Butterfield Canyon

It’s been said that Butterfield Canyon isn’t the most desirable canyon in town. To that I’d have to say…I agree. But it is close and you have to give it points for that.

We went for a drive up BF canyon last Sunday with my brother Randy and his crew. I haven’t been up that canyon for several years and after the wet long spring we had I have to say the canyon didn’t look half bad.

It was green and fairly lush especially compared to last time we visited when it was dry, crackly and covered in remnants of last weekends “party,” namely broken beer bottles. (I mean really people, why must we break the bottles once we drink all the alcohol? Is it too much to ask that you put the bottles back in the box they came in and deposit them in a receptacle?)


The views were spectacular especially once you got high enough. Above is the Salt Lake Valley View. Below this is the Tooele side.

It's pretty fun to be able to see on both sides of the mountain.

The road is 2/3 paved to the top. The last third is a little more slow going but still if fairly good shape most all the way. Steve was nervous about the off roading, but he made it.

We stopped and took a family picture by the biggest most beautiful peak we saw. This is mount…I don’t know what it is called, but it’s that tall real looking mountain you can see covered in snow in the winter.
It was lovely and green.

We made it to the top where you can peer down into the copper mine.
It really is amazing to see a hole that big.


The kids had a great time climbing around on the rocks and finding what they thought were gems.
It actuality there were broken pieces of beer bottles. That’s what Butterfield Canyon is famous for! It was a bit of a struggle to get the kids to leave the “treasure” alone.

There is one hillside you can’t drive up but is just 50 yards up.
The big kids and their dad’s climbed the hill together and then the mom’s.
Me and Leslie climbed it with the two biggest kids again.


The view was spectacular up there. You could see both the Utah Lake and The Great Salt Lake. You could see a good half-dozen temples and a population of more than a million.
It really was incredible.

Alyssa Sokol


Adventure girl!

Randy and Leslie...
still crazy after all these years.

We came down and packed it out.
As we drove down the canyon, the sky lit up!
Beautiful colors, wispy clouds and as a special favor to Sunny, a partial rainbow even showed it self.
It was the perfect ending to a lovely Sunday drive.