4.1 mi RT
easy/moderate
13% average grade
This route is one of the most exciting short routes in the Bear River Range. It affords great views of Logan Canyon and the Logan River, and also offers a good ascent for the distance covered, and a really fun experience as you get to travel along the top of a cliff band.
On weekends and evenings, the trail can get rather congested. However, weekday mornings are usually great times to be out on this trail, and it's very doable before work at only 4 miles round trip.
Description
From the Spring Hollow parking lot, follow the paved pathways to the north that lead to the Riverside Nature Trail. This part of the trail is an easy, rolling jaunt for about 3/4 mile that has some great views of the Logan River and some neat informative signs about the flora and fauna of the area and how they survive and thrive in this environment. After this first 3/4 mile or so, the trail forks without any signage. The fork that continues straight goes to Guinavah Campground, but the fork to go up to the Crimson Trail is to the right. Since this turnoff is not signed, it's best to keep your eyes out for it. However, if you miss the turnoff it is still possible to complete the loop, as the Riverside Nature Trail ends at Guinavah campground, at the northern trailhead of the Crimson Trail, so you could still complete the loop, but you would add probably a mile to your outing.
From the fork in the trails, the trail starts to ascend, steeply in places, through a sparsely populated forest. Eventually the trail leaves this forest for a more exposed hillside and starts and meets up with the actual Crimson Trail and starts to switchback along this hillside on a well-developed trail. From here, you can get great views of Logan Canyon and the Logan River if you take the time to look back behind you. The trail continues to ascend until it eventually gets right up to the base of the China Wall, the rock formation that forms the foundation of the most exciting part of the Crimson Trail. The last part of the ascent involves some short switchbacks that go up through a steep drainage and ends right on top of the cliffs.
The trail then contours along the top of these cliffs for almost a mile and a half, with some really fun ups and downs and great views from the tops of these cliffs. It can get really fun as the trail gets narrow in places and often gets really close to the edge. The views of the Wind Caves and the fall colors can be amazing, as well as the wildflowers in the spring. The trail also weaves in and out of forests as it crosses drainages that cut through the cliff band, so there is plenty of shade along the way during the summer, but also plenty of exposed spots for great pictures and views.
Eventually, the trail starts to switchback down as it descends towards Spring Hollow. This descent can get rocky in places, but nothing technical, and eventually it connects with the Spring Hollow Trail, which drops quickly to the Spring Hollow campground, and the last part of the route just goes down the paved road back to the parking lot past these group sites associated amenities.
*My husband and I have wanted to do this hike for sometime, and finally we did it. I am so glad that we did! It is a beautiful hike that can be done in a half day. We went June 10, 2016. We are in pretty good health for our early 50's, but the switchbacks were a challenge. Let me explain. There are two ways to take in the hike. One is to do a loop from Spring Hollow Campground, [at the junction to Spring Hollow Trail,] which climbs up above the China Wall, follows along the top of the China Wall, then descends and follows the Riverside Nature Trail back to Spring Hollow [Campground]....The other way is to start at Guinavah Campground which climbs up to the China Wall, follows along the top of the China Wall, and then descends to Spring Hollow Campground and then follows the Riverside Nature Trail back to Guinavah Campground. We were glad we started at Guinavah Campground. By doing this we had the difficult switchbacks at the beginning of the hike going up. They are steep and you gain elevation very quickly. However, after passing hikers that had started at Spring Hollow and had to descend the switchbacks on the end of the hike. They said that it was very difficult to come down the switchbacks. While as the descent to Spring Hollow (towards the end of the hike when we were tired) was gradual and an easy slope. We had a great view from the China Wall across the canyon to the wind caves. There were spring flowers still in bloom. The trail in some places is very narrow so may not be appropriate for small children. It was a very enjoyable hike, would definitely recommend it whether to start at Spring Hollow or Guinavah Campground...you are in for a real treat. Approx. 3 miles one way
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