Update: Dogs are allowed on the trail (on-leash!).
While I love hiking with company, once in a while it is really nice to go on a solo hike. You pick the pace, and no conversation needed, just you, your thoughts, and the dirt trail in front of you. I have to say, I usually bring Olive so I am not "totally" alone. And while Olive is my favorite to hike with, there was something really relaxing about only having to worry about myself. Didn't need to pack water or treats, or worry where shes run off to every five seconds (sorry Olive). And I can take as mannnny pictures as I want without slowing anyone down.
Sunday I packed my hiking bag with water, a sandwich, carrots and dip, and my photography supplies and drove the 45 minutes to Antelope Island State Park on the Great Salt Lake.
There are so many amazing and beautiful spots in Utah, and Antelope Island is very high on that list. This is the largest island sitting in the iconic Great Salt Lake. Just 45 minutes north of the city, this is an easy spot to escape the city and feel like you are back in the Wild West. Bison and antelope roam the island, and you can take a trip down to the historic ranch to go horseback riding or just take a step back into time. The island is also a popular spot for bikers and hikers, and is even home to Utah's 100 mile running race.
Frary Peak is a very popular hike, and a relatively easy summit compared to many of Utah's prominent peaks. At just only 7 miles round trip and 2,000' of elevation gain, you can stand on top of Antelope Island's tallest peak with amazing views of the island and the Great Salt Lake. With Thatcher home watching the dog, this was the perfect time to go on a solo hike to the summit of Frary Peak (6,596').
I am so glad I did because this was the perfect hike to go out on my own, and the perfect time of year for it. The summer is the worst time for this hike, as there is no shade from the brutal sun and the bugs are horrendous (google flies of Great Salt Lake and let me apologize in advance). But mid-December means no bugs, few people on this usually busy trail, and the sun is a welcomed warmth from the cold temperatures and whipping wind. Most importantly, this is a great solo hike because it is darn near impossible to get lost (you are on an island, and my sense of direction is well.... less than wonderful). No lost in the woods for days here, just an open exposed trail climbing to the peak.
My biggest fear was death-by-bison, but more on that later.
The Basics
Distance: About 7 miles round trip.
Frary Peak Summit: 6,596'
Elevation Gain: ~2,000' over 3.5 miles.
Trailhead: Frary Peak Trailhead, Antelope Island State Park (10$ fee per car). Enter the park, take a left at the fork and keep going until you see the sign for the trailhead on the right. It will be a few miles.
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. Moderate for most of the trail, with a steep pitch the last quarter mile of the hike.
Dogs: UPDATE Girl On A Hike informed me of the update to the trail. She asked the State Park about the conflicting messages about dogs being on this trail. On the brochure it says no dogs allowed, but at the TH it says dogs can be ON the trail but must be leashed. The state park said they need to update the brochure - dogs ARE allowed on the trail but must be leashed.
Notes: The peak is named for George Frary who was a homesteader on the island form 1890 to 1897. Source. Be very aware of wildlife on the island. There were a few bison right off (or on the way back, right on the trail). While they are used to hikers, remember they are wild animals with sharp horns that move quite fast. Respect their space and keep your distance. The trail is well marked with mile markers every .5 miles. The route is a little harder to find for the last 1/4 of a mile, but is easier in the snow. Bring microspikes this time of year for the last snowy and very steep bit at the top.
The hike was absolutely beautiful from start to end. While spots had some elevation that made you sweat, they were balanced out with flat sections that allowed you to catch your breath and enjoy the view. The trail was easy to follow, and well marked, with mile markers every .5 miles. The trail was especially easy to follow with freshly fallen snow. All I had to do was follow the tracks of the other hikers all the way to the summit. Thankfully, the trail was not busy or packed down enough to be iced over. The perfect dusting of snow up to the peak, that was the perfect tool for finding my way up the last 1/4 mile of the trail, when the trail is much less defined.
The last 1/4 mile of the trail is very steep, and the trail gets very thin, with a ledge to your right. Without the snow, I can see how it would have been much harder to find the actual trail. I followed the footprints, up a set of man made "steep stairs" up to the peak. At the peak, you have 360 views of the island and the lake. You can also find a USGS marker from the 1800s. After a few photos at the summit, it was time to head back down to a less windy spot for lunch. The wind was ripping on Sunday and finding a spot out of the wind to enjoy lunch was a little more challenging that I thought. After lunch, I started back down the trail, only to discover 15 minutes in that I had left my microspikes on my lunch rock. Yep those 40$ spikes needed to come back home with me, so back I went for the spikes, adding on a little bit of mileage and an extra adventure.
By the time I got to the last mile of the trail, I had one more obstacle before I was back in my car and heading home for a hot dinner. I thought the bison were too close to the trail for comfort on the way to the peak, but as it turns out, they had moved right ON the trail by the time I returned. Bison are very large, and can be aggressive, as I have learned from all my research on the bison roundup. After waiting about 15 minutes, it became very clear very fast they were not moving anywhere, anytime soon. So once I found a group of hikers and a little bit of courage, I followed them around a long detour around the bison, and hopped back on the trail home. There were four of us, and two bison, so the odds were 50/50 right?
The group I met on the Bison Diversion route, were a couple from Indiana. We got to chatting, and when I asked what brought them to Utah, she gave me the most perfect message that really stuck with me. Life in Indiana was stagnant. They spend their free time in front of their couch watching tv. She told me it got to a point where she realized she was going to get up and do something about her life or die on that couch. So she and her husband, after visiting Utah and falling in love, packed up their lives and moved to Utah. Once here they found new jobs, and now spend every single weekend hiking, mountain biking and exploring the west. Instead of taking vacations to places they love, they moved to somewhere they love, and take vacations back home.
When comparing lists of hikes and adventures, they had an impressive roster of Utah's best hikes, biking trails, and National Parks. Her story really stuck with me as it was sort of similar to mine. Not that I wasn't active back in New England, but it is so easy to fall into a routine. There is that great quote, along the lines of "Don't live the same year 75 times and call it a life" and it is so true. Out here, so far away from everything I know, family and friends, I had all the time to explore, and so much new terrain to see. Every weekend was spent seeing somewhere new. While I have to believe Connecticut is 1,000 times better than Indiana, I absolutely understood where she was coming from.
The lessons I learned here in Utah, to leave your comfort zone, explore new territory, seek adventure and instill this sense in everything I do, will stick with me wherever I go.
