It’s Autumn Baby!
Favorite fall spots to visit in Ogden for leaf peeping, nature walks, corn mazes, cemeteries, and more.
By Christina Miller
THINGS TO DO
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
Autumn is my favorite time of year, and Ogden does it well. The days get shorter and the crispness in the air wakes me up and gets me to crawl out of hiding in the AC from the heat. Here’s a list of some of my favorite autumn activities around Ogden and Weber County.
Leaf peeping! Ogden’s surrounding mountains rival the explosion of color that is celebrated across the northeast states. There is no need to book a trip to Maine or Vermont to experience leaf peeping firsthand. Yes, we are getting towards the tail end of color up in the higher elevations, so get out on these drives as soon as possible.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
FALL FOLIAGE DRIVES
Grab the keys to your car and head out for a drive. Ogden Canyon, North Ogden Pass, Trapper’s Loop, Snowbasin, Monte Cristo, Causey Reservoir, Weber Canyon, and Powder Mountain are all great drives to explore the fall foliage. A perfect stop on these road trips through Ogden Valley is the Shooting Star Saloon, which is the oldest operating bar west of the Mississippi.
COLORFUL AUTUMN TRAILS
Want more than a drive and need to walk through the leaves for a more up close and personal experience? North Fork Park has several trails. I love the Green Pond Trail at Snowbasin, but there are several options. Art Nord and Wheeler Canyon Trails are also fantastic.
EASY NATURE WALKS
As the fall color starts to explode down here in Ogden, there are also several easy and accessible trails to experience autumn for all abilities.
For paved trails, I love walking different sections of the Ogden River Parkway Trail to see how they change in the fall. The section from Washington Boulevard to the Pioneer Stadium is a favorite. There are tree tunnels along the pathway that allow the leaves to be like stained glass to the sky.
I also love going to where the Ogden and Weber Rivers converge, which can be accessed from the 21st Street Pond or the B Street trailhead. Pro tip: get a beer at Rooster’s B Street after. Or head over to Beus Pond to wander along the trail surrounding the pond. Don’t forget to bring birdseed to feed the geese and ducks as you walk.
For easy dirt trails, I love walking the Gib’s Loop from the 29th Street Trailhead. The trail is lined with gorgeous oak brush. I do turn around and walk back since climbing up the rocks near the Strong’s Canyon Creek is a bit more challenging. The North Ogden Nature Center trail is also gorgeous during autumn, or head down to the Ogden Nature Center on 12th Street to wander the trails and see the incredible birds that make the Nature Center their home.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
CORN MAZES & SCARY HAUNTS
For nighttime walking adventures, I love walking through corn mazes. I admit I’m not the most stable person on my feet, so I trip in the dark over the fallen corn stalks, but it doesn’t stop me. I love getting out and wandering through the corn that towers over my head, so all I can see are the stars and the planes flying over. Then grab a hot chocolate and stand by a fire to watch kids on slides and other fun fall activities. Green Acres Corn Maze and Happy Pumpkin Corn Maze are both great Weber County options.
If you are looking for something a little scarier, both Green Acres and Happy Pumpkin Corn Mazes have haunted Corn Mazes on Friday and Saturday during October. But if you need a full-throttle scare, head over to the Haunted Hollow to wander through the woods to experience some of Ogden’s scariest haunts!
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
CEMETERY EXPLORING
Autumn is also my favorite time of year to go cemetery exploring. I hope that Halloween and Dias De Los Muertos bring the souls a little bit closer to this realm during autumn, as the colorful leaves fall amongst the gravestones.
Ogden City Cemetery is a must stop with an outline of Ogden’s history in the gravestones. However, a mini-road trip exploring all the small cemeteries throughout Weber County is a great way to spend a day.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
AUTUMN & HALLOWEEN ARTWORK
Autumn and Halloween also make me feel creative. Halloween with all its spooky décor and costumes is inspiring. One of my favorite traditions is to do pumpkin painting. Growing up, my Dad hated the mess of pumpkin carving, so we painted pumpkins instead. Painted pumpkins last longer than carved pumpkins, so they’re a great option for sitting on our porch.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
I also love heading over to the local dollar stores and looking at the Halloween and autumn decorations, to see what I can make out of them. YouTube has several channels on turning your dollar store finds into artistic masterpieces if you are looking for inspiration. Or head to The Local Artisan Collective to take classes this fall. But if you aren’t into making your art, don’t miss the yART Sale on October 22 to buy amazing art from local Ogden artists.
DOLLAR STORE WREATH BY CHRISTINA MILLER
I’m just scratching the top of all the things there are to do this autumn. I haven’t even gotten into food, drink, music, festivals, or trick-or-treating. So, make sure to grab the October and November Goings On About O-Town guides to know the details of all the activities going on in Ogden.
P.S. Pumpkin Spice can be found at all of your local Ogden coffee shops and cafes, so remember to Support Local!
