Every time we have an outdoorsy vacation in the mountains, day hikes are, of course, at the top of the list of things to do. And add an alpine lake to the hike? Yes, please.

As you can see from the photos, Lake Mary, Martha, & Catherine (the Brighton Lakes) are stunning. Before visiting, I read that the trail would likely be crowded, but coming from the Southeast United States, I realized we have entirely different definitions of what is “crowded.” I’m used to hiking the Chimney Tops in the Smokey Mountains with 200+ strangers. While Lake Mary was busy (we went on a Friday morning), it wasn’t overcrowded. People were respectful, wore their masks, and had lovely trail etiquette.

Because we went in early August, the flowers were in full bloom. And wow. Incredible. Other than enjoying the fresh mountain air and having a packed lunch on the lake, the flowers were indeed the shining star of this hike. I love the photo above of my family walking through the flower field closest to Lake Catherine.

In terms of difficulty, the hike is super easy. You can read more about the trail itself here. But in a nutshell, it’s 2.5 miles to Lake Mary and another uphill 1/2 mile hike to Lake Catherine, which is really where the magic happens.

Lake Catherine was much less crowded, and the flowers were blooming all around. We had lunch at Lake Mary, but in retrospect, it would have been nicer to wait until we reached Catherine.

Michael, my insanely active husband, decided to run a few miles around the lake and check-out a few of the trails. I didn’t join him, but he said the views were gorgeous and that next time we hike, it’d be worth going a few miles further.

I was delighted to read my book and watching this sweet little family fish at the lake. Quick side note: not sure you’re allowed to fish there? I know you’re not supposed to swim, but I did see a few people with canoes and small, non-motorized fishing boats.

All in all, this was one of my favorite hikes from our trip to Utah. The weather was perfect, flowers fully in bloom, and it was easy and enjoyable getting to the top. I do love a challenge, but since it was our first day exploring and acclimating to the elevation, it was nice having an easier hike up the mountain.