Alta Ski Resort to Cecret Lake ( Easy, 5 Miles Round-Trip)

Description:
     This is an easy, scenic hike, especially during wild flower season.  It is good for any age. I even saw small children that did not look old enough to be walking, but they were hiking this trail!  The first part of the hike has several signs along the way with  pictures of  various forms of wildlife and a question about them, then an answer and interesting facts about that animal when you flip the picture over.  If you do not want to go all the way to Cecret Lake, the trail to the Albion Basin Campground would make an easier but pleasant hike, complete with benches made out of old ski lift chairs.  This hike was inspired by the Salt Lake Tribune Hike of the Week of July 2, 2015, but when I went to do it, the Parking Lot for Goldminer's  Daughter Lodge
was closed for repairs, so I made up my own Hike of the Week! This is a watershed area, so no dogs allowed.  There are plenty of geocaches in the area, but I did not look for them on this hike.

Directions to Trailhead:
     Drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Albion Day Lodge  (gps coordinates N 40* 35.465' W 111* 37.718')  I believe it was 9.9 miles from the 7-11 Store  at the bottom of the Canyon. Park anywhere in this parking lot.

The Hike:
     The trail starts between the Albion Day Lodge and the Alta Ticket Office.  The trail goes downhill from the Parking Lot, then heads to the left (East)  At .25 miles, stay on the wider of two trails at a sign with an arrow that says Albion Meadows. When you get to Alf's Restaurant, go to the left. At 1 mile, you will come to a sign that says: Germania Pass 2.5 Miles, Cecret Lake 1.5 miles, Albion Basin Campground 1.5 miles.  Follow the path toward Cecret Lake and the campground.   At mile 1.6 the trail splits, but there is no sign. The trail to the campground goes to the Left, and has a bridge. I went to the Right, which goes to  Cecret Lake.  At mile 1.88, the trail joins the wide Cecret Lake trail.  Go to the right to get to the Lake.   If you plan to return the same way you came, look around carefully for landmarks so you can find this trail again, as there are no signs.  (I went down to the campground from Cecret Lake and went back a different way).  You will reach the Lake at mile 2.44.
     You can go back the way you came, but I went down the the Albion Basin Campground, walked around the campground loop to scout it out for a future camping trip.  Near the parking lot outside the campground, are some restrooms.  Just West of the restrooms is the trail to take you back to your vehicle.  This trail is at waypoints N 40* 34.660' W 111* 36.883.'   Keep you eyes open and you are likely to see deer and Moose in this area.
   

Mostly yellow and white flowers at lower elevations of the hike.

Higher Elevations brought more reds, blues, and pink  flowers.

The sign at mile 1, just past Alf's Restaurant.

Seems to be peak wildflower time at this elevation. (About 9000 feet)

Cecret Lake. Not quite peak wildflower season here. I actually saw
the Ranger posting this sign about 10 years ago.

Colombines

A deer checking me out from a distance.

A moose bedded down for the day west of the Campground.

Red White and Blue appropriate for July!