Big Cottonwood Canyon

Big Cottonwood Canyon is a canyon in the Wasatch Range 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The 15-mile (24 km)-long canyon provides hiking, biking, picnicking, rock-climbing, camping and fishing in the summer. During winter, its two ski resorts, Brighton and Solitude, are popular among skiers and snowboarders. The canyon is accessed by The Big Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway, which runs its length to Guardsman Pass at the top of the canyon, allowing travel to Park City in the summer months.

During the winter months, Guardsman Pass is closed off, and is a popular snowshoe hiking destination for many Utahns.

Hiking to the canyon's mountain lakes is a popular activity, with many trails leading to lakes such as Mary, Martha and Katherine. The canyon's most popular hiking trail leads to Lakes Blanche, Florence and Lillian. The trail is 3.1 miles (5.0 km) long and is considered strenuous. Since the canyon was formed by Big Cottonwood Creek, the V-shaped canyon has many impressive rock forms.