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Dominguez Hill
Spanish Fork, Utah
April 29, 2024
Distance: 2.9 km (1.8 mi)
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 124 m (407 ft)
Notable for its towering, white cross on top, Dominguez Hill offers an enjoyable short hike, a welcomed break from our long drive to Grand Junction. The trailhead begins in a campground, but if you're not camping, you'll have to walk 200 m from the upper parking lot to reach it. But the upper parking lot was closed for an event when Dinah and I arrived, so we parked at the lower parking lot by Spanish Fork Reservoir and walked 600 m up the road to the trailhead.
The trail winds through a pleasant forest before emerging and ascending an open ridge. From the ridgetop, I took a panorama before we went down to the summit of Dominguez Hill marked with the huge cross. From there, we could view nearby Spanish Fork Peak and Granger Mountain to the north.
Instead of returning the same way, we took a shortcut back. We backtracked a short distance to a trail that drops down the west side of the ridge. Apparently, bikes had eroded the steep trail leaving a treacherous deep trough filled with loose rocks. We carefully made our way to the bottom before taking the easy trail up to the reservoir. We followed the path back to our car. Feeling refreshed after hiking Dominguez Hill, we resumed driving to Grand Junction.
From the road, the white cross on Dominguez Hill (centre) is barely visible
Starting from Spanish Fork Reservoir, we walked up the road to the trailhead. The cross appears left.
Looking down at the reservoir
Unless you are camping, you have to walk to the trailhead from the upper parking lot
We finally reached the trail. It turns to climb the ridge on the left.
Walking down the trail
Phlox wildflowers
Evening primrose
After emerging from the forest, the ridge is ahead
Continuing up the ridge. The cross appears right.
On the high point continuing to the cross on Dominguez Hill. Granger Mountain in the background.
Going to the cross. The descent trail is in the centre.
Dinah stands by the huge cross
Plaque at the base
Spanish Fork Peak is close by
On our descent, we'll follow the trail on the left to the trail that curls around the reservoir.
We backtracked to the descent trail seen dropping down on the right
Starting down the descent trail
Steep and filled with loose rock, the trail was difficult to descend
Looking back from near the bottom
Looking back after climbing up the other side
Returning to the parking lot
Spanish Fork Peak (1.8 mi, 5492 ft, 341 ft)