Tucked away in the lush folds of Wasatch Mountain State Park, Cascade Springs is one of Heber Valley’s best-kept secrets—though the secret is definitely getting out! With crystal-clear water bubbling out of the mountainside, a series of picturesque boardwalks, and serene ponds surrounded by wildflowers and wildlife, this spot feels like something out of a fairytale. Whether you’re a local looking for a peaceful escape or a visitor exploring Utah’s scenic wonders, Cascade Springs is a must-see stop.
A Natural Wonderland
Cascade Springs is a natural artesian spring system that pours out an astonishing 7 million gallons of fresh water a day. The water bubbles up from underground and tumbles gently over limestone terraces, forming a series of waterfalls and pools teeming with aquatic life. It’s a haven for trout, birds, butterflies, and dragonflies—and if you’re lucky, you might even spot a moose or deer grazing nearby.
The water is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom of the pools, making it a favorite for nature photographers and curious kids alike.
Easy and Family-Friendly
One of the best things about Cascade Springs? It’s easy to get to and perfect for all ages. A network of paved and wooden boardwalk trails loops around the springs, so strollers and wheelchairs are welcome. You don’t have to be a seasoned hiker to enjoy this beautiful place—just bring your sense of wonder.
The walk is short and sweet (about a mile round trip) with plenty of places to stop, rest, and soak in the scenery. There are benches scattered along the trail and interpretive signs that explain the area’s geology, plants, and wildlife.
“Slow down, explore at your own pace, and reconnect with nature.”
How to Get There
Cascade Springs is located in Wasatch Mountain State Park, just a short drive from Midway. You can access it via the Cascade Springs Drive, which is a beautiful drive all on its own. Or you can loop your drive and access via the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway.
Come See for Yourself!
Whether you’re looking for a peaceful morning walk, a fun family outing, or a scenic stop on your Utah adventure, Cascade Springs delivers beauty, tranquility, and a refreshing taste of the wild. It’s a little slice of paradise just waiting to be discovered.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your water bottle, load up the family, and come see the magic of Cascade Springs for yourself. You’ll leave refreshed, inspired, and maybe even a little more in love with the natural beauty of Heber Valley.
Imagine, for a moment, being surrounded by gorgeous mountain views on a crisp star-lit winter night. Huge feathery flakes twinkle as they fall, and a brilliant moon guides you along your path. Caught in the moonbeams, it appears you’re walking through a sea of diamonds instead of snow. You stop to take in the majesty of the moment, the still of the evening broken only by the crunch of snow underfoot. Soon, shouts of ‘Welcome,’ friendly conversations, and laughter echo through the aspens, scrub oak, and pines. Off in the distance, the subtle glow of lights and a melodious song remind you that a delicious meal and good company await you. Your heart beats with excitement as you put one snowshoe in front of the other, eager to reach your destination. The experience is magical and unforgettable.
Now, imagine that you don’t have to imagine! The Nordic Yurt in Soldier Hollow offers all the above and more! Owners, Bryan and Kate Silvey love the outdoors and enjoy sharing their passion with others. The couple is originally from the East Coast; however, like many avid outdoor enthusiasts, the mountains were calling, and they chose not only to go but to stay — making Midway their home.
Bryan has worked as an outdoor guide for most of his life, and Kate spent years helping others create small businesses. They both also have backgrounds in outdoor education. The couple’s enthusiasm for adventure and staying active and healthy, combined with their love for the mountains and the wild flora and fauna, led them to start Wilderness Access Outfitters. Kate shares, “Wilderness Access Outfitters allowed us to bring together our past experiences, desires, and passions of what we do in life, and to offer the Heber Valley the experience of accessing the outdoors. […] I’ve always wanted to open my own small business, and it felt like the combo of coming together and building an outdoor company was the right move for us as a family.”
Initially, WAO offered guided hiking, fly fishing, and stand-up paddle boarding trips. In addition to their excursions, WAO also rented everything you would need for an overnight backpacking or camping trip, a day at the lake in a kayak or canoe, and other outdoor essentials. If you needed it or wanted it, they would make it happen. As the company began to take off, Kate and Bryan decided to ramp up their guided snowshoeing tour by including an amazing meal in a cozy Nordic-style yurt! Kate explains, “These Yurt dinners were a great way to have a mix of [an outdoor activity and] having a fine dining experience in the beautiful outdoors of the Wasatch Mountain State Park; taking advantage of the Dark Sky Initiative, and being under the stars.”
