Alta, Utah

Looking for the best hiking in Alta? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Alta. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Alta

  • Springville, Utah

    Rappel the Red Ledges

    4.0
    1 mi / 180 ft gain
    This is a sweet spot to go rappelling near Spanish Fork, UT.  It's located at the Red Ledges in Diamond Fork Canyon.  There is a picnic area, grill and restrooms near the base. The unique formations are beautiful to hike around and fun to rappel down.  The hike is pretty short, but steep.  We did...
    Read more
  • Wasatch County, Utah

    Little Deer Creek to Cataract Gorge

    4.0
    6.36 mi / 1148 ft gain
    Little Deer Creek Canyon can be accessed from the Emerald Lake Highway (150) in the Uinta National Forest east of Kamas, Utah. Turn right onto Murdoch Basin Road (Forest Service Road 137) until it splits off to the road to Cataract Gorge (Forest Service Road 027). It is recommended you park her...
    Read more
  • Utah County, Utah

    Diamond Fork (Fifth Water) Hot Springs

    4.4
    4.63 mi / 663 ft gain
    When you hike out to Diamond Fork aka Fifth Water hot springs, get ready for an amazing experience! The lower fall is visible from the main pool. If you want to continue to go further up the creek, you will run into the second fall, which is the most photogenic of them all. There are also two poo...
    Read more
  • Utah County, Utah

    Fifth Water Hot Springs from Rays Valley Trailhead

    5.0
    4.98 mi / 787 ft gain
    Fifth Water Hot Springs from Rays Valley Trailhead is an out-and-back trail that takes you to a hot springs located near Spanish Fork, Utah. Dogs are permitted on this trail on-leash. If heading to the hot springs with your pup, please be respectful of others visiting the hot springs. Along this ...
    Read more
  • Layton, Utah

    Adams Canyon

    4.8
    3.55 mi / 1434 ft gain
    The trailhead is at a dirt parking lot with a lot of parking, but on Saturday mornings it can get full and people are forced to park on the street. As you start off, there are a few steep and sandy switchbacks. They don't last too long but on a hot day it can seem like forever. After that, the t...
    Read more
  • Hanna, Utah

    Camp at Pyramid Lake in Murdock Basin of Utah's Uinta Mountains

    Grab a fishing pole, hammock, or book. Pyramid Lake is the perfect setting to kick back and relax in Murdock Basin of Utah's Uinta Mountains! Pyramid Lake is at an elevation of 9,700 feet with a 1,000-foot tall mountain directly to the west of the lake. Due to this steep face butting up to the e...
    Read more
  • Kamas, Utah

    Photograph Bald Mountain in Utah

    Bald Mountain is a 12,000' peak in the Uintas, and of the most popular hikes in the Uinta Mountains of Utah. If you're looking for more details on the hike, check out the adventure Hike Bald Mountain in the Uintas. Not only is it incredible to photograph from the top, with panoramic views of doze...
    Read more
  • Kamas, Utah

    Backpack to Notch Lake

    5.0
    4.6 mi / -600 ft gain
    The hike to Notch Lake begins at the Bald Mountain trailhead. You'll need to display a recreation pass in your vehicle to park at the trailhead. You can purchase a pass for $6 at the fee station entering the forest boundary (east of Kamas) or at the Forest Service office right in Kamas. Take the ...
    Read more
  • Kamas, Utah

    Bald Mountain

    4.5
    2.73 mi / 1050 ft gain
    Bald Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in the Uintas, so get an early start if you want to beat the crowds. Those willing to hike in before dawn will be rewarded with an unforgettable sunrise at the summit. I HIGHLY recommend this as a sunrise hike. The trail starts out with steep switch...
    Read more
  • Hanna, Utah

    Hike to Cuberant Lake

    6 mi / 1066 ft gain
    The hike to Cuberant Lake is 3-miles with a couple of steeper sections, but for the most part, it is a flat hike. From the Pass Lake Trailhead, you will head west on the Lofty Lake Loop Trail. On this part of the trail, you pass through meadows with Bald and Reid Peaks in the background, which is...
    Read more
  • Hanna, Utah

    Hike the Lofty Lake Loop Trail

    4.5
    4.2 mi / 935 ft gain
    Lofty Lake Loop Trail is located in the High Uintas near Kamas, Utah. The trail can be found right off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway about 32 miles east of Kamas and starts at the Pass Lake Trailhead.  This is a fairly mellow trail with some areas of good elevation gain, enough to get your heart w...
    Read more
  • Layton, Utah

    Stroll through the Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve

    5.0
    1 mi
    The wetlands of The Nature Conservancy's Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve are a unique system of salt and fresh water marshes, ponds, pools, sloughs and mudflats. It is a rich feeding ground for tens of thousands of migrating birds, making this destination a birder's paradise.Great for all ski...
    Read more
  • Oakley, Utah

    Scale the Cliffs at Ruth Lake

    4.8
    Getting There From Evanston, take the Mirror Lake Highway 150 about 42 miles to the Ruth Lake trailhead and follow the easy hike up from the highway; just look for the signs directing you to Ruth Lake. The Trail/The Climbs Once on the trail, keep an eye out to your left and soon you'll see the cl...
    Read more
  • Oakley, Utah

    Backpack to Cutthroat Lake

    4 mi / 280 ft gain
    There isn't a trail to Cutthroat Lake so for a portion of the hike will be cross-country.  I highly recommend bringing a GPS but with intermediate route-finding skills you should be able to find your way.  We used the Gaia GPS app and this made the hike much easier.  The distance depends on the r...
    Read more
  • Oakley, Utah

    Hike to Ruth Lake in the High Uintas Wilderness

    5.0
    2 mi / 300 ft gain
    The Uintas are a high elevation, pristine mountain wilderness located in Utah. This range receives over 400 inches of precipitation annually, and you can find water everywhere.  There are 400+ miles of streams, waterfalls, and more than 2,000 lakes!  One of the prettiest and most accessible of th...
    Read more
  • Evanston, Utah

    Hike to Hayden Peak in the High Uintas

    3.63 mi / 2053 ft gain
    Hayden Peak is by all means the monarch mountain of the Mirror Lake Highway. By that, I mean that Hayden Peak is easily the most rugged and impressive peak that can be viewed from the road. Driving over Bald Mountain Pass towards Evanston, WY, this peak looks amazing. There are few mountains out ...
    Read more