Millcreek Canyon Hikes – Murdock Peak
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Millcreek Canyon is one of my favorite spots in Northern Utah for a few reasons. 1) It allows dogs so we can bring Dex. 2) It has such close proximity to Salt Lake City. Millcreek Canyon is open all year. There is a $5 fee paid upon exit of the canyon. However they have a gate about halfway up the canyon that is closed November 1 – June 30 every year. If you are looking for Millcreek Canyon hikes when the gate is open, I would suggest Murdock Peak.
Murdock Peak
According to AllTrails, Murdock Peak is 6.9 miles RT with 1948 ft of elevation gain and is rated as moderate. However, according to my Garmin it was just under 8 miles with 2208 ft of elevation gain. Regardless, for a peak it was not the most strenuous. There was one small section of scrambling that was pretty tough but it was short.
To access this hike, take MillCreek Canyon to the very end of the road. The trail begins across from the bathrooms. There are also two turns that you take on this trail. You will cross over a wooden bridge and turn left when the trail dead ends. You will also turn left when the trail joins up with another trail – The Crest Trail. There will be a sign there that says “No Bikes on Odd Days”.
If you are looking for Millcreek Canyon hikes, Murdock Peak really has incredible view to effort ratio. It’s also a great option if you are looking to get a peak under your belt without having to do any serious scrambling.
Millcreek Canyon Hikes
Despite being in the 90s down in the Salt Lake Valley, the trailhead for Murdock Peak starts at the very end of the canyon road. Therefore, it was already in the 80s once we got started. The peak itself was very windy and quite cool. I brought a packable jacket and leggings to put on at the top and was very glad I did.
If you are looking for other hikes in the Salt Lake City area, check out this list.
Have you done this hike before? What are your favorites in the Millcreek Canyon area? Let me know in the comments!
Let’s Stay in Touch…
Andrea Cannon is a pharmacist, triathlete, gratitude practicer, and avid traveler. For both business and pleasure, she has taken more than 250 flights yearly for the past 3 years. In addition to being a travel hacking enthusiast, Andrea enjoys hiking and spending time with her husband (Austin) and dog (Dex). You can connect with her via her blog www.beaUTAHfulworld.com or on Instagram @andreafcannon .
8 thoughts on “Millcreek Canyon Hikes – Murdock Peak”
Such a fun hike and that view is beautiful!!
Thank you so much lady! It really was an incredible view!
Hi! I will be traveling out west for the first time real soon! I plan to hike a few trails near Salt Lake City. Do you have any other suggestions? Hoping to avoid overly touristy stuff 😁
Oh yes! It depends on how soon you are coming but there will likely still be snow for quite a bit on the trails. My favorites in the winter are these: https://beautahfulworld.com/frozen-waterfall-hikes-in-northern-utah/ – Adam’s Canyon is the least popular of them.
We’re coming the second week of may. Will there still be snow? I am checking the weather next week so it can be as accurate as possible for our trip.
Yes there probably will still be snow as it just snowed up in the mountains today (lol). The Millcreek Canyon gates remain closed until July 1 each year. However, you can definitely still hike in the area. Make sure to pack microspikes and take a look at these hikes: http://beautahfulworld.com/salt-lake-city-hiking/ or consider visiting Antelope Island State Park (no spikes needed).
I have hiked Murdock peak about four times. My first time when I was 13 and the last time I was 30. Each time I hiked up the east face from the Park City side and it was very strenuous with almost 3000 feet gain because the path is shorter and steeper. This summer I want to try the Millcreek approach. I am excited to try it out! Awesome website.
Thank you so much! it’s such a good hike! I hope you enjoy it from the other side.