The Trek Details

The Trek in a snapshot

Location: Mueller Park, Bountiful, Utah

Managing Agency: US Forest Service

Pets: Allowed on leash

Fees: None

Restrooms: Yes, in Mueller Park

Camping: Allowed in designated locations

Trail Condition: Trail is in very good condition as it steadily gains elevation to Elephant Rock. It is very popular with hikers and bikers so be prepared to share the trail

Distance: 6.8 miles roundtrip

Time Required: 3+ hours

Sights: Elephant Rock, Mueller Park

Best Season: Summer, fall

Water Info: Bring 2 liters of water per person

Parking Elevation: 5237 ft

Summit Elevation: 6200 ft

Elevation Difference: 963 ft

Trek Planner Maps

Trail Map

GPS Coordinates

Trailhead: 40.863912°, -111.836704°
Elephant Rock: 40.854844°, -111.816940°

Experience. Discover. Explore.

The Trail

Follow along on our adventure then go out on your own!

Be a responsible explorer

Elephant Rock is a giant outcropping of white rock that offers incredible views of Mueller Park, Bountiful and even Antelope Island. It is a popular trail for hikers and bikers alike.

Mueller Park is a fun place to enjoy a picnic or hike. There are several great hikes that begin here and one of them is the Elephant Rock trail.

The trailhead begins right before the entrance guard station into Mueller Park which you can see in the picture below. If you park inside Mueller Park then you will need to pay an entrance fee. If you park before the guard station then there are no fees to pay.

You will see a small bridge which crosses Mill Creek. Cross over it and then immediately turn left and follow the trail.

Here is the guard station. If you park before this you will not need to pay the entrance fee. The trailhead also begins to the right of the station.

The actual name of the trail you will be on is called the Mueller Park Trail. It goes very far up the mountain beyond Elephant Rock. I have yet to traverse all the way to the top but the hike to Elephant Rock is beautiful enough.

There are many small bridges like this one

If you hike in the warmer months, you will most likely encounter tons of people, their pets and even bikers. This trail is VERY popular.

The first mile or so you will be hiking on long switch backs until you come to the pipeline area where an underground gas pipe is buried. This is a great location to check out the entire valley and you can even see Elephant Rock in the distance. You still have a ways to go to the rock but the trail is more level from here on out except for a few locations.

You can see Elephant Rock in the distance

I think fall is the perfect time to do this trek. The leaves are absolutely incredible and the temperatures are much cooler.

The trail slowly winds up the mountain until you come to a fork in the trail which points you up to Rudy’s Flat or Elephant Rock. Take Elephant Rock then it is only a short decline until you come to a bench where you can relax and see the overlook to Elephant Rock or you can take the steeper trail and hike on the rock itself.

If you do choose to climb on Elephant Rock, please be even more cautious with children and pets. The rock is very steep and the edges drop about a hundred feet to the ground below.

Elephant Rock. You can see a person standing on top of it

I found these two anchors or what’s left of them on the east side of Elephant Rock. I don’t think this would be a good place to climb or rappel because there are tons of trees and thorn bushes below this

Looking back towards Bountiful and Antelope Island

Personal Thoughts

The Mueller Park Trail is really a fun hike. If I lived closer to this trail I would hike it regularly, especially in the fall time when all the leaves begin to change.