Dry Canyon is a great place to go if you are looking for a challenge and sweeping views. This hike is steep at the beginning and the end, but more moderate in the middle. Here are the views looking out to the city and up the canyon from the Dry Canyon Trailhead.

This first part of the trail has some serious steps. After 100 feet or so it turns into an uphill trail.

This is the path to get to the Dry Canyon Trail, Big Baldy, Little Baldy, Curly Springs, and you can go up and come back down Battle Creek Canyon. This trail follows all of those trails for the first 2/3 mile.

Keep an eye out for wildlife. Along this part of the path I saw a Great Basin Rattlesnake. They are unlikely to bite you if you give them space.

I also saw a few sagebrush lizards, several greater short-horned lizards, and a turkey vulture.

There is a rock area you have to step up. The trail continues on the opposite side of the pipe.

The trail continues along the mountainside. This first photo is looking back. These yellow flowers are resilient, growing right out of the rock.

Soon you will come to the split off for the other trails. Take the right path towards Big Baldy and then almost immediately take another right by the trees. This is where the path diverges from all the rest.

Once you get up into the scrub oak there is shade and the changing leaves are beautiful!

As you get near the top, you start to get beautiful views. Be sure to turn around and look back at Timp as well as look out at the valley.

Make your way around the mountain along the trail.

As you get around the corner, the trail splits into a double track.

There comes a place where there is a split in the trail. You are heading to the highpoint hill, so you’ll need to take this path.

There will be a few more paths that cross this one, but you will need to go straight from now on.

The path goes back and forth from moderately flat to quite steep. I also saw a few mountain bikers up here, so keep an eye out.

The views of the valley are amazing.

And so are the views of the mountains.

So much beauty!

Stats: Distance – 4.7 miles roundtrip
Approximate hiking time – 8-12 hours
Elevation gain – 1561 feet
Difficulty – Difficult
Trail – well maintained trail of dirt and rocks, narrow rocky trail at the end
Bathrooms – At the trailhead
Seasons to hike – April – October
Permits needed – None
Pets allowed – Yes

Other trails nearby are Battle Creek, Grove Creek Canyon, and Top of the Y.