North Arm Nature Trail

North Arm Trailhead

Welcome to the trail!

We’re back at one of my favorite spots this week. But instead of taking the route most traveled (that would be the Pineview West Trail), we’re going to detour down the somewhat neglected Nature Trail from the North Arm Trailhead. This is a quick and easy, go-as-far-as-you-wish type of hike, but it still offers plenty of beauty and a little more solitude than the main trail. Plus, there’s easy access to water! (Who else has a tyke that can’t resist water?!) Come along on the North Arm Nature Trail!

How to get there

The parking lot for the trailhead is located here, immediately after the Y intersection off Highway 158 when you’re coming from Valley Market in the middle of Eden. It’s a big lot and I’ve never seen it full, so you shouldn’t have to worry about parking. There are two vault toilets available in the parking lot (and yes, they are currently open during COVID).

Trail at a glance

Distance: it’s really up to you, but about 0.6 miles round trip gives you a good little hike with plenty to see, perfect for the tiniest tykes, with options for “extra credit” distance for more adventurous folks

Destination: a large willow tree next to the mostly dry stream bed of the North Fork of the Ogden River (late summer is the perfect time to visit here since the water is so low and slow)

Tyke perks: boardwalk, bridges, rocks, shallow stream

Notable flora: cattail, teasel, goldenrod, canada thistle, daisy, burdock, blue flax, a pretty yellow primrose (that I don’t know the official name of), aster, willow, woolly mullein, salsify

Fascinating fauna: hummingbirds, owls, chickadees and other songbirds (that I couldn’t name by their calls), deer, sandhill cranes

Watch out for: dogs (hopefully they’re on leashes with attentive owners, but sometimes they’re not), bikes (on the main trail only - I’ve never seen a biker on the nature trail), mountain lions and moose (again, never seen either of these big animals, but they are known to roam the valley, so just keep your eyes open)

While you’re hiking

The trail starts at the south end of the parking lot. (Note: if you’re looking toward Pineview Reservoir, you’re looking south.) Start walking along the the trail and cross the short boardwalk. (Note: just past this first boardwalk the trail conditions vary from dry (currently) to muddy to ankle deep standing water when runoff from the mountains is high. People usually rig up rocks or drag logs to bridge across when it’s puddly, but just be aware, you may get wet feet if you’re hiking in the spring!)

Soon you’ll come to the first bridge 0.1 miles from the start. (Note: this was recently raised and leveled but does not as yet have railings, so just hold little hands as you walk across the stream.) Follow the trail through some trees till you come to the big bridge across the North Fork of the Ogden River. This is a beautiful new bridge that was installed last year after the old one was washed out a couple of years before that. Depending on the season, you’ll find nearly dry ground underneath or a rushing river swelling the banks. (I spy the sandbags hiding in the weeds that keep things flowing in a productive direction when the runoff is high!)

Immediately after crossing the big bridge, look for a trail going off the main trail (boardwalk) to the left; there is also a sign pointing left for the Nature Trail. Follow this trail through the tall trees. At about the 0.2 mile mark in your hike you’ll see a small fork off to the left that takes you to a view of the river.

Back on the main trail, in about 150 feet, you’ll see a big log on the left with a faint trail going off through the weeds towards the water. Follow this small trail to the big willow near the shore of the (mostly dry) streambed. You’ll find plenty of rocks to toss in the water trickling through here. It’s a great shady spot to spend a few (or many) minutes. See if you can spot any deer prints in the mud along the edges.

From here you can head back to the car (this would be the 0.6 mile round trip I listed above), but if you’re feeling adventurous, try following the streambed as far as you can. If you’re not afraid of getting your feet wet a few times, you can make it all the way to the lake!

Or, when you get back on the Nature Trail, you could turn left to continue further on what used to be a loop. It has not been kept up in recent years, so many trees have grown/fallen over the trail and it is impossible to complete the loop without some serious bush whacking. But you could explore until you can’t anymore and then turn around to go back home.

Note: I especially love hiking this one in the winter - the snow is usually packed down so you don’t even need snowshoes, and it’s a totally new experience when all the leaves are gone and the world is white!

Happy hikers

How has your summer of hiking gone? Do you have a new favorite trail? Have you been able to extend your hiking distance as a family? What cool plants or animals have you spotted in the wild? I hope you’ve had a positive time in the mountains with your loved ones the past few months. I’d love to hear from you in the comments or just hit reply. In the meantime, keep on hikin’ and happy trails!