Big Springs Hollow is one of my go-to hikes. It's well maintained, well populated, but you can still find plenty of time to be alone or try a new off shoot of the trail. Get there by going up Provo Canyon, turning at Vivian Park, and continuing up the road, past a couple of parks, until you finally see a little sign for Big Springs. The parking lot for the trailhead is at the top of the park.
Distance: 4.2 miles round trip to the “spring” (according to alltrails.com)
Elevation gain: 1177 feet (according to alltrails.com) but most of it is a pretty gradual ascent
Terrain/Environment: The main dirt trail is clear and good for families. There’s also a service road nearby if you want a straight shot up. There are some little bridges over the stream, so just be careful if you have small kids here. There is sometimes mud if it’s been rainy. But aside from that, the trail is pretty easy to hike.
Population: If it’s summertime you’ll definitely have company! When school is in session, the weekends are busy, but you can usually find times when it is less crowded, like weekday mornings. If you go off on side trails, there are usually fewer people (like the service road, the Great Western Trail, or other little offshoots).
Wildlife: I’ve done this trail COUNTLESS times-- it’s one of my go-to’s--but I usually don’t run into much wildlife (beyond butterflies, etc. which I’ve seen many a child catch then release from nets!). However, when I’ve gone on side trails where there are fewer people, I’ve seen moose and snakes. So, stay aware, but also, bring your butterfly nets! :)
Other: Okay, the trail itself doesn’t really lead to much anymore. They’ve been doing construction near the actual spring over the last couple of years and if you follow the signs to “Big Springs” you will be pretty disappointed. This is one of those “do it for the journey” hikes, not necessarily a destination hike, unless you kept going for several miles and perhaps summited a peak or something. But for families, it’s a journey hike.
I have my set turn around points: usually either at the beginning of the big field (about 1.3 miles round trip) or where the trail and service road merge (about 2.4 miles round trip, maybe? Now I'm second guessing everything). I have gone up to the spring before it was all a construction zone, and I have gone up a bit further beyond that, but I just usually plan enough time for my set turnarounds now.
If you want more of an adventure, you can definitely keep going on the trail. Give it a try, and let me know what you find!
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