldn't help but appreciate a nearby splashpad area that is part of the South Davis Recreation Center, but a fee is required for this area but worth it when you need to cool off from the heat.
- “Creekside Park” [GM]
This park is located just a short distance from Bountiful City Park and offers some free options for things that you can enjoy and water that you can cool off in. There are several different levels to this park. The top level has picnic areas and covered shade with some cool water mazes that you can control. The next level is accessible from the suspension bridge that takes you down to the backside of the park where my kids love to play in the creek and cool off.
- “Foxboro North Regional Park” [GM]
This park is actually out in West Wood Cross area and features some awesome playground structures that are all painted red, so my kids like to call it the Red Park. They have a splash pad that provides an area to cool off in, but there are also some awesome climbing structures that present unique challenges to those children who are looking to challenge themselves a little bit. Worth the drive in our opinion to enjoy this park. Nearby shade and pavilions can be reserved for family activities or just used for a quick picnic.
Remember, all of these and about 250 more locations are available in Lori's Bucket List-Summer 2021 available now online by clicking here. As a member of this weekly newsletter email list, you can still get 30% off by using the code “lorisfablife30”.
Our ambition is to make it much easier for you to have the Summer Bucket List experience you always dreamed of with your family!
DREAM IT - PLAN IT- LIVE IT
