Each fall, Highland, Utah opens its arms to the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, an event where oral traditions spring to life beneath the towering evergreens and crisp mountain air. This isn’t just a gathering of stories but an engagement with history—narratives that challenge and charm, whispered through time like the wind moving through the pines. The Festival celebrates storytelling in its raw form, where spoken word weaves the unexpected, welcoming both casual listeners and seasoned adventurers of tales.

The setting amplifies the experience. Held near the foothills of Mount Timpanogos, the festival encourages visitors to step outside the usual event circuit and into an environment fiercely alive. Although the festival itself is primarily a cultural affair rather than a physical trek, attendees have the unique opportunity to pair their visit with invigorating hikes nearby that open up the story behind the land. Trails vary from moderate day hikes to strenuous climbs gaining up to 4,700 feet of elevation; each path offers textured forest floors carpeted with fir and aspen, and views that challenge your breath and reward your gaze.

Planning your visit means balancing the festival’s schedule with the mountain’s rhythms. The event typically takes place in September, when the landscape shifts colors and cooler temperatures prevail. Prepare for layered clothing as mornings and evenings cool quickly, and carry hydration to meet the demands of altitude and activity. Footwear with sturdy grip will anchor your steps on rocky or uneven paths nearby, where roots and stones dare your attention.

Beyond the storytelling tents, trails like the Aspen Grove Trail and the Timpooneke Trail greet hikers of all levels. The Timpooneke Trail, for instance, extends around 17 miles round trip, climbing steadily from 6,300 feet at the trailhead near Sundance Resort to the famed Timpanogos Summit—though reaching the summit is a separate full-day trek requiring serious fitness and early starts. For a lighter alternative, Aspen Grove Trail offers a 6.4-mile round trip that winds through dense groves, their leaves rustling with secrets.

Engagement with the forest accompanies the words spun at the festival. You’ll discover chipmunks darting with purpose, birds calling their questions to the sky, and the mountain streams pressing forward over their stones, inviting hikers to listen as much as they look. This relationship with place—respectful and attentive—is what the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival cultivates: a balance of human and earth, old stories and new pathways.

Tickets and schedules are best secured early. Local accommodations in nearby Orem provide convenient staging points, offering easy access to Highland and the surrounding trails. Whether your goal is to absorb the craft of narrative or to test your mettle on forest trails, this Utah festival offers a tangible connection to both adventure and culture, each feeding the other in a quiet but undeniable dance.