Predictable things like 'hiking the Y' pop up when googling “things to do in Provo,” but there's more to do for those willing to get off the beaten path.
Recent BYU graduate Jonny Malmrose said he missed being able to surf when he moved to Provo from California. Instead of pining for his surfing days, he and cousins Aaron and Tyler Broberg found a wave to surf not far from Provo — all they needed was a wakeboard rope and a wakeskate.
Malmrose said that before the turning off on East Canyon Road to Spanish Fork Canyon, there is a fire road past a golf course that goes along the canal.
Malmrose and his cousins tie the rope to a cement crossbar, climb down against the canal wall and put the wakeskate on one foot at a time. Then they were free to wakeskate the 'wave.'
“It was fun to be in the water and on a board without having the hassle of finding someone with a boat,” Malmrose said.
For those that don't want to get wet, BYU finance student Kip Winterton has another idea. He calls it 'chucking rocks at the tank.” He and friends will go to Rock Canyon Park and throw rocks at the water tower there. He said they usually go at night and the sound that rings out after the rocks hit is amazing. When Winterton was asked to describe the sound, he compared it to the sound of a laser beam. 'The smaller the rock, the higher pitch of laser sounds,” he said.
Winterton heard about this activity from his friend when he asking for date ideas. “I take some friends but mostly use it for dates, and it’s this spontaneous thing you just do when there’s nothing else to do.'
A little farther up Rock Canyon is a unique trail that offers not just a beautiful hike but the opportunity to go caving as well.
“Buckley’s Mine is a really cool hike and adventure. It is the perfect balance of a strenuous hike and scramble and fascinating exploration,' said Mary Londoño, a recent BYU graduate who is now studying medicine in California.
She described the mine as a pretty steep hike followed by an opening into the cave with a cord in the tunnel. She said that once people walk deeper into the tunnel, there's a cave wall with a ladder against it which is about two stories tall. The ladder goes up and out, leading higher up on the mountain.“To be safe, you should not go alone. I recommend going with a big group with people who have gone before,” Londoño said.
UVU student Grace Johnson described a separate cave that is on the Rock Canyon Trail. This cave is smaller than Buckley's Mine and is on the left about two miles past the third bridge on the trail.
'It was a fun location to hike to and explore, I would highly recommend it,' Johnson said. 'The cave was dark and cold, which is to be expected, but it gave a sense of excitement not knowing what was ahead.' She also recommended going with someone who is familiar with the cave to be safe.