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  • Utah

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

    Top Backpacking Spots in and near Utah

    • Duck Creek Village, Utah

      Hike The Narrows: Top Down

      5.0
      15.38 mi / 4590 ft gain
      THE NARROWS This by far one of the most scenic and awesome hikes available in any National Park. There is no place in Zion National Park more sublime in its beauty and awe inspiring in its creation as you hike through the crystal clear Virgin River and marvel at the myriad of red, orange, yellow...
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    • 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 ...
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    • Washington, Utah

      Camping at Yant Flat

      5.0
      2.6 mi / 500 ft gain
      Though only a few miles from civilization as a bird flies, this trailhead is only accessible via a dirt road (that can be quite bumpy - high clearance vehicles recommended though I did it in a car).  Given the condition of the road, drive time can be 45 minutes from St George, Utah.  The road is ...
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    • Monticello, Utah

      Joint Trail Loop

      5.0
      19.06 mi / 3028 ft gain
      A large part of the grandeur of Canyonlands National Park is the vast barren vista at Island in the Sky, but no visit to Canyonlands would be complete without the intimate and immersive desert experience that the Needles District offers. Drive two hours southwest of Moab away from cell phone rece...
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    • San Juan County, Utah

      Backpack Great Gulch: Kane Gulch to Bullet Canyon

      5.0
      25 mi
      One of the many wonderful hidden gems in Utah (so just tell you close friends about it).Kane Gulch is located four miles south of the Highway 95/Highway 261 junction. At the Kane Gulch ranger station you will be able to use restrooms, overnight park your vehicle, pick up permits, and purchase are...
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    • New Harmony, Utah

      Backpack the La Verkin Creek Trail

      5.0
      18.86 mi / 2894 ft gain
      I've visited Zion National Park twice this year and the experience between the two visitations were like night and day. Zion National Park is by no means a secret, and for good reason. Hikes such as Angels Landing, and the Narrows are locations which are sought after by every outdoorsman and novi...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Backpack to Ryder Lake

      4.7
      18 mi / 2000 ft gain
      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...
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    • Wellsville, Utah

      Box Elder Peak

      4.3
      7.57 mi / 3986 ft gain
      From the Rattlesnake Trailhead (about a mile northeast of the Sherwood Hills Resort on U.S. 89) to the peak is just under 4.5 miles. The hike is great exercise, as it's relatively steep. The steep angle provides for stunning views along the entire trail, making this one of the most picturesque hi...
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    • 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...
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    • Springdale, Utah

      Wildcat Canyon Trail

      5.0
      5.88 mi / 892 ft gain
      This 5.8 mile (one-way) trek is a multi-functional trail. The trail can serve as standalone trail allowing hikers to get in either a solid in-and-out day hike or as a leg to a much bigger and epic Trans-Zion Trek. For those interested in the later, the Wildcat Canyon Trail is the leg of the journ...
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    • Provo, Utah

      Pine Hollow Trail

      4.0
      5.26 mi / 1526 ft gain
      The trailhead (Forest Trail 047 - Pine Hollow Trail) starts across the street from a turnout about .5 miles above Mutual Dell in American Fork Canyon. This highly trafficked trail is used for just about every activity you can think of, meaning that you can even snowshoe this in the winter. It's a...
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    • Kamas, Utah

      Hike to Weir Lake

      5 mi / 800 ft gain
      Weir Lake is one of many mountain lakes located in the High Uintas near Kamas, Utah. The trail can be accessed off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway about 33 miles east of Kamas and starts at the Crystal Lake Trailhead. There is a parking lot near the start of the trailhead, but expect it to be fairly...
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    • Draper, Utah

      Lone Peak via the Cherry Creek Logging Trail

      14.8 mi / 6378 ft gain
      You start this trail at the Orson Smith Park in Draper.  It joins with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail briefly before turning off onto the cherry creek logging trail.  It switchbacks for a long ways exposed on towards the valley.  It is fairly steep in places, but doable.  I had tennis shoes with ...
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    • Virgin, Utah

      Connector Trail, Zion NP

      5.0
      4.9 mi / 696 ft gain
      This 4.9-mile (one-way) trek is a multi-functional trail. The trail can serve as standalone trail allowing hikers to get in either a solid in-and-out day hike or as a leg to a much bigger and epic Trans-Zion Trek. For those interested in the later, the Connector Trail is the leg of the journey th...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Camping and Skiing at Lily Lake

      When driving to the trailhead you must go through Evanston Wyoming to get there. The trailhead is located near the Bear River Lodge off the Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150).The Lily Lake area in the Uintas is full of snowy landscapes waiting to be explored on skis, snowshoes, or even a snowmobile. Yo...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Hike to Ostler Peak in the High Uintas

      13.7 mi / 3935 ft gain
      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 ...
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