Alta, Utah

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 ...

Naturist Basin is a beautiful area in the High Uintas Wilderness with an abundance of mountains, lakes, meadows, and wildlife.  It is best hiked July-September. To get to the trailhead, drive up the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway until you reach the Highline Trailhead Campground, about 3 miles past Mi...

Thistle, Utah was a small community located in Spanish Fork Canyon, founded in 1883. It flourished for a time as a ranching community and eventually became a major stop on the rail line that ran through it. This all changed in 1983 when a massive landslide dammed the Spanish Fork River and floode...

Grandaddy Lake is the largest lake in the High Unitas. While Grandaddy Lake can have plenty of hikers, there are over twenty lakes within a two-hour hike within the Grandaddy Basin. Most hikers don’t go beyond Grandaddy lake, making the area a fantastic area to explore and camp. Elevation in the ...

The Frary peak trail is the highest point of Antelope Island and can be found a short drive off of I-15 north on Antelope Drive near Layton. There is a fee to access the island, but well worth it. When you get to the island, head left along the east side of the island toward Fielding Garr Ranch. ...

Dooly Knob Trail climbs to a rocky summit on Antelope Island—the largest island in the Great Salt Lake—delivering panoramic views that stretch from the Wasatch Front to the Stansbury Mountains across a landscape unlike anything else in the American West. This is desert-meets-water hiking at its m...

Heading in the canyon you will drive along a winding road for a while until you pass through a gate (Closed during Winter, this is where you will need to pull over and continue down the road on foot) about a mile up you will see a trailhead on the left called "Bennie Creek" and right after you wi...

If you've ever visited Antelope Island State Park, there is no doubt you've seen the stump. This dead, bleached focal point with it's gnarled branches stands out in the middle of the vast landscape of the Great Salt Lake. It is located on the South side of the causeway, approximately two miles fr...

About a mile before Snowbasin, is a parking lot with a map and trail marker. The first incline is steep and follows a single track trail that leads to the ponds. This trail is great year-round, but in the winter, you may have some stray backcountry snowboarders in the area. It's pretty quiet over...

Just four miles from the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, this limited site campground is a great alternative to the larger, busier campgrounds at lower elevations. There are just 11 sites here, a few of which are first-come, first-serve. Amenities include picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, d...

Ryder Lake is accessed via the Stillwater Trail, beginning at the Christmas Meadows Trailhead off of Mirror Lake Highway. The trail heads due south from Christmas Meadows along the Stillwater River. It winds through lodgepole pine forests and skirts alpine meadows, gradually gaining elevation. A...

Hiking Ostler Peak in the High Uintas Wilderness is a serious challenge for anyone. Typically, this hike is done over 2-3 days, with an overnight at the beautiful Ostler Lake. Strong hikers can do this hike in one day, however, as long as you are prepared and know the route.  The route up Ostler ...

Buffalo Point Trail is a heavily trafficked out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Syracuse, Utah.

Directions: The trail leaves from the Christmas Meadows Trailhead. From Mirror Lake Scenic Byway (US 150) turn on Christmas Meadows Rd. The campground and trailhead are around 3.5 miles down the road dirt road. The road is suitable for low clearance vehicles. Trip Length: 6 miles each way + opt...

Antelope Island State Park is a gem within the Utah State Park system. With over 28,000 acres, it is the biggest island located in the Great Salt Lake...the largest salt water lake in the Western hemisphere. It is incredibly scenic, with beautiful shoreline and beaches, grassy plains, mountaino...

Kermsuh Lake Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Oakley, Utah.