Hendrickson Lake

Hendrickson Lake is a small alpine lake tucked into Second Left Hand Canyon on the Markagunt Plateau, reached by a short trail off Highway 14 east of Cedar City. It sits in Dixie National Forest, not inside Bryce Canyon National Park, so Forest Service rules apply rather than park rules — dogs are generally fine and there's no entrance fee.

What's here

• A quiet pond-sized lake ringed by conifer forest, reached after the trail levels out and the sound of water picks up
• Mule deer and birds including mountain bluebird and kestrel are commonly seen along the approach
• Wildflowers such as Indian paintbrush and lupine through late spring and early summer

It's a modest destination best treated as a short add-on rather than a full day out — a picnic-and-relax stop rather than a major trophy hike. Snow lingers into late spring at this elevation, so early-season visits can mean wet or icy trail sections.