Kate and Bryan were excited about the opportunity to work with Wasatch State Park, building an 18-foot yurt and working with local chefs to create delicious four-course meals. In the beginning, Kate and Bryan did everything but prepare/cook the meals. They guided the outdoor adventurers on a gorgeous snowshoe trail to the yurt, where they would serve each course and then guide their guests back to their meeting spot. After the goodbyes, the couple would tromp on back for clean up. They washed dishes, did the laundry, vacuumed, and cleaned the yurt, along with a plethora of other tasks that needed to be done. It was a lot of work, but the couple enjoyed having that time to talk with and get to know their guests. The experience felt more like an outing with friends and family, with a delicious meal in between. That personal interaction and attention to detail was not lost on the community as they came out to support Kate and Bryan. Soon, word spread, and people from all over came to Midway to enjoy the snowshoe excursions and Nordic Yurt dinners. Five years and a full staff later, the Nordic Yurt was ready for an adventure of its own. Kate explains, “Our partnership with the state park has been incredible. They’ve been remarkably supportive of us from the beginning. […] They’ve watched us grow from only having a few dinners to five dinners a week during the winter, plus summer and private events. […] When we decided it was time for us to grow — they said we think the space we have in Soldier Hollow would be a good fit for you. So, because we already had that trust, that relationship, and the bond of working together, going into Soldier Hollow was the next organic step for us.”
In 2021, Kate and Bryan expanded to a 30-foot yurt at Soldier Hollow. They built a fun deck where guests can sit and chat, listen to live music, and sip a drink while resting on the rails and enjoying the beautiful scenery and fantastic views of Heber and Midway. If they’re lucky, some wildlife may stroll nearby to say hi. Visitors can warm themselves by two deck fires, wander down to a large fire pit, take a seat, snuggle up in the fun western-themed blankets, and enjoy a S’more or two. The deck also creates a fun spot for Kate to welcome guests and introduce them to the musician(s), staff, bar, and Chef Ryan Estel, owner of the Old Goat. Kate shares, “Ryan has created a different menu each year for the Yurt, which is exciting because we can offer something different for returning guests — a new experience with new flavors.” Ryan has partnered with Kate and Bryan for the last four years and has been part of what has made the yurt dinners so successful. “[…] it has been an incredible relationship to be able to create with Ryan — he’s a fantastic chef and is constantly blowing us away with the menus that we come up with together and we are excited to offer him again this year with the Nordic Yurt.” Aside from his prowess as a talented chef, one of the draws to Ryan was that he is local. Kate says, “We live here in the valley and want to support and give back to our community as much as we can. Most of our employees are local, and it’s important for us to support other local businesses, too. We try to use local vendors, local musicians, and get our food as local as we can. All of our wines and beers that we bring in are local.” In September, Kate partnered with Sierra Prothers, owner of Casperville Creations, for Harvest in the Hollow, offering delightful veggies, micro-greens, and even some edible flowers for their appetizer, salad, and main course.
From the outset, Kate and Bryan’s goal has always been to share their love of the outdoors, good food, good company, and access to the beauties that surround the Wasatch Valley with everyone. The expansion of the yurt has allowed them to serve more guests and offer new opportunities for friends and family to gather. Kate shares, “During the summer, we offered chuck wagon and hike-in dinners and hosted a lot of private events. […] It’s been another fun way for us to invite locals and tourists to our beautiful outdoors and enjoy our valley.” Although the Nordic Yurt has only been at Soldier Hollow for two years, Kate and Bryan look forward to what the future holds for both the Nordic Yurt and WAO. But for now, Kate shares, “Being a part of this little Winter Wonderland and working with our staff and Wasatch Mountain State Park and Soldier Hollow has really been such an honor. To be able to offer guided fishing on these beautiful blue ribbon rivers, the yurt dinners and private events, and get people outdoors and help them have an experience that they’ve never had before, to give them an unforgettable moment here in the Heber Valley, is a blessing. It’s such a great experience to be able to bring people together to enjoy the outdoors, to celebrate each other and this beautiful environment that we are in.”
