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A sepia-toned landscape photograph showing a river flowing through a canyon with steep rocky cliffs on the right and a sloping hillside on the left, with text at the bottom reading "View nr Forks Logan Canon Utah" and "C.R. Savage, Photo, Salt Lake C
Public domain • Photo by Charles Roscoe Savage via Wikimedia Commons

1-day itinerary

Best of Logan

One-day tour of Logan's historic downtown and outdoor trails

Length
1 day · 3 sights
Pace
Easy
Estimated cost
$93 per person
Based in
Logan

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Logan's Heritage and Logan Canyon

    A day split between Cache Valley's pioneer history in the morning and the limestone canyon east of town in the afternoon.

    • 09:00

      American West Heritage Center

      Start at the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville, about 15 minutes south of Logan: a living-history farm with pioneer-era buildings, heritage livestock and seasonal demonstrations. Check the season before you go; its main programs run from late spring to fall.

      About 2 hours

    • 11:30

      Downtown Logan and the Tabernacle

      Walk Logan's Main Street and Center Street, past the 1891 Logan Tabernacle, then up the hill for the view of the Logan Utah Temple and the Wellsville Mountains across Cache Valley.

      About 60 min

    • 12:30

      Lunch in Downtown Logan

      Lunch at one of the cafes or diners on Main Street before heading into the canyon.

      About 60 min

    • 13:45

      Wind Cave Trail

      Hike the Wind Cave Trail, about 5 miles up Logan Canyon on US-89. The trail climbs roughly 1,000 feet in under 2 miles to the China Wall, a set of eroded limestone arches and hollows with views down the canyon. Start early in summer; there is little shade.

      About 2.5 hours

    • 16:45

      Tony Grove Lake

      Turn off US-89 about 19 miles up the canyon and follow the paved side road to Tony Grove Lake at around 8,000 feet, a glacial lake under the limestone cliffs of the Mount Naomi Wilderness. The road is closed by snow from late fall to late spring; July brings the wildflowers.

      About 1.5 hours

    Meals:
    Breakfast at Downtown Logan; Lunch at Downtown Logan; Dinner at Downtown Logan
    Where to stay:
    Stay in or near downtown Logan, which puts Main Street dining within walking distance and the canyon mouth five minutes away.
    Getting around:
    A car is needed. Wellsville is 15 minutes south of Logan; the Wind Cave trailhead is about 15 minutes up US-89 from the canyon mouth, and Tony Grove Lake about 35 minutes beyond it. Tony Grove Road is seasonal.

Practical information

Logan sits at about 4,500 feet at the foot of the Bear River Range, the largest town in Cache Valley and home to Utah State University. Late spring through early fall is the best time for this day: the Tony Grove road and the higher trails open once the snow melts, usually by late June, and the canyon maples turn red in late September. Winter brings snow to the canyon and closes the Tony Grove road. Getting around requires a car. Downtown Logan is walkable, but the American West Heritage Center is in Wellsville to the south, and Logan Canyon runs east from town on US-89. Most visitors fly into Salt Lake City and drive about 1.5 hours north. Lodging is mostly chain hotels and motels along Main Street and near the university, plus a few bed-and-breakfasts. Book ahead for USU graduation and football weekends. Downtown has a good range of casual cafes, diners and family restaurants; Aggie Ice Cream on the USU campus is a local tradition. Check hours at smaller places, as some close on Sundays. Pack layers: canyon mornings are cool even in summer, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. Bring water and sturdy shoes for the Wind Cave climb, and expect patchy cell coverage in upper Logan Canyon.

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