Spanish Fork Peak

August 21, 2025

I’ve wanted to hike Spanish Fork Peak for probably two decades but it either was never convenient or seemed too difficult, but now neither of those reasons was a concern for me. Traci and I were camped with some friends at their property in the Left Fork of Hobble Creek, only a 20 minute drive from the trailhead at Whiting Campground in Maple Canyon, so I took Thursday off work and tackled the peak. As is usual for me lately, I started hiking before sunup (so sorry for the all blurry photos!). It was supposed to be around 100 degrees in the valley and I wanted to get an early start, and it was already warmer than I would have preferred when I began the hike. For almost the first mile the trail follows a road and pipeline used for Mapleton’s drinking water supply.

Departing the trailhead before dawn

Right Fork Maple Canyon sign

Maple Canyon stream crossing

After the road and pipeline end at a spring, the trail continues to look like it was constructed in many places but probably wasn’t used for motor vehicles. In one small area the shrubs were surprisingly changing into their autumn colors but higher up everything was still green. The trail was moderately steep and rocky for most of this section.

A little autumn color

Tree roots on the trail

After a few miles the trees finally opened up and there was a view of something other than the forest. The trail passed through the path of an avalanche where the trees were broken off about eight feet above the ground. I reached Maple Canyon Lake to find it completely dry.

Aspens beheaded by an avalanche

Squirrel!

First view of the summit

Spanish Fork Peak

Ridge north of the summit

Wildflower meadow

A dry Maple Canyon Lake

Maple Canyon Lake

Above the dry lake the trail climbed steeply to the top of a ridge. Then it circled nearly all the way around the base of a peak northwest of Spanish Fork Peak before landing in a saddle between those two peaks. Looking into Utah Valley from this side of the ridge was delightful, more than making up for the lack of views on the lower trail.

Steep ridge ahead

View down from the ridge

Almost to the top of the ridge

Trail around the northwest peak

View north along the Wasatch Range

Provo Peak

Mount Timpanogos

View of Spanish Fork and Mapleton

Loafer Mountain and Bald Mountain

Spanish Fork and Mapleton panorama

Wind turbines

Utah Lake and Lake Mountains

Spanish Fork Peak

Sterling Hollow trail junction

From the saddle it was a short climb to the summit, but first I found a geocache with the names of several acquaintances and friends in the logbook. I only spent a few minutes on the summit, signing the summit register and taking a few photos before starting my descent.

Panorama from the saddle

Trail below the summit

Geocache container

Jacob’s log

Chris’ log

Spanish Fork Peak

Survey marker

Spanish Fork Peak panorama

Just below the summit in the shade of some pines I took a long rest break and ate lunch. I had been dragging ass the last mile or so up to the summit but after resting I was ready to go again. Instead of following the trail that circles around the northwestern peak I just went straight up and back down the peak, which saved a fair bit of distance but descended so steeply back to the main trail that I had to take it really slowly. Once again I started losing steam about three-quarters of the way down but after removing my pack and sitting on a log for a 10-minute break, eating a snack, and downing a bunch of water, I felt great for the rest of the hike. Upon returning to the trailhead I’d covered nearly 12 miles in just over 10 hours, with about 5,000 feet of elevation gain. And there were zero other people on the trail all day! I expected to be stiff or sore the next couple of days but that never happened. I’m still getting used to being in this good of hiking shape and it’s weird to be my age and feel surprised when my body doesn’t respond the way it always has after this big of a hike.

Northwest peak on the left