Hell Canyon - Ensign Peak Trail

The trail starts about 0.5 miles north of the state capitol on State Road 186. There's a small gravel parking lot at the trailhead sign on the east side of road. This first section of the trail is a switchbacking, gentle incline through grasses and past a small spring/creek. After about a mile, take a left at the T junction and head west/north along a mellow uphill singletrack through lots of grassy growth. (To the right is a neighborhood trail that leads east to a residential street.) Stay left when you see the steep uphill right fork directly toward some houses. Fork right at the rustic sign that simply says "Hell Canyon" to start a lovely ascent up Hell Canyon to the east above the mining operation below on the highway. Cross the gravel road at the top of Hell Canyon to climb the west Ensign Peak switchbacks the rest of the way. On these switchbacks, there's pretty much no traffic until you hit the junction with the regular Ensign Peak Trail which comes up from the east side. (The gravel road to the left will allow access to the BST: City Creek to North Salt Lake section.)