Neff’s Canyon is a good place for hiking and exploring the Wasatch Mountains although it isn’t very well known compared to more popular hikes in the Cottonwood Canyons. Located just south of Mill Creek Canyon, Neff’s is super accessible with a trailhead that begins right in the city at Olympus Cove. It has a good parking area at the start, and (best of all) dogs are allowed, which sometimes makes it a crowded place. Best of all, it can be explored any time of year, either as a hike in the spring, summer and fall, or on snowshoes in the winter.
The hike is pretty easy and straightforward as it follows an old, wide jeep trail along a creek that runs through a grove of trees at the canyon bottom. Eventually the trail reaches a rocky section where it forks at the stream. Both directions provide a different experience as going to the right is a strenuous hike over rocky, steep sections that rises above the canyon and tops out on a shoulder of Mount Olympus. Sometimes the trail becomes overgrown and hard to navigate, but it’s a good workout with the payoff of great views at the top.
The left fork is a more pleasant walk into Neff’s Canyon that continues to follow a brook and eventually reaches a mountain meadow in the Mount Olympus Wilderness Area. From here, you can see the east side of Mount Olympus and Wildcat Ridge where Olympus and Mount Raymond come together. A scramble up the boulder field will gain incredible views of the Salt Lake Valley.
There are also many ways to explore Neff’s Canyon beyond the main trail as several side-tracks can be found that take hikers to views of rock formations, into heavily wooded glades, and over shaded streams. Since dogs are allowed, Neff’s Canyon is also an awesome place to let the dogs run free and get some exercise. Plus, the canyon’s low elevation keeps it ready for recreation most months of the year.
The trail begins at Olympus Cove on White Way (4275 South, 4260 East). The main hiking trail is 3.5 miles long where it terminates at the meadow, but more hiking can be done higher up and in other drainages.
If you are so inclined, there are three ways out from Neff’s meadows. The first & easiest, of coarse, is to turn around & go back where you came. The second, will be the North saddle that separates Neff’s from Millcreek. This rout will drop you down into the Church Fork area. The third & more difficult, is the south west saddle that will drop you down into Big Cottonwood Canyon & the Storm Mountain area.