On a recent work trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, I had the opportunity to run a new trail in one of my favorite places, the Cottonwood Canyons (Big, and Little) in the Wasatch Range. The convenience of their accessibility makes them stand out as a great location to ski and to hike in the mountains. Within roughly 15-20 minutes, one can transition from a hotel lobby to a trailhead, ready to embark on an epic run.

Given its proximity to my work locations in Salt Lake City, my typical choice of stay is the Hyatt Place Cottonwood right at the entrance to Big Cottonwood Canyon. This time, however, I noticed a newly opened Courtyard Marriott Cottonwood. The Courtyard has a restaurant and pool—though I didn't have time to use either. Additionally, it's situated right next to the relatively new Eight Settlers Restaurant and Distillery and an old favorite, Porcupine Pub & Grille, where I had business meetings on the two nights I was in town. A particular highlight, though, was Alpha Coffee, which opens at 6:30am and offers not only great coffee but also an assortment of pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and a breakfast burrito.

Aiming to stay on East Coast time allowed me to hit the White Pine Trailhead early, before my local business activities started. Upon arrival at the trailhead, there were only a few other cars in the parking lot, which also features a pit toilet, but lacks other amenities.

The trail map showed a segment length of 3.5 miles to the lake, contrasting the signpost's 4-mile marking. However, both my watch and phone clocked the distance at 5.5 miles each way. Because of the extra miles, it meant spending more time on the trail than initially planned, but I would not give up seeing the lake, so I just had to push the pace to ensure I was back for my meetings.

Coming from Ohio, it hadn't registered that there could already be snow in the mountains mid October. In the first mile, I came across several icy patches, requiring cautious steps to avoid slipping. This experience served as a reminder about the importance of packing my micro-spikes. I never seem to have them when I need them. I think I need to enact a new rule. Come October 1st, I must ensure they're always packed with my running gear. Their lightweight nature means there's no reason to not include them in my standard set of equipment.

My timing was very lucky on this trip. In certain sections of the ascent, the leaf colors were at their peak, and yet to have fallen. One couldn’t but be wowed by the vibrant yellows. Their colors also contrasted beautifully against the backdrop of the granite mountains. The day's lighting conditions, enhanced by a clear blue sky, lit up the mountains beautifully.

The trail's footing was solid, with only a few segments having loose rocks. Despite these patches, I managed a decent pace on the ascent and descent. The only slowdown occurred during the last 1.5 miles approaching the lake, which had a thicker snow cover. Thankfully, earlier hikers had already stamped out a path in the snow. These final segments were particularly nice because of the unobstructed views of the valley below.

In my mind's eye, when I started this run, I imagined seeing the lake immediately upon reaching the trail's highest point. Instead, a series of descending switchbacks and wooded sections preceded the view of the lake. Upon arrival at the lake, I was greeted with a tranquil scene: calm water reflecting the surrounding mountains, almost like a flawless mirror. The only audible sound was water running from the other side of the man-made dam that formed this lake.

I took a moment to capture the landscape with my camera, relaxing in the quiet and the absence of a cell signal. A word of caution on this trail: for all but the first mile of this trail, cell reception is non-existent. Although the trail's proximity to Snowbird Ski Area might suggest otherwise, not every valley has cell tower coverage.

Salt Lake City has one of the best blends of urban life and natural beauty in the United States thanks to its proximity to scenic trails and the airport. If you are in the area before snow blankets the region or after it recedes in June, I recommend exploring the trails in both Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. For those interested, check out my account of a run in Big Cottonwood Canyon to Sundial Peak, though it concluded less favorably with a severe ankle sprain.