4/22/14 - Adams Cabin, Layton, Utah

[jman]

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? ). 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!



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) . 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

[peakbagger1971]

That's a better looking cabin then I pictured while reading your report.if love to visit one day.

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[jman]

That's a better looking cabin then I pictured while reading your report.if love to visit one day.

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Ah Thanks!

Well...I didn't show you the garbage and dead critters (4 dead mice, 1 dead rat). Maybe that will change your mind... ;)

Oh, and if you can do this on a slightly breezy day - the better. There are MANY, MANY flies and bugs that will devour you! I have done this hike numerous times and the flies will drive a person insane! That's another reason why I think a lot of people don't make it to the cabin either. They will fly up your shorts, in your ears, get in-between your sunglasses and eyes (so annoying) and down your shirt - ugh...reminds me a lot like firefighting during those times. But if you can persevere - it's worth it.

[ahansen60]

Sounds really cool. Not seeing any pictures though?

[jman]

Sounds really cool. Not seeing any pictures though?

Try it again. I just fixed all of the pics that were in the wrong order and also placed some anecdotes with the pics.

[blueeyes]

Nice. I have heard of the cabin but never ventured up Adams.

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[Sandstone Addiction]

Great report!

After seeing pics of the cabin, I thought for sure there must be a road to the area. So I got on Google Maps and Bing Maps and there are no roads anywhere near that cabin site. So how in the world did they get the concrete, wood stove, metal roofing, plywood, etc. up there? Helicopter?

And I can't help but wonder why would someone build there? Just seems like a very unlikely spot for a cabin.

You wouldn't happen to have any history of the cabin would you?

[jman]

Great report!

After seeing pics of the cabin, I thought for sure there must be a road to the area. So I got on Google Maps and Bing Maps and there are no roads anywhere near that cabin site. So how in the world did they get the concrete, wood stove, metal roofing, plywood, etc. up there? Helicopter?

And I can't help but wonder why would someone build there? Just seems like a very unlikely spot for a cabin.

You wouldn't happen to have any history of the cabin would you?

I don't know the 'true' history unfortunately, but only know the 2nd and 3rd-hand stories.

They say the "Adams' Family" (I think the real surname is Smith) and they had like 9 brothers or something and that this was their refuge for many years to escape the summer heat. They owned a lot of horses and over the months they loaded up the horseys and built the cabin.

Then one day the Forest Service discovered the cabin and said that since it is on forest service land it has to remain a public-use cabin and not a privately owned cabin.

Well, that's what I've have heard. I haven't investigated any of those claims however.

[ahansen60]

Just did this hike with my girlfriend yesterday. Pretty fun hike. The cabin was cool. After the hike to the cabin we dropped off to the south into the canyon to bushwhack to the waterfall. It took forever! Really thick brush and steep terrain at times. But it was cool to see the waterfall again. Everybody and their dog was on that trail though. You wouldn't believe how many cars were parked at the trailhead!

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[jman]

Just did this hike with my girlfriend yesterday. Pretty fun hike. The cabin was cool. After the hike to the cabin we dropped off to the south into the canyon to bushwhack to the waterfall. It took forever! Really think brush and steep terrain at times. But it was cool to see the waterfall again. Everybody and their dog was on that trail though. You wouldn't believe how many cars were parked at the trailhead!

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Wow! Congrats on making it. Yea that bushwhack sucks! It's the most direct way for sure to the waterfall.

Can you imagine that some of tried going up to the cabin from the waterfall ?

Yea, Adams is painful on the weekend. Even so, if you have low expectations (IE not looking for solitude) it's still a good hike with the crowds though.

Thanks for sharing the update!

[Iceaxe]

The Adams Cabin has been on my to-do list for a long time..... but I keep putting it off because that's a long ways to hike just to have sex.