Lookout Point on Grindstone Ridge
Monkeys will leap
Continuing our exploration of the trails near our home, we found a cool picnic spot on Grindstone Ridge overlooking Mapleton and Springville that is accessible by a short and relatively easy hike. This spot really gives amazing views west out over Utah Valley and along the ridgeline and mountains to the north and south.
Aerial view courtesy of Google Satellite - I marked our location with a pink stick figure
Getting there
Head toward Mapleton Canyon / Whiting Campground (E 400 N St. / Forest Service Road 025) but park in the equestrian parking lot at the beginning of the canyon (marked with a pink "X" above). Directly across the road from the equestrian parking sign, look for an unmarked trail that crosses the gully and heads up onto Grindstone Ridge. As you are climbing out of the gully onto the ridge you will run into a "T" intersection; take the trail to the left (west) to get onto the bench along the ridge above Mapleton and Springville (trail marked with pink dashes above).
Interspersed with the stunning vistas out over the valley, you will pass through bucolic meadows along the bench
As I have mentioned before, the flat bench part-way up the face of many of the mountains and canyons in Utah Valley is the former shoreline of a huge lake that used to cover the area.
The trail along the bench is flat and easy except for where it crosses some small side canyons. After the fourth side canyon, look for a well established trail leading uphill off to the right to take you up to the small hump. If you miss it the main trail quickly runs into fencing and private property, in which case just back track a bit and keep an eye out for the trail that leads up to the hump.
The ground on top of the hump is flat, with some rocky outcroppings. On three sides the ground drops off precipitously, giving amazing panoramic views to the north, west and south.
Here is a link to a 360° pano photo that you can click into and look around as if you were there.
[//]:# (!steemitworldmap 40.143846 lat -111.535441 long Lookout point on Grindstone Ridge d3scr)