Act responsibly:

Animals in the watershed

Domestic animals and livestock are not allowed in the Protected Watershed areas of Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Parleys or City Creek Canyons. Search and rescue dogs are allowed by special permits only. Animal violations, as with all Watershed violations, is punishable up to $1,000 and/or 6 months imprisonment.

• Why no dogs in the Protected Watershed?
• Dog Lake
• Alternate wild places to take your dog
• Wildlife – Bears may do it in the woods, but we should know better!
• Canyon resident information

Why no dogs in the Protected Watershed?

There are several reasons for animal restrictions in the Protected Watershed. Dogs and other domestic animals commune with humans and can transmit human virus and disease. Dogs don't use restrooms. The Wasatch National Forest receives millions of visitors annually. Lots of dogs would mean lots of dog waste. As an example, Mill Creek Canyon is not currently used as a drinking water source, and dogs are allowed. In the first few weeks after the Forest Service installed dog waste containers in Mill Creek, over one ton (2,000 pounds) of dog waste was hauled from the canyon. This does not include the waste that ended up on the ground rather than the bins. That is a lot of dog waste that does not need to be removed from your drinking water supply.As another example, Salt Lake City has been monitoring fecal coliform and other indicators of human and animal waste in the streams along the Wasatch Front for decades. The streams which have not been regulated as protected watershed areas and allow dogs have shown a noticeable increase in fecal pollution.

Dog Lake

It is a little known fact that the two Dog Lakes in the Protected Watershed are named after the salamanders, or Dog Fish as they were referred to, which were common in many Wasatch lakes during the time of early settlement (Lady in the Ore Bucket, Charles Keller). Look for the elusive "Dog Fish" as you enjoy the quiet stillness of these small lakes.  One of the Dog Lakes is located near Lake Mary above Brighton in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and the other is located at the headwater of Mill D North Fork in Big Cottonwood just below the ridge line. The latter Dog Lake is also accessed from Mill Creek Canyon via the Big Water Trail. Hikers with dogs on the Big Water Trail should make note to not travel into the Protected Watershed area of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Alternate wild places to take your dog

There are many foothill trails and forest areas where canine companions are allowed in the urban wilderness. While Red Butte Canyon is restricted and designated a natural research area, Emigration Canyon and Mill Creek Canyon are both open to dogs and offer multiple trails.  The locations listed below are only a partial list and may change. Respective City, County, State and Forest Service rules apply. To keep the recreation experience enjoyable for future enthusiasts, please carry a waste bag and clean up after your dog.

• Bonneville Shoreline Trail
• Mill Creek Canyon
• Emigration Canyon
• Jordan River Parkway
• City Creek Canyon (dogs are not allowed above the water treatment plant approximately 3 miles from the canyon gate)
• American Fork Canyon
• East Canyon
• Park City Rail Trail

Wildlife. Bears may do it in the woods, but we should know better!

A healthy forest also has a healthy wildlife population. This was their home before it was our water supply. While we cannot control how wildlife behaves, we can control what we do and our impacts upon water quality. It is important to note that too much wildlife can exceed the capacity of the forest by overgrazing and destruction of watering holes. In addition to the impact to vegetation and water quality, it can lead to an unhealthy wildlife population. Hunting in the watershed provides some level of wildlife pollution control to keep game species in check from overpopulation.

Canyon resident dog permits

While dogs were once completely restricted from the Protected Watershed, a limited number of Watershed Dog permits are available to canyon residents. The Town of Alta issues a finite number of permits for residents in the Alta Town boundary, and Salt Lake County Animal Control issues a limited number of watershed permits for all other areas of the protected watershed canyons.Residents with watershed dog permits may not take their dog off their private property, and must follow strict guidelines for kenneling and waste disposal.