Mill D North to Dog Lake

This fun and easy Wasatch hike has surprisingly nice views right from the first few minutes of the trail. Sitting across from the insanely popular Donut Falls, this hike gets far less people but can still be pretty crowded at times. With that in mind, it is generally less frequented than many of the choices in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The views up Cardiff Fork all the way to Mount Superior are quite stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset. Kessler Peak looms over the whole area, always makes for a great photo, and tends to catch the low lying clouds as they pass. After heading east along the face of the hillside you begin to turn north and back into the canyon and its pine and aspen forests. The small North Fork creek runs along parts of the trail, and flowers abound in summer. There is a decent chance to see a moose, hawks, or porcupine while on the trail. Near the end of the trail is a fork that would take you to Desolation Lake 2 miles further from the marker. The final pitch before you hit the lake is pretty steep, but overall the hike isn't very vertical compared to many other hikes in the Wasatch. At the end of the trail sits Dog Lake, and Mill D is one of three possible routes to the medium-sized body of water. Butler Fork and Millcreek are the other two ways to access the lake, but only Millcreek allows dogs.