Alta Ski Lifts

If you'd like to escape the summer heat of the Salt Lake Valley, and entertain and educate your kids while you're at it, you can take this short hike at the base of Alta Ski Area. Take the first Alta entrance you get to off the Little Cottonwood Canyon road. It's called the Wildcat Base. You'll see a large parking lot once you go down a short hill. Park near the Gold Miner's Daughter building.

Cecret Lake sits at the top of Albion Basin above the town of Alta, Utah. In the winter the lake is frozen and within the boundaries of Alta Ski Lifts. In the summer the lake is a short, but steep hike from the Albion Basin parking lot and/or campground.

The trail is well marked. Along the trail you'll see thousands of wildflowers, and it's not uncommon to see a few moose. Half of the trail follows a gravel road. The other half is steep and rocking, with a series of switchbacks.