There isn’t much in life that makes me smile more than watching dogs play in the snow. Neffs Canyon, located above the Olympus Cove neighborhood in Salt Lake City, is one of the few canyons on the Wasatch Front where dogs are allowed, making Neffs a great place to take your dog for a winter adventure, while you can get some exercise yourself from snowshoeing.
Neffs Canyon is a very popular area, both in the winter and summer, and for good reason. The scenery is spectacular, as the canyon is nestled between Mount Olympus and the mountains south of Mill Creek Canyon. The snowshoeing 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 fork. Both directions provide a different experience as going to the right is a strenuous hike over steep sections that rise 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 way to showshoe into Neffs Canyon as it continues to follow a snow-covered trail and eventually reaches a open 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. To gain the ridge, you’ll be safer using backcoutry ski gear as the slopes are steep and avalanche prone, but the views of the Salt Lake Valley are incredible.
There are many ways to explore Neffs Canyon beyond the main trail as several side-tracks can be found that take snowshoers into deeper snow; a good opportunity to see what those snowshoes are capable of. Since dogs are allowed, Neffs Canyon is also an awesome place to let the dogs run free and get some exercise. There’s a rope swing for dogs to play with, lots of deep snow for them to bury their faces in, and always other dogs to sniff and run with.
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. Dogs are allowed every day in Neffs Canyon, but technically they are supposed to remain on-leash. Always keep your dog under control and always pick up after your dog.