Every July a large American flag is hung in Little Willow Canyon in Sandy, Utah by Harold Haugen. It hangs from July 4 – July 24, and some years for the whole month of July. You have a great viewpoint from Hidden Valley Park of the 30’x60′ flag!
Here are some close-ups!
Each year since 2012 Harold Haugen and 10-20 of his friends and neighbors hike up to hang this 50 lb. flag at the mouth of the canyon from Independence Day to Pioneer Day.
You can see it from I-15 if you know where to look. It is almost directly east of 12300 South, so it is visible as you head east along it and again along Wasatch Boulevard.
The flag is hung on the east side of Hidden Valley Park (2860 East and about 11500 South).
Trail under the flag
To get a closer view you can walk along the paved section of the Hidden Valley Trail.
Turn right onto the path for the Aqueduct Road Trail and walk up the hill as it curves to the right.
Then follow the path up towards the flag.
This is the first part of the hike from Hidden Valley Park to the Bear Canyon Suspension Bridge, which is my favorite trail to get there. You can admire the flag from below.
Along the trail I saw a Side-Blotched Lizard and a Spotted Towhee bird.
Here are a few more photos of the Haugen Flag in Sandy’s Little Willow Canyon!
Additional Opportunities to see Flag Displays
You think this flag is large, but if you want to see an enormous flag, check out the flag in Grove Creek Canyon for a week starting on Independence Day. Instead of 60′ long, it’s 150′ long! There is also a huge flag hung in Coldwater Canyon in North Ogden from November 2-11. Over the week of September 11, there are 3,300 flags in Sandy’s Healing Field and a large flag in Rock Canyon in Provo.
Here is one more image of the flag in Little Willow Canyon.
Distance – 0 – 0.3 miles round trip (can be seen from parking lot)
Approximate hiking time – 0-30 minutes
Elevation gain – 0 – 150 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – paved and well maintained trail of dirt and rocks
Bathrooms – At trailhead
Seasons to see – July 4 – July 24 (some years all of July)
Permits needed – None
Pets allowed – Yes
