"What didn't we do today?" - Shayla Martin

October 29, 2012

By: Shayla Martin

The above statement/ironic question was my friends response to my mom when she asked us what we did on our first day in Park City as a foursome. To review things chronologically, three of my best friends arrived to Park City the night of the day I went hangliding. Everyone got in so late that when I got them back to our place and fed them, we all passed out immediately. Thankfully we had a long night of rest because the next day we turned our vacation up full throttle.

We awoke on Thursday ready for some adventure. Our plan was to hit the road via the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, which runs from Kamas, UT and ends in Evanston, WY, bisecting the western portion of the Uinta Mountains. The majority of the byway runs through the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and includes scenic views of high mountains, forests, grassy meadows, alpine tundra and various lakes and streams. We were also told by friends that we could find great hiking trails once we got to the National Forest, specifically the moderate hike up Bald Mountain which stands at 11,943 ft. and provides breathtaking 360 degree views of the mountain range. Unsure of how the weather might change during our hike we dressed in a variety of layers, packed plenty of snacks and water and hit the road.

Before we were even 20 minutes outside of Park City we were stunned by gorgeous views of water and mountains on our righthand side. We pulled over at the overlook to discover that we had reached Jordanelle State Park and Jordanelle reservoir.

Jordanelle Reservoir

We took about 37 pictures before continuing on our journey through Wasatch National Forest. After an hour or so of driving and N’SYNC songs via Pandora, we pulled up to the base of Bald Mountain. Onward march! I should mention that although the four of us have varying levels of fitness and hiking experience, we are all in shape. Regardless, this 2 mile (mostly upward) hike combined with the elevation kicked our butts but the views made all of the physical activity worth it. We were able to get a great workout while taking frequent breaks to ~~catch our breaths~~ take photos of the scenery.

After reaching the freezing cold summit we quickly descended the mountain. It’s funny how much easier it is when you are going downward! We continued our drive towards Wyoming, passing through Mirror Lake to skip rocks on the tranquil lake and talk to families that were fishing and barbecuing their catch over an open flame. We finally reached a long stretch of open road when we exited the Wasatch National Forest that looked like something out of a photography book. Bright blue skies provided the perfect backdrop to the snow-capped mountains that were now behind us. We drove by open fields and only passed a barn or a house every couple of miles. The expansive landscape caused immediate jealousy for this city girl. I couldn’t imagine so much space! We cheered as we reached the state line between Wyoming and Utah and started setting up for our grand photo shoot. Although our parents would have killed us if they saw us, Ashley had the BRILLIANT idea to set up her camera on a timer in the middle of the two lane byway to shoot the four of us lying on our stomachs propped up by our elbows in the middle of the road. She captured a perfect moment that the four of us will remember forever. Check out some of our photos below. I’m planning to get more images from the other girls and will create an album later.

When was your last trip with friends? What did you all do and where did you go? Let me know below.