Red Castle Lakes / Wilson Peak OR Rock Creek Basin

[loweryda]

My wife and are are flying into Utah tomorrow and are looking to do a 2 night 25-30 mile backpacking trip in the Uintas before heading to southern Utah for the rest of the week. Right now I am looking at Red Castle Lakes with the possible summit of Wilson peak from either Bald Mtn route or China Meadows, or heading into rock creek basin / Gladys lake area. We would like to have good fishing and good scenery. We will be hiking in on Sunday and out on Tuesday, we are ok with a few people but would prefer solitude. This will likely be our only trip in the Uintas for years to come as we are from Nashville and go to different places each year. This will be my wife's first real backpacking trip in the west, she is in good shape, but I want to make sure it is a good experience so she will continue to enjoy backpacking. What are your thoughts on picking one of these 2 destinations?

 

[Perry]

The scenery will be great in any of those areas. Red Castle from China Meadow would be the easiest hike but likely to have others in the area. Lots of destination lakes in the Rock Creek drainage but Rocky Sea Pass is a fairly good haul.


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[Perry]

Oh and one other thing... be prepared for mosquitoes anywhere near water.


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[DrNed]

They both have great scenery. Gladys lake is probably a longer hike. (Assuming you
start at the Highline Trail head at the Mirror Lake Highway.)
Red Castle is probably an easier hike. If bagging a peak is important Red Castle,
but as I look at the image below the peak to the right looks doable if you
follow the ridge line up from the shoulder. Don't know the name.
I don't know first hand which is better for fishing but Rock Creek is going to have way more options.

Here's my photo of the Gladys lake area.


If it were me, I think I'd choose Gladys.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[loweryda]

Thanks for the input - after talking it over with the wife and looking at some pictures she wants to do Red Castle, so red castle it is!