Trail Facts (distances=one way)
This trail leads to 4 scenic lakes at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon: Lake Mary, Dog Lake, Lake Martha, and Lake Catherine. The trailhead is located at the south end of the Brighton Ski Resort parking lot. From here the trail begins a straight ascent toward the south. This first section of the trail has the largest climb. In .74 mile the elevation gain is about 600 feet. After this climb the trail levels out and comes to a 3-way junction. The trail on the left heads east toward Snake Creek Pass on the Brighton Ridge. The center trail leads to Dog Lake, while the trail on the right heads to Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine.Dog Lake lies only about .1 mile to the south of the junction along the middle trail. The lake is very small and shallow but is somewhat secluded in it’s own small bowl.
The trail to Lakes Mary, Martha, and Catherine is the trail which goes to the right (west) from the junction. Lake Mary is the first and largest lake you come to after the junction, adding another .25 mile and 200 foot gain in elevation. The trail travels around the east side of the lake as it heads toward Lake Martha. Lake Martha is another small lake located about .3 mile from the point where you reached Lake Mary and about 40 feet higher in elevation. Here, the trail gets steeper as it makes its final climb toward Lake Catherine. Near the southeast corner of Lake Martha, the trail switches back toward the north for about .1 mile then turns to the south again. Lake Catherine is sits at the top of the bowl below Pioneer Peak and Sunset Peak and is located .5 mile from Lake Martha and 360 feet higher in elevation.
