Red Canyon Recreation Area has several short little trails that offer beautiful views of the Flaming Gorge Area. There are also several lakes that can be fished or enjoyed on this short drive off Highway 44. We enjoyed a half mile walk along West Green’s Lake Interpretive Trail, which walks along the side of the lake.
West Green Lake is a bit of a mouthful for the size of the small pond that it names. The lake is pretty shallow, and we had difficulty fishing this lake because it was so shallow. But we did enjoy the short, flat hike that ran a quarter mile along the shore. Though we thought about bushwhacking all the way around the lake, we decided to turn around and walk back to the car, making this simple interpretive trail just a half mile out and back.
To reach the trailhead, drive down the short loop and park the car. There are a few signs by the manmade dock, but follow the trail as it heads right (counter-clockwise) around the lake. Keep your eyes open as we’ve seen a lot of wildlife in this area. On this trip, we saw a woodpecker in the tree right above us. We watched for nearly 15 minutes as he picked large pieces of bark off a ponderosa pine, searching for the tiny morsels that he found living there.
This trail is perfect for toddlers, and if we hadn’t stopped for the woodpeckers, we could easily have walked out and back in ten minutes. We recommend taking a slow contemplative stroll, watching for animals and noting the ripples on West Green Lake. There are some nice picnic tables to the other side of the lake, and the trail heads that direction for just a bit. We didn’t walk over there, but you could easily walk along the tables and the lake that way, too This is a really beautiful part of northeastern Utah! Make sure to drive to the end of the Red Canyon road for the overlook.
