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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

    • Provo, Utah

      Camp at Silver Lake

      4.5
      4.4 mi / 1500 ft gain
      Silver 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...
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    • Boulder, Utah

      Camp and Fish Deer Creek Lake

      2.7 mi / 702 ft gain
      There 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...
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    • New Harmony, Utah

      Backpack Kolob Canyons, Zion NP

      5.0
      16 mi / 1000 ft gain
      Overview 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...
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    • Monticello, Utah

      Chesler Park via Sqaw Flat Trailhead

      5.0
      12.04 mi / 1660 ft gain
      The 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...
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    • Kamas, Utah

      Camp and Climb at Cliff Lake

      4.3 mi
      Cliff 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 ...
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    • Kamas, Utah

      Duck Lake to Marjorie Lake Loop in the Uintas

      8.4 mi / 850 ft gain
      The 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...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Backpack Naturalist Basin and Summit Mount Agassiz

      4.0
      15 mi / 3700 ft gain
      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...
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    • 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...
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    • Orderville, Utah

      East Rim Trail, Zion NP

      5.0
      10.19 mi / 2303 ft gain
      The 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...
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    • San Juan County, Utah

      Backpack Grand Gulch

      10 mi / 600 ft gain
      Bears 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...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Backpack to Red Caslte Lake and Mt. Wilson

      27 mi / 4200 ft gain
      Utah'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...
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    • Kamas, Utah

      Hike to Round, Sand, and Fish Lake in the Uinta Mountains

      9 mi / 2000 ft gain
      The 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...
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    • Evanston, Utah

      Backpack Mount Beulah via East Fork of the Bear River Trailhead

      5.0
      18 mi / 3423 ft gain
      Getting 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 ...
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    • 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...
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    • Springville, Utah

      Maple Mountain (aka Spanish Fork Peak)

      5.0
      10.56 mi / 4524 ft gain
      The 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...
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    • Sevier, Utah

      Hike Joe Lott Trail #051

      6.5 mi / 3600 ft gain
      The 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...
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