Pretty Valley

10 min + ¾ hr hike

This is a nice campsite with plenty of room above Farmington. You will need to hike in about a mile and a half. See the new web site: http://prettyvalleyutah.com/ for more information.

There are four campsites with fire rings in the lower Pretty Valley. There are a couple more nice site in upper Pretty Valley. Late spring and early summer is the best time to visit pretty valley, when it is very green and less stocking stickers.

The site below is on the ridge between upper and lower Pretty Valley.

To get there, go on the old highway 106 (200 East) in Farmington and just north of the cemetery turn east on 500 south and go up the hill past where the road curves to the right and the houses end. After the pavement ends there is a sign that says no trespassing, keep going and park just above a small reservoir on the right. There are two different routes to Pretty Valley from here (Little Valley Road). You can park by the reservoir and walk up the road and take the trail going up about 50 yards past the creek by a sign that says "Davis Creek Trail" . This route is more scenic and takes you pass a small waterfall, but has some very steep sections. Or you can call the Armstrongs and get permission to go through their property, which is much easier, but less scenic. They are happy to let you do that. You can drive further up the dirt road and park on the dirt or grassy area just across the pavement north of the first house you come to, but do not block access to the pastures.

For the first option, head up Davis Creek trail. Eventually, you will come to a fork in the trail where you have a nice view of a small waterfall. There is a Forest Service sign indicating that Pretty Valley is .6 miles on the trail going right. Follow that trail keeping to the right at the next fork as well. Go it until you see a large open area. The upper 4 red X's on the above map are in lower Pretty Valley and the bottom to in upper Pretty Valley.

For the second options, when arriving at the 7 homes area, hike almost straight south along a fence on the east side of the road, keeping to the left at each fork in the road (opening and closing the red gate about 300 feet south of the parking area) until you arrive at an east-west cross fence with a locked gate. Climb over the gate next to either gate post and proceed southeasterly up the dirt road. About 1/4 mile south of that gate, the road undergoes a switchback to the northeast. Keep hiking another 1/2 mile or so along that road to arrive at Pretty Valley.

Close any gates that you open. See the lower left red line above.

To get to upper Pretty Valley going up through Armstrong's property there are a couple trails heading south up hill, one below the upper ridge and one right on the ridge.

For the second option, call Brent Armstrong at 801-541-0606 or his wife, Gloria, at 801-201-0606. Both are cell numbers. They originally owned all of Pretty Valley and deeded part to the Forest Service and ask visitors to follow these rules:

"1. Pack out what you pack in.

2. Except as noted in 4. below, no motorized vehicles allowed crossing our property or on the rough service road to Pretty Valley or in Pretty Valley.

3. Leave no hot fires or coals when leaving Pretty Valley [we do not control permission to light fires in Pretty Valley--that is controlled by the Davis County Fire Warden in coordination with Farmington City Fire Chief]

4. Park vehicles either at the reservoir at Davis Creek or just across the pavement North of the first house you come to when driving up to the 7 homes area. Please do not park where access to our pastures is blocked. No vehicles allowed beyond that point.

5. We do not allow motorized vehicles (including motorcycles, 4-wheelers, etc.) to travel the rough service road to Pretty Valley--only pedestrians and equestrians. If motorized vehicles are on that road, or in Pretty Valley, they are trespassers and subject to arrest.

Please teach your scouts about those rules so that when they are older, they will know that camping in Pretty Valley is available to all law-abiding citizens who come on foot or horseback."

There is another waterfall or two on Davis creek northeast of Pretty Valley that you can hike to. You will see a trail going uphill from Pretty Valley at the north end. You go up the hill to a level spot and then downhill for a short distance to where you need to take a right near an unlevel campsite and then a left about 200 feet above it. See the site called Davis Creek.