Provo FOMO
Join Free
Wednesday · The Great Outdoors
Issue #14 · June 10, 2026
← All issues

Six ways to get out the door this week, from a paved waterfall hike to Stewart Falls

Plus the Y before the heat, paddleboards on Utah Lake, the boardwalk at Cascade Springs, and the Alpine Loop is finally open.

Good morning, Happy Valley.

The snow is off the lower trails, the Alpine Loop reopened for the season, and Timpanogos Cave is back to running tours. The mountains are open for business.

Here are six ways to get out the door this week, ranked for the early-summer reality: roaring snowmelt, cold creeks, and afternoons that bake. Lace up and read on.

📍 30 seconds in the valley⏱️ 4 min read

🥾 The Hike Worth Doing This Week

Stewart Falls, above Sundance Worth it

Stewart Falls, above Sundance

A 3.5-mile round-trip out-and-back from the Aspen Grove trailhead to a 200-foot waterfall on the back side of Mount Timpanogos, with about 650 feet of gain.
🕐Hours: Daylight hours · moderate, ~2 hours round trip
📍Address: Aspen Grove trailhead, top of Provo Canyon past Sundance (off the Alpine Loop, SR-92) · ~30 min from downtown Provo
💵Cost: American Fork Canyon / Alpine Loop recreation fee applies at the entrance booth
⏰Timing: Start by 8–9am. The trail is exposed in stretches and the afternoon sun is brutal by June; morning also means the falls are at full snowmelt volume
Our take
The best payoff-to-effort hike in the Valley right now. A real waterfall at the end, big Timp views the whole way, and a grade most families can handle. Snowmelt has it running hard.
⚠️ Heads up: Snow can linger on the shaded upper section into June and the creek crossing runs fast and cold with melt — keep kids back from the base of the falls. Confirm the Alpine Loop entrance and Aspen Grove lot are open before you drive up.
$ familieswaterfallmoderate
Details →

🚴 Get Out There

Quick Burner
Worth it

⛰️ Hike the Y, before the heat

The classic Provo bench climb to the giant block Y above BYU — about 2.2 miles round trip up 12 switchbacks, with just over 1,000 feet of gain and the whole Valley laid out below.
🕐Hours: Daylight hours · steep, 1–2 hours round trip
📍Address: Y Trailhead, east of BYU campus on the Provo bench (end of Oakmont Ln) · ~8 min from downtown Provo
💵Cost: Free
⏰Timing: Go at sunrise. The trail faces west with zero shade, so by mid-morning in June it turns into a furnace
Our take
The everyman workout of Utah Valley. Short, steep, and a view that earns the burn. The closest real climb to downtown.
⚠️ Heads up: No shade and no water on the trail — carry your own, and skip the afternoon entirely once temps climb. The small bench lots fill fast on weekend mornings.
Free workoutviewsquick
Details →
Roll With It
Worth it

🚴 Provo River Parkway, 15 paved miles

A flat, paved bike-and-walk path that follows the Provo River 15 miles from Utah Lake State Park up through town and into the canyon to Vivian Park.
🕐Hours: Daylight hours · paved, ride or walk any length you want
📍Address: Multiple access points: Utah Lake State Park, downtown Provo, Canyon Rd, and up US-189 in Provo Canyon · Trailheads all over Provo
💵Cost: Free
⏰Timing: The canyon stretch from Nunns Park to Vivian Park stays shaded and cool — best ride on a hot afternoon when the bench trails are baking
Our take
The backbone of getting around Utah Valley on two wheels or two feet. Pick a segment to match your energy — lake-flat in town or shaded and cool up the canyon.
⚠️ Heads up: Sections nearest the river can flood or close during heavy June snowmelt runoff — check for posted detours before a long ride. The path is shared with walkers and strollers, so keep speed down in town.
Free bikingfamilieseasy
Details →

🛶 On the Water

Paddleboard or kayak Utah Lake Worth it

Paddleboard or kayak Utah Lake

Rent a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe and get out on the biggest freshwater lake in the state. Utah Lake State Park has an on-site concessionaire, and Lindon Marina rents SUPs and kayaks right at the water's edge.
🕐Hours: Mornings are calmest · rentals roughly $15/hour for a SUP at Lindon Marina
📍Address: Utah Lake State Park, 4400 W Center St, Provo · or Lindon Marina to the north · ~10 min from downtown Provo
💵Cost: Rentals from ~$15/hour · state park day-use fee at Utah Lake
⏰Timing: Get on the water early. Utah Lake is shallow and the afternoon wind kicks up real chop that makes paddling a slog and a beginner's day miserable
Our take
The flat-water escape hatch when the trails are too hot. Glassy morning water with Timp reflected off the surface is the move.
⚠️ Heads up: Wind comes up fast on a shallow lake — watch the forecast and head in if it picks up. Confirm rental hours and any harmful-algae advisories before you go.
$$ watermorningrentals
Details →

