Utah Places: Lower Logan Canyon

Lower Logan Canyon has attractions that have awed generations since man first began visiting this locale. Just a few miles from the temple and the Utah State campus,-the scenery starts, and just never ends. The highway ends up circling Bear Lake at the north end, and passes by so many magnificent natural and man-made attractions in the next few miles, it makes them difficult to enumerate in a single post, so I'll take two. Since I'm on a leisure vacation myself, I'll take some time.

Just above the mouth of the canyon, don't stop under the box elders unless you' re a behavioural anthropologist into studying deviant sexuality. Higher up there are pleasant riverside picnic areas and camping areas, though they are packed with people on the weekends and throughout the summer.

Above the lowest part of the canyon looms a massif worthy of exploration and climbing for an alpinists lifetime. Hiking trails lead up the steep sides of the canyon in every direction.

First notable stop is the wind caves trail above the mouth of the canyon about five miles. Weird wind carved rock and arches are featured in a short but popular hike.

Next, bear sharp to the left and watch for the Jardine Juniper trail. This is a spectacular find, an ancient specimen of Juniperous utahensis, Utah juniper, many thousands of years old.
The hike is hot and dry in summer heat, so remember to bring water. There's plenty when you get back, but take a bit for drinks along the way.

Along the highway further, there are several branches off to the right. These are worth exploring, especially with a 4wd vehicle. One notable site is Ol' Ephraim's Grave, a monument to a grizzly bear that frequented these hills and terrorized sheep camps for generations. His grave is near here and is memorialized as legedarey.

To the left, near the top of the grade is the left hand fork to Tony Grove. This road is a don't miss, come back again, just to see it is an attraction in itself. I won't spoil the fun trying to describe it, but here is a picture of the Tony Grove basin that waits at the end of the road.

Are you tantalized?