WSU Stewart Stadium to Beus Drive Trailhead

Trailhead: WSU Stewart Stadium

Difficulty: Stroll in the park

Distance: 1 mile

Average Time: 26 minutes

Suggested water quantity: ½ gallon

Precautions: Vehicles and weather

Whether hiking on trails or hiking on the road, hills are hills, and this urban hike starts at Weber State University’s Stewart Stadium. It has six steep, long hills that will try even the most experienced hiker. The greatest joy of this hike is looking back on WSU from above and gaining the sense of place and purpose while you get in shape for longer and more complex hikes.

Classes getting you down? Find yourself with a few hours between classes? Take this hike and lower your stress levels, find your focus and impress others at WSU by sharing this hidden-in-plain-sight gem of a trail. As any WSU student could tell you, Weber State is an urban hike in its own right. Just go from the Social Science Building to John G. Lind Lecture Hall to see my point. But, the goal of hiking is to get away.

Starting at the top of Edvalson Street, just above Stewart Stadium, take a right and head south on Skyline Drive. Please be aware of traffic and step to the side of the road when traffic is passing by.

This is the first of six hills to reach the top. Where Skyline and Country Hills Drive split, you can either go left on Country Hills to reach the Bonneville Shoreline trail or you can continue up Skyline to Quail Run Drive for an even steeper and more intense urban hike.

Bona Villa and Ross Drive South are each small, simple hills, but once you take the left onto Ross Drive, you are on to the final two hills that just seem to get steeper and longer. Fight through to the top of Beus Drive, take the final left and feel the exhilaration of seeing the Shoreline Trail connection.

Water, heat and the surface temperatures of the road are all factors that if not addressed properly will cause a difficult time, so plan ahead. Pack light, but bring plenty of water to avoid heat stroke and other heat disorders.

Hope to see you on this and many other trails. Say hello to The Dude if you see me, and share your stories.