There’s so much to do in Heber Valley’s Winter Wonderland!
After a day of activity at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, enjoying the tubing hill, cross-country ski trails, biathlon shooting, snowshoeing excursions, and Ice Castles, or other winter adventures throughout the valley including, alpine skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, train rides, or sleigh and horseback riding, the best way to end the day is with an adventurous dinner at WAO Nordic Yurt.
Wilderness Access Outfitters Nordic Yurt at Soldier Hollow waoutah.com
The beautiful Wasatch Back, Heber Valley, and west Uintah Range are home to a wide and growing collection of multi-use trails; many available for use in winter by Fat Tire Mountain Bikers (FT), Cross-Country (XC) and Back-Country (BC) skiers and boarders, and snowshoers. Hikers are not allowed to use the groomed trail system as they sink deep into the snow and may ruin the trails. There are groomed roads for winter hiking in most areas. Further, your dogs are welcome to join you as long as you pick up after their mess. Also, no motorized vehicles are allowed other than the machines that make and groom these trails. Let’s take a tour of our trails, starting to the West of the Heber Valley.
Wasatch Mountain State Park Trail System
Wasatch Mountain State Park (WMSP) hosts an amazing collection of rangers, guides, and volunteers to help safely access incredible terrain and geology, including ‘lost mines,’ gorgeous views, rugged roads, and numerous multi-use, all-season trails. Starting at the park headquarters, where folks can rent FT bikes and XC skis, a multi-use summer/winter trail system begins. For beginners, the winter golf course trails and Green all-season trails wind up Snake and Pine Canyons, and offer FT riders, XC and BC skiers the opportunity to practice and test their skills and equipment with little fear of a bad crash.
However, the Green trails are limited and quickly turn into Blue and Black all-season trails. Summer hikers and mountain bikers share the trails, as do winter FT riders, XC and BC skiers, split-boarders, and snowshoers. The longest and most popular trail is the WOW trail, which starts just above the SP Campground and climbs Pine Canyon to the bottom of Bonanza Flats. Most mountain bikers (summer) use a two-car relay system to start at the top and fly to the bottom — a few bent bikes and broken bones have occurred on this challenging path! In winter, the WOW trail is ungroomed, but a few hardcore FT bikers tackle it early before the snow gets too deep, and a few more BC Skiers and Split-Boarders climb the trail then negotiate the WOW and side trails down Pine Canyon in rather dense tree-covered terrain.
About two miles from WMSP HQ/Pond, driving or riding east along Pine Canyon/River Roads, then north up Dutch Hollow Road, is the WMSP Dutch Hollow multi-use, all-season trail system. This is my favorite trail system in the Park, with trail names like Prospector, Donkey Ridge, The Barrell, Boneyard, and 1000 Turns. In summer, the mountain biking here is phenomenal.
Last winter, some friends and I climbed to the top of Burnt Ridge. I was on BC skis while my friends climbed in snowshoes, holding their snowboards. We skied/rode a steep slope down to the parking lot. Pure fun and a great workout! Finally, there are a few trails groomed by residents for FT riders, and the snowshoeing and XC/BC skiing are fantastic back in Dutch Hollow. The longest trail, up Dutch Hollow Road, eventually leads to the intersection of two canyons and a few old silver mines.
Wasatch State Park to Park City and Deer Valley Connector Trail System (In Development)
The Dutch Canyon Trail System in Wasatch State Park will eventually connect via multi-use trails to Park City and Deer Valley. This system will likely utilize routes up Pine Canyon then through Bonanza Flats, and from Dutch Hollow along the foothills west of SR 40 then along the base of the new Mayflower-Deer Valley ski complex and Deer Crest Portal. This will be a non-winter mountain bike trail system, but in winter, a few sections will be accessible on skis and snowshoes, except where they cross ski resort downhill trails.
