Perry Canyon Hiking Trail/Mines

The Perry Canyon Trail is a nice multi-use trail in Perry, Utah. The trail goes all the way up to Grizzly Peak which is a pretty mountain very close to Inspiration Point. This is a singletrack trail that is very popular for mountain bikes. I could never make it all the way to the top on a bike but I wish I had brought my bike to ride to the mines because it looks really fun. If you do the whole trail it is 9 miles and almost 5000 feet of elevation gain. For this trek, I only hiked to the mines and back. There is a large parking area next to a small pond. There is a small bear sign marking the beginning of the trail. You will very shortly reach a fork in the trail. Take the bridge to the right to stay on the singletrack. Otherwise you will just be walking on a dirt road part of the way. The trail wasn't overly scenic this time of year but was very peaceful and quiet. I didn't see another person the whole time. In the summer it would be great with green leaves and lots of shade. There was a pretty cool little lean-to you could live in if you decide to go homeless. There are tons of bridges made for mountain bikers. They were handy for hiking too because you cross the creek a bunch of times. The trail is pretty easy to follow. Just look for the singletrack areas and head up the canyon. You will be following the creek most of the time which is nice. At one spot you will see a small rope swing that would be fun to play around on. The mines are pretty hard to miss as you can see the tailings piles right on the trail. These mines are graphite mines dating to 1910. There are three tunnels. One goes back about 200 feet but is pretty uneventful. The biggest mine by far from the tailings pile sizes was filled in. You could probably dig your way in if you really wanted to. The third tunnel you have to crawl in but is exactly like the first tunnel. Right by the mines there is a fire pit that would be a nice place to camp if you wanted to spend a night. Follow the same trail back to your car. Remember to watch for the single track trail on the left when you reach the road again so you aren't just hiking on a dirt road.