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
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Provo, Utah
Camp at Silver Lake
4.54.4 mi / 1500 ft gainSilver Lake is a wonderful place to go if you're in need of a quick adventure in the woods. Located in the the Uinta National Forest, Silver Lake is relatively easy to get to via American Fork Canyon in Utah, however I do recommend driving a car with 4WD and can handle steep dirt roads with shar...Read more -
Boulder, Utah
Camp and Fish Deer Creek Lake
2.7 mi / 702 ft gainThere is something magical about Deer Creek Lake. The views are amazing, the hike is revitalizing, and the mountain air speaks to your soul. Stars seem to shine brighter here than any other trip you will go on. Out here, it is you and the wild. You will be able to see fish colored with bright cut...Read more -
New Harmony, Utah
Backpack Kolob Canyons, Zion NP
5.016 mi / 1000 ft gainOverview Starting at Lee Pass trailhead the trail descends down to run alongside the Timber Creek, past the open finger canyons of the nearby cliffs. At roughly mile 3 the trail will bend slowly to the left and climb up before descending again to run upstream and alongside La Verkin creek. Cam...Read more -
Monticello, Utah
Chesler Park via Sqaw Flat Trailhead
5.012.04 mi / 1660 ft gainThe first draw of this adventure is the roadtrip to the trailhead itself. Set out pre-dawn from Moab, UT and head 77 miles south and west to the Needles District Visitors Centre on Utah 211. En route you'll pass Newspaper Rock, a treasured collection of pictographs well worth the detour if you're...Read more -
Kamas, Utah
Camp and Climb at Cliff Lake
4.3 miCliff Lake can be located from the Crystal Lake Trailhead. The exact location is pinned, but you get there driving from Kamas. From Kamas take the Mirror Lake Highway and take the exit for Trial Lake Campground, the turn north to the Crystal Lakes Trailhead. There is a parking lot with bathrooms ...Read more -
Kamas, Utah
Duck Lake to Marjorie Lake Loop in the Uintas
8.4 mi / 850 ft gainThe trail to Duck Lake in the Uinta Mountains starts at the Crystal Lake Trailhead and is a popular starting off point for many trails like Cliff Lake, so the parking lot fills up quickly. Starting off, follow the signs for Long Lake. At about 1.3 miles you'll come to a junction. Follow the si...Read more -
Evanston, Utah
Backpack Naturalist Basin and Summit Mount Agassiz
4.015 mi / 3700 ft gainNaturist 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...Read more -
Hanna, Utah
Hike to Cuberant Lake
6 mi / 1066 ft gainThe 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 -
Orderville, Utah
East Rim Trail, Zion NP
5.010.19 mi / 2303 ft gainThe East Rim Trail is approximately 10-miles (one-way) and can either be started from the Eastern Entrance of Zion National Park, or more commonly from the Hidden Canyon or Observation Point Trailheads. Many people start from within Zion Canyon and do the arduous Observation Point Trail, forgoing...Read more -
San Juan County, Utah
Backpack Grand Gulch
10 mi / 600 ft gainBears Ears National Monument is a truly special place. We voyaged willingly on a journey of discovery into the roots of who we are as human beings, and we were not disappointed: the ruins accessible in the canyons brought tears to our eyes. While Bears Ears used to receive just 9,000 visitors ann...Read more -
Evanston, Utah
Backpack to Red Caslte Lake and Mt. Wilson
27 mi / 4200 ft gainUtah's 13ers are generally overshadowed by their 14er neighbors to the east, but do not be fooled, Utah's 13ers require a tremendous amount of effort to summit. The closest 13er to a road, Tokewanna, is about 18 miles round trip. The farthest 13er peaks are more than 30 miles round trip. These pe...Read more -
Kamas, Utah
Hike to Round, Sand, and Fish Lake in the Uinta Mountains
9 mi / 2000 ft gainThe Dry Fork Trailhead at the end of Weber Canyon Rd is the starting point for the hike to Round, Sand, and Fish Lakes in the Uinta Mountains of Utah. In the early spring and summer, this trail can be wet due to snowmelt runoff, but by mid-summer, it dries out and is a fantastic hike. The trail i...Read more -
Evanston, Utah
Backpack Mount Beulah via East Fork of the Bear River Trailhead
5.018 mi / 3423 ft gainGetting thereThis trip could be crammed into a really long day or even two days, but give yourself three days to really enjoy the area and not be too pressed for time.Your departure point is the East Fork of the Bear River Trailhead on the north slope of the Uintah Mountains. For most, this will ...Read more -
Kamas, Utah
Camp at Fire Lake
The hike to Fire Lake starts at the Crystal Lake Trailhead just off the Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta mountains. The main trailhead parking lot fills up quickly on weekends since it serves multiple trail options. If it’s full, no need to worry, there is an overflow lot down the road. The trai...Read more -
Springville, Utah
Maple Mountain (aka Spanish Fork Peak)
5.010.56 mi / 4524 ft gainThe trail starts out very easy, but keep an eye out for the fork in the trail at the creek. It's easy to miss. It's right at the metal bench that will be on the left. Cross the creek and continue another quarter mile or so when you'll notice another branch to your left. Keep going straight here a...Read more -
Sevier, Utah
Hike Joe Lott Trail #051
6.5 mi / 3600 ft gainThe Joe Lott Trailhead starts at Castle Rock Campground and follows the Joe Lott Creek which has tall old growth trees to provide shade in the summer. Joe Lott Trail #051 is an out-and-back, so you can go as far as you like and turn around. We went 1.5 miles and had to cross the river 3-times. At...Read more