Mayflower/Deer Valley Resorts Trail System (In Development)
According to a new agreement, and plans in development for winter use, many of these trails will be ski lift-accessed for skiers with passes in winter. Any skier with safety straps or brakes and a pass could use these trails, including Telemarkers (TM) and BC skiers. Snowboarding will not be allowed on Mayflower and Deer Valley properties. In Summer, however, hikers and mountain bikers will have access as they do at Deer Valley Resort’s trail system, using lifts/gondolas to access them. Mayflower will add a lot of new multi-use trails and trail extensions. Some trails here may not require a ski lift pass to access, but which of these will be accessible by FT Mountain Bikers and XC Skiers/Snowshoers during the winter remains to be determined. Currently, the Mid Mountain and other multi-use trails, accessed from parking lots, including the Ontario Mine and Empire/Guardsman Pass Road parking lots, are open for XC/BC skiers and snowshoers without a ski lift pass. However, only a few are groomed in winter for FT Mountain Bikers.
Jordanelle/Coyote Ridge Multi-Use Trail System: In winter, this is a groomed FT mountain bike, snowshoe, and XC/BC trail system best accessed from a small parking area and Cutthroat Trail Gate at the apex of the Heber City – Francis Road, Hwy 32, south of Jordanelle Reservoir. A multi-use trail around the Reservoir also begins at Rock Springs, SP. However, south of Hwy 32, in the Coyote Ridge or Jordanelle Ridge area, numerous groomed and well-maintained trails provide some of the best biking, snowshoeing, and XC/BC skiing near Heber City.
Big Pole Trail System
Only a few minutes by car or bike from downtown Heber City, the Big Pole trails cater to hikers and bikers in summer and XC/BC skiers and snowshoers in winter. The trails are maintained but not groomed in winter. To get there, take Center Street east from town to Little Pole Road, hang a left, and follow the road a few miles to the Big Pole Trailhead. Located in a private community, parking is limited. Here, as at Jordanelle/Coyote Ridge, an abundance of rugged Keatley Volcanic Epoch lava-mud-rock flows cover the hills — there are various trail options, from under three miles to a 10+ mile loop. All boast incredible views of the Wasatch and Mt. Timpanogos to the west, and once you get to the top of the trails, of the High Uintah Mountains to the east.
Soldier Hollow Trail System
Soldier Hollow also boasts a new, world-class, late Spring-Summer-Fall Mountain Bike trail system that, in many places, intersects their winter Nordic trails. This did not stop them from hosting several FT Mountain Bike races last season, and they are thinking about grooming at least one trail for permanent winter FT riding that steers clear of the Nordic ski tracks. Soldier Hollow has hosted several mountain bike races (in conjunction with NICA and UHSCL, and others) over the past few years and plans to offer several national-level mountain bike races in the future. Besides, with a Soldier Hollow year-round membership, the public can access all their trails all the time, rent E-Mountain bikes if needed, and enjoy this fantastic single-track paradise with its new apres-ski/bike facilities.
Soldier Hollow Trail System, New for 2024
As we’ve seen, the Wasatch Back-Heber Valley-western Uintah mountains offer many excellent multi-use trails, many of which cater to year-round sports. This winter, you might want to rent or buy a Fat Tire Mountain Bike, XC or BC skis, or snowshoes and navigate the trails in Dutch Canyon, Jordanelle/Coyote Ridge, Big Pole, or Soldier Hollow. Let’s, pray for snow and get ready to play outside!
VOLUNTEER OR DONATE TO OUR TRAILS IF YOU LOVE YOUR TRAILS
— please consider volunteering and becoming a member. Wasatch Trails Foundation: wasatchtrailsfoundation.org
Heber City will be holding an open house on Wednesday for public review of recommendations from the Parks and Trails Committee. The public is invited to attend virtually over Zoom. The meeting will begin at 6pm and again at 7pm, August 26, 2020. The public open house sessions will be recorded and available for viewing afterwards on the Heber City website.
The city has been working with an outside consulting organization, Landmark Design, to create a vision for the city’s future parks. They met in January 2020 to begin the project. An advisory committee was then created, including public officials and members of the community, to discuss different options. Landmark Design analyzed current parks and future projections for growth. The committee later discussed ideas presented and, together with the consultants, created a plan. It is designed to meet recreational desires, while maintaining open space and an interconnected parks and trails system. According to Landmark Design, “the plan is intended to be synergistic with the Envision Heber 2050 general plan and will propel Heber towards achieving a world-class park system for the community.”
Now the city wants public input on the draft master plan before the process continues. The document is available online, and the public open house gives members of the community an opportunity to discuss the draft master plan.
The Zoom meeting ID is 822 9565 9118, and the passcode is 276398. A copy of the preliminary plan is available here:
