One of our favorite easy hikes is the loop trail around Maple Lake in Payson Canyon. This hike runs about 0.33 of a mile around a beautiful lake on the Nebo Loop. It is flat, easy, and there are benches along the way. This trail is a great simple beginning hike.
Directions
Maple Lake is primarily used for fishing and camping. It is much less visited than the much busier Payson Lakes further up the canyon. The trade-off is the narrow road leading up to the lake from Nebo Loop Road. It is paved and easy to drive, but you have to go slowly, because passing is not possible in most places along the road. The turn off for Maple Lake comes up about 5 miles up the Nebo Loop.
The Trail
Once you reach the Maple Lake campground, there is a very small parking lot with room for just a half dozen vehicles. The parking area is right inside the campground. From the parking area, walk downhill about 50 yards to the lake. This area is especially pretty in the Fall, but you can easily spot ducks and deer near the shore at any time of year. We even saw an osprey diving feet first for fish into the lake’s surface.
Circle Maple Lake to the left, or clockwise. The trail stays very close to the shore, so little ones can stop to throw rocks or look for fish in the water. There are multiple wide benches so that you can stop and sit. This makes Maple Lake an ideal spot for an adventurous date as you drive along the loop. There are also a few spots with picnic tables.
The trail continues around the lake. Before you know it, you’ll cross the small dam and be back to where you started. From there it is a short, easy climb to the parking area. We love the beautiful scenery of Maple Lake in Payson Canyon, and there are a lot of other great places to stop on the Nebo Loop. Check out our list of stops in this beautiful place here: 9 Stops along the Nebo Loop.
