Difficult hike. 6 hours of moving time and 2 hours of stopped time, a total of 8 hours. Take your time and plan for a long hike. Bring at least 2 Liters of water. I brought 3.5 L and still ran out.
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The trail till the upper falls is very well maintained. After the upper falls the trail gets narrow, footing less secure and at places there are large boulders to climb over. Hike shoes or sneakers would work on the first part, sturdy hiking shoes or even boots would be required on the latter
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This hike has it all. The approach trail is moderate but a bit rocky in places.
above the upper Red pine lake it gets steep with loose rock. You have to negotiate a knife edge ridge scramble with a little exposure and then a crazy steep hike to the summit on loose rock. Be careful it is easy to take a header on the way down.
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Beautiful day and a beautiful hike! Very green and lots of wildflowers still blooming. A bit crowded, but it was a Saturday at the end of summer so that’s expected. We actually hiked out along a ridge with a spectacular view of Silver Lake and the north side of Timpanogos. There’s something special waiting anyone who hiked out to that point - but it requires some scrambling.
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Seriously? This is a mole hill, it’s a fat nothing, it certainly isn’t difficult and it’s DEFINITELY not a 5 star destination, not around here anyway.
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We went up Alexander Basin, very steep, to Gobblers Knob and returned via Bohman's Fork for a less steep descent and a nice loop. There were stunning views of the mountains and Big Cottonwood canyon. One in our group saw a moose. We saw several pika. In mid August the flowers were lovely. Great hike.
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Area was burned in 2018 and Scudder Lake may not be a great destination for a few years.
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With more than 5000 ft of elevation gain this is a difficult loop hike. I recommend a counterclockwise direction.
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This is a vigorous hike but well worth it. A few things to be aware of though.
1. It’s hot and you’ll need plenty of water
2. There’s a little scrambling near the Summit but don’t worry, it’s pretty trivial.
3. I didn’t see any but reports are that the rattlers are out.
4 There’s a lot of nettle along the trail before you climb out above the drainage - wear shorts at your own risk.
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HIked this trail several times. VERY busy on weekends but nice during the week. Mostly shaded in the mornings. Absolutely gorgeous views. Hike up another half mile to the east of the lake for a breathtaking view of Park City and beyond. If you are tempted to extend the hike to Dog Lake to the west, don't bother - It's not much more than a large mud hole and the trail is steep.
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I did this (or very similar) hike with my dog on 6/24/19. There was a lot of snow in places and spikes (Kahtoola Microspikes) are highly recommended under these conditions. It's an awesome hike, 2.7 miles that included getting off the trail accidentally for 20 minutes or so due to heavy snow and not being able to see the trail. It took us about 2 hours. Under these conditions, I would rate this hike as difficult, otherwise moderate later in the summer. I was on all fours at times and also sliding down on my butt at times. We didn't make it to Clayton Peak, but rather the 10,400 foot peak next to it, and our loop included Bloods Lake on the way back to the car. Overall, a lot of fun and I was totally BEAT when we got back to the car. So was my Blue Heeler.
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Hiked this trail 6-20-19. There is still a lot of runoff, resulting in several tricky crossings of raging streams, making it too dangerous for small children. Otherwise the trail is in good shape. I turned back at 8300 feet elevation where the deep snow hides the trail. This will be a great hike in late July after the snow melts. Great scenery, lots of shade and beautiful mountain meadows.
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This is a good prep hike for many of the "destination" hikes offered by the WF. Easy access, and can be hiked year round (if you can stand a little snow and cold). With Jan/Feb drifts some care is required in the narrow cliff areas between mile 1.5 and 2. Good variable scenery and wildlife. In this area I have seen: Snakes, skunk, [someone else's video of a] bear, lizards, moose, deer, rams, rabbits, birds of all types, elk in the upper region, wild turkeys... and I am probably forgetting something. It took the course of 5 years of hiking to see all of those, but they are all there, and then some I am sure!
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The trail was rather muddy, icy, and slushy due to the epic snow fall we have had this year, this past week's rain, and the warmer sun that cropped up over the past few days. Despite that, we got up fine to the top in 2 hours and 30 minutes with microspikes. The lower elevation was green and lovely while the upper trail still had a lot of snow.
This trail is really enjoyable. It is super green in the spring and rather shady for most of it in the summer and fall. If you want a quick yet steep trail to the top for an excellent view of Salt Lake City, this is your hike.
It is a traditional trail with a simple single track dirt trail from the bottom to the top. The end has some awesome rocks that outcrop over the valley that any famous instagramers will love (sorry instagram husbands, you're going to be taking a lot of pictures).
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An alternative start / end location is Red Butte Road. There's some parking along the road as well as by the gate about 0.2 miles past the Red Butte Garden outdoor theatre gates.
I love this hike because it clocks in at right about an hour which makes it great for a lunch break (in winter) or before / after work (summer).
Consider bringing microspikes when there's snow / ice. You'll probably be fine without but I like having them available on this hike.
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First snowshoeing trip of the 2018-2019 season! This is my first time up the Desolation Trail and I found it to be a great trail for a snowshoer that's looking for a trail that's straightforward to follow but also has some challenging terrain. Snow is a bit sparse at the lower elevations but by the time the Thayne Canyon trail branches off it's plenty deep. There's 3+ feet in the upper stretches.
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A really great trail. I just love it in the off season when the crowds are mostly gone. Right now the trail is mostly snow and some icy sections but well traveled and easy to follow. Once you’re into the upper basin skis or snowshoes are needed - I was postholing with every step! I was lucky enough to run across coyotes and mountain goats on this trip. Only a few other people on the trail.
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