This article may include affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, Utah Outdoor Activities may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products or services we personally use. FTC Affiliate Disclosure.
The Provo River Parkway trail begins at the Utah Lake State Park and winds its way along the Provo River then along University Avenue to the mouth of Provo Canyon. Due to the size of this trail system we decided to break it up into smaller sections. We started today's leg at the Canyon View Park near the mouth of Provo Canyon.
From the park there is a large bridge that will take you across the Provo River and put you right on the trail, were you will have two options, either to head up Provo canyon or head down towards Provo. Due to the beautiful scenery that the Provo Canyon has to offer we choose to make our way to Vivian Park. We began around mile marker ten and knowing that Vivian Park was mile marker 15 we started to wonder if the kids and of course ourselves were going to make a five mile jaunt up the Canyon. To our delight the trail was a slow gradual climb with just a few locations that really worked the legs. There were even some downhill sections that let you rest before you continued the climb.
As you make your way up the trail you will pass beside several parks. Each park offers bathrooms, running water and playgrounds, so why you rest the kids can play. There are also a few historical features that you may view while traveling on this trail. The Nunns Provo Station Power Plant which is located in Nunns Park and some old relics of Utah's mining past which are located just below Bridal Veil Falls. Speaking of Bridal Veil Falls this trail runs right past the base providing a spectacular view of these majestic falls. From Bridal Veil Falls there is still 2 1/2 miles to Vivian Park. This section of the trail was relatively flat offering beautiful views of a slow moving Provo River.
When we arrived at Vivian Park we took time to rest and as with the other parks let the kids play on the play grounds, refilled water bottles, wadded in one of the tributaries and began looking forward to an all downhill return. It was a great ride and didn't feel like a lot of work until we rested for a good stretch, then we were thankful we were at the top and not the bottom.
Other Articles of Interest:
Nunns Provo Station Power Plant
We hope you enjoyed this information. For more outdoor activities, please connect with us on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Help us keep this site up and running by visiting our online store which features outdoor themed gifts, decor and more. Thank you for visiting and for your ongoing support!