Lake Mary, Utah in August

Ever since we went to Tanaya Lake in Yosemite National Park, I really wanted to hike up to Lake Mary at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon here in Utah. My memory of Lake Mary was that it resembles Tanaya Lake. I just had to see it again to verify. 

So last Friday, my husband and I hiked up to Lake Mary. It's only about a 2.6 mile hike out and back, but it is a little vertical sometimes, and it felt longer. I'm woefully out of shape. Turns out the differences between a reservoir and a glacial lake are pretty significant.

I enjoyed seeing all the wildflowers and views on the hike up.

Besides the abundant mosquitoes, I like Lake Mary. It's pretty. There's a lot of vegetation around it. It's a thirty minute drive and a 1 1/2 hour hike from home. 

Tanaya Lake wins in some ways: you can drive right up to it, it's bigger, it's bluer, the surrounding area is more beautiful, and there's more granite. Unfortunately, it's nine hours and two minutes away. So I'm grateful for our Lake Mary.