Lake Mary and Lake Martha | Big Cottonwood Canyon

Lake Mary and Lake Martha are a very popular trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The trail to these lakes begins at Brighton ski resort at the base of the Majestic ski lift. It starts out pretty steep, following under the ski lift for the first half mile. We love this trail in the mid summer for wildflowers and in the fall for leaves.

Hike Info

Distance (roundtrip): Lake Mary: 2.5 miles, if you continue to Lake Martha it is 3.0 miles roundtrip.
Elevation Gain: 800 feet
Rating: moderate
Dog-friendly: No

Ready to hit the trail. This sign lets you know you're in the right place, but it's a little way up the hill. — Ready to hit the trail. This picture is old, but there are still signs to let you know where to start!

This sign shows all the ski runs, but this is where the trail begins. There is a map of the trails nearby, too.

The trail is well signed, so you won’t lose your way.

The trail zigzags across the ski slope where there isn’t much shade. But the wildflowers were stunning the first week of July. The Lake Mary trail climbs pretty steeply for the first 1/2 mile, and then after one last steep climb turns across a short wooden bridge into the trees. Watch for little rodents like marmots, chipmunks, and squirrels. It’s possible to see bigger animals like moose, elk, deer, and mountain goats, but the trail is usually pretty busy, so they tend to keep their distance. We have seen moose a few times on this trail.

The wildflowers are so pretty in the summer time.

The trail is steep, but the flowers are nice.

Shortly before the bridge, you’ll see a sign for Dog Lake. It’s a short walk over (only 0.1 mile), but Dog Lake is pretty small. It is more like a pond. We like to stop here on the way down and finish the climb to Lake Mary first, but it is not a must-do stop. Lake Mary and Lake Martha are the real winners of this trail.

Here's the sign that lets you know you've faced the steepest part of the hike! — Here’s the sign that lets you know you’ve faced the steepest part of the hike!

Lake Mary

After you pass the Dog Lake sign, the trail flattens out a bit. It is still climbing, bug it doesn’t burn your knees and calves quite as much. The trail also starts to get a bit rockier, too. After around another quarter mile, you’ll see the dam rise up in front of you. It seems very out of place, but it does hold back Lake Mary. At the top of the dam, the lake spreads out before you.

The lake is really pretty because it lies in huge slabs of granite that plunge from incredible heights all the way into the water. There is one huge knob on the near side that the kids couldn’t help climbing. It’s surprising how this lake seems to be hidden in a granite hollow at the top of the canyon. Remember that you cannot go into the water because of the watershed. Stop awhile at Lake Mary and take some photos. You can also turn around right here if you’d like, but we like to continue on to Lake Martha since it isn’t much further.

The dam that you pass on the way to Lake Mary.

The trail is pretty, and after you pass the sign, you follow the river up to Lake Mary.

Lake Mary has plenty of places to sit down and rest.

Lake Martha

Lake Martha is just up around the corner. It only takes about 10 minutes to walk from Lake Mary to Lake Martha and it’s about a 1/4 mile. . Lake Martha is smaller, and lies down in a depression without the craggy rocks. We like to walk all the way down to the edge of Lake Martha, but that will add some more distance to your hike. Most people don’t walk down to the lake, but just cruise on past it on the way to Lake Catherine. The Lake Catherine hike is beautiful, too, but almost 5.0 miles, so it’s a little bit tougher for young kids. You can read all about that hike here: Lake Catherine trail.

You walk along the edge of Lake Mary most of the way over to Lake Martha.

We walked right down to the edge of Lake Martha.

This hike reminded us of Cecret Lake up Little Cottonwood Canyon. The first half mile is steep, and you’ll wonder if it is worth it. But trust us, it is! Luckily, coning down is much easier, but be careful not to slip on the way down since it is so steep. We love Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Lake Mary and Lake Martha are great ways to explore the mountains here in Utah. For other great trails in this canyon, visit our list of Things to do in Big Cottonwood Canyon.