jman
04-27-2014, 01:17 PM
MANY people are familiar with the famous Adam's Canyon in Layton, but those same people do not know about Adam's Cabin - a public use "cabin"/shelter located about 2000 feet above the main trail.
I have hiked to the cabin numerous times over the years and and it seems more and more people are becoming familiar with it, at least by name.
THANKFULLY, it's nestled near the top of the mountain which will keep MOST people away. There is no flat areas, or switchbacks on this trail whatsoever. Its ALL uphill (as with most hikes right? :bootyshake: ). IF you are OUT OF SHAPE - this hike isn't for you. Sure, it's GREAT exercise if you can't make it - but the cabin is the reward along with it's great views!
The trailhead for the canyon is the same Adams' Canyon. When you reach the top of the dirt switchbacks and start to enter Adams' Canyon this is where the Cabin Trailhead begins (see pic below with my finger pointing at it).
From the trailhead - the path is quite easy to see. Up and Up and Up you go. About 3/4 is where the "bushwhack" begins. I call it a "bushwhack" because the vegetation is sprawling over the trail and will snag anything you are wearing even though the trail is still visible. I would guess that a lot of people make it up to these point and turn-around here - ergo, the lack of a clear path.
On this particular journey - about 300 yards from the cabin, I ran into deep snow. Crotch deep. Thankfully, my running shoes kept my feet dry. It's bad, heavy snow. It was clear from the this hike that I was the first one up here in a few months evidenced by the lack of snow footprints (although, not definitive proof).
Once on top of last climb through the snow, hike-downhill (your first time yay!!) for 40 feet until you see the cabin.
The Cabin is in decent shape - although the interior could use a cleaning. Trash was everywhere in the corners and on the beds. If I came prepared with garbage bags I would of hauled it out. Cleaning out the cabin would be a good project if you have a horse or two. There are a LOT of OLD, crusted out 2-liter bottles and 5gallon containers stacked in corners clogging up space.
After about 30minutes of lounging around and charging up my cell-phone using my Goal Zero backup, it was time to head back down. What a great trail!
73306
Here's a few stats:
Total Hike Time: 3 3/4 hours (including 25min break on top).
Total Mileage: 5.24 miles (one way is 2.62. Another website claims it is 3.5 miles one-way. That is false.)
Elevation Gain: 2871 feet (+/-50feet)
Time to Cabin from TH: 1 hr and 47 mins
Time from Cabin to TH: 1 hr and 5 mins.
There is a unmapped spring about 20 mins from the cabin that I have dubbed Adams' Spring (unique name - I KNOW!! I pat myself on the back for that one:bootyshake:) . I have hiked this once in July ( a bad, bad idea!) and the spring was still active. HOWEVER, I wouldn't bet my life on it as it's pretty shallow and more of a trickle. During the spring it will be flowing nicely, but late summer and fall I wouldn't count on it. Here are the coordinates for it: N41
I have hiked to the cabin numerous times over the years and and it seems more and more people are becoming familiar with it, at least by name.
THANKFULLY, it's nestled near the top of the mountain which will keep MOST people away. There is no flat areas, or switchbacks on this trail whatsoever. Its ALL uphill (as with most hikes right? :bootyshake: ). IF you are OUT OF SHAPE - this hike isn't for you. Sure, it's GREAT exercise if you can't make it - but the cabin is the reward along with it's great views!
The trailhead for the canyon is the same Adams' Canyon. When you reach the top of the dirt switchbacks and start to enter Adams' Canyon this is where the Cabin Trailhead begins (see pic below with my finger pointing at it).
From the trailhead - the path is quite easy to see. Up and Up and Up you go. About 3/4 is where the "bushwhack" begins. I call it a "bushwhack" because the vegetation is sprawling over the trail and will snag anything you are wearing even though the trail is still visible. I would guess that a lot of people make it up to these point and turn-around here - ergo, the lack of a clear path.
On this particular journey - about 300 yards from the cabin, I ran into deep snow. Crotch deep. Thankfully, my running shoes kept my feet dry. It's bad, heavy snow. It was clear from the this hike that I was the first one up here in a few months evidenced by the lack of snow footprints (although, not definitive proof).
Once on top of last climb through the snow, hike-downhill (your first time yay!!) for 40 feet until you see the cabin.
The Cabin is in decent shape - although the interior could use a cleaning. Trash was everywhere in the corners and on the beds. If I came prepared with garbage bags I would of hauled it out. Cleaning out the cabin would be a good project if you have a horse or two. There are a LOT of OLD, crusted out 2-liter bottles and 5gallon containers stacked in corners clogging up space.
After about 30minutes of lounging around and charging up my cell-phone using my Goal Zero backup, it was time to head back down. What a great trail!
73306
Here's a few stats:
Total Hike Time: 3 3/4 hours (including 25min break on top).
Total Mileage: 5.24 miles (one way is 2.62. Another website claims it is 3.5 miles one-way. That is false.)
Elevation Gain: 2871 feet (+/-50feet)
Time to Cabin from TH: 1 hr and 47 mins
Time from Cabin to TH: 1 hr and 5 mins.
There is a unmapped spring about 20 mins from the cabin that I have dubbed Adams' Spring (unique name - I KNOW!! I pat myself on the back for that one:bootyshake:) . I have hiked this once in July ( a bad, bad idea!) and the spring was still active. HOWEVER, I wouldn't bet my life on it as it's pretty shallow and more of a trickle. During the spring it will be flowing nicely, but late summer and fall I wouldn't count on it. Here are the coordinates for it: N41