We drove up American Fork Canyon and used our Golden Eagle Park Pass to pay for the $3.00 entrance fee. Our destination was Cascade Springs, on the east side of the range.

This was an interesting area. It’s not very large, but the Forest Service has it fixed up nicely, with modern restrooms, lots of drinking water stations along the trails, and several informational kiosks. There is about 1.25 miles of trails around the springs and pools, all of it either paved or boardwalk.

We spotted many brown trout in the pools. Apparently there had been a range fire in the area just a few years ago, and so most of the taller trees are just burnt poles. But the undergrowth has come back and some of the trees are starting over. It was warm in the sun, but most of the time we were there, there was a nice layer of cloud cover. This would be a great place to visit in the spring or fall. In the fall especially, with the oak and aspen turning color as a background.

After we finished with the cascades we drove down a dirt road into Wasatch Mountain State Park, on the east side of the range.

From Timpanogos Cave National Monument we drove up American Fork Canyon to Cascade Springs and made a fast tour of that area. There were a few people about, but not as many as we saw on our previous visit. This is a nice area for a casual walk through a wetlands area with lots of flowing water. There are a few insects that occasionally buzz about, but otherwise the sun is the only issue. Even at this elevation the sun can be quite warm, and since there had been a fire at this location within the last few years, most of the taller trees have been destroyed, leaving the paths exposed.

There are a few brown trout visible in the pools, and the sound of the cascading water pervades everything. There are restrooms and drinking water, but we did not see any picnic tables.