Salt Lakers looking to get out of the summer heat can now hit higher elevation trails in Mill Creek Canyon.
The winter gate opened to vehicles on July 1. All of the picnic sites above the gate are also open to visitors.
Hikers can now access popular trailheads to Dog Lake and Mount Aire by car. Mill Creek is one of a handful of canyons in Salt Lake that allow dogs — although pups are required to be on leash on even-numbered days.
The Forest Service is reminding visitors to recreate responsibly and pack out their trash, extinguish campfires and stay on designated trails and roads.
There are not currently any fire restrictions in effect for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. That doesn’t mean you should pack up the fireworks to celebrate this weekend — they are always prohibited on national forest land.
The picnic areas around Mill Creek have designated fire pits. The Forest Service asks that people planning to build fires make sure they have “the proper tools to extinguish a campfire before you light it.”
Bring the firewood, but also a bucket, water, and shovel to make sure the fire is completely out.
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