🏔️ Pick of the Week

Timpanogos Cave National Monument Pick of the week

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

A guided tour deep into three limestone caverns at the top of a paved 1.5-mile switchback trail in American Fork Canyon — open again for the 2026 season after the visitor center and caves reopened in mid-May.
🕐Hours: Season open · tours reserved through Recreation.gov, 1 hour to 30 days ahead
📍Address: American Fork Canyon, SR-92 (visitor center on the canyon floor; cave entrance is a steep paved hike above it) · ~30 min from downtown Provo
💵Cost: Tour tickets via Recreation.gov · American Fork Canyon recreation fee at the entrance
⏰Timing: Book the tour time first, then plan the hike — the 1.5-mile climb to the cave entrance takes most people about an hour, so give yourself buffer before your slot
Our take
The one Valley adventure that's cool no matter how hot it gets — the cave holds around 45 degrees year-round. Earn it on the climb, then duck into the rock. Reserve ahead; walk-ups are a gamble.
⚠️ Heads up: The trail to the cave entrance is steep, paved, and fully exposed — carry water and start early on hot days. Tours sell out and the trail can close for rockfall, so confirm your reservation and trail status at nps.gov/tica before driving up.
$$ adventurecoolreservation
Details →

🚗 The Scenic Way Around

Worth the drive

Cascade Springs boardwalk + the Alpine Loop drive

The Alpine Loop Scenic Byway reopened for the summer. Drive it over the top of the canyon and stop at Cascade Springs — a 0.8-mile loop of paved path and raised boardwalk over travertine pools fed by seven million gallons of spring water a day.
🕐Hours: Loop open late May through October · Cascade Springs walk takes 30–60 min
📍Address: Cascade Springs off the Alpine Loop (SR-92), about 6.5 miles from the summit turnoff · ~45 min from downtown Provo via American Fork Canyon
💵Cost: American Fork Canyon recreation fee at the entrance booth
⏰Timing: Pair the springs with the drive and the Aspen Grove trailheads — it's all on the same SR-92 loop, so make a half-day of it
Our take
The low-effort, high-reward stop on the prettiest drive in the county. The two inner boardwalk loops are stroller and wheelchair friendly, so it works for any group.
⚠️ Heads up: The Alpine Loop is a narrow, winding mountain road with no guardrails in spots and no winter access — drive it slow and confirm it's open before you commit. Afternoon thunderstorms build fast over the ridge in summer.
$ scenic drivefamilieseasy
Details →

📌 Heads Up, Happy Valley

Safety note

It's snowmelt season — respect the water

June runoff has every creek and waterfall in the canyons running high, fast, and dangerously cold. The Provo River, Stewart Falls, and the canyon streams are all swollen with melt.
🕐Hours: Peak runoff through June
📍Address: Every canyon in Utah Valley · —
💵Cost: Free
⏰Timing: Hike and paddle in the morning, get off the high trails before afternoon storms, and never let kids play at the base of a swollen waterfall
Our take
The water is the draw and the danger this month. Cold, fast melt will knock an adult off their feet. Look, photograph, keep your distance, and check trail and road status before every trip up the canyon.
⚠️ Heads up: Trail, lot, and road closures change week to week during runoff and rockfall season — confirm access with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest before you drive up.
Free safetyfamilies
Details →

💙 Good Neighbor

Nominate the Valley's quiet MVPs

Every issue we spotlight one neighbor, teacher, coach, or cause quietly making the Valley better, plus an easy way to pitch in. Know someone who deserves it? Send them our way.

Nominate a neighbor →

That's six ways out the door. Do Stewart Falls or the Y at sunrise, paddle the lake before the wind, and book a Timp Cave tour before the weekend slots vanish.

Tell us your go-to trail. Reply with the hikes, swimming holes, and canyon stops your corner of the Valley swears by, and we'll feature the best of them.

Forward this to the friend who keeps saying they want to get outside more. This is their week.

— The Provo FOMO crew
Got a tip, a new opening, or an event? Just reply — we read everything.
Read past issues · Refer a neighbor · Advertise with us