Uintas Backpacking (or Montana)

Brian Handsaker

Brian Handsaker

James
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Messages
4
I and 3 other buddies from Iowa go on a backpacking trip every year for the past 9 years. We have done a variety of hikes, 5 years have been in Montana, 3 years in Colorado, and 1 year in Canyonlands Utah.
Our trips have been varied in length and difficulty ranging from 60 mile round trip in a week moving camp everyday, to 10 miles out one day then stay in same camp for 4 days and do exploring day hikes.
Uinta’s have been on my radar for last couple years and this is the year I want to plan our trip there, or will gladly go somewhere else there are good recommendations. We are willing to drive 20 hours one way if necessary – with 4 guys driving only 5 hrs driving each.

I do the the trip planning every year and this is the first site I have joined seeking information. It's a real struggle figuring out good places to go doing it from the computer in Iowa.
We always seek out a secluded hike where we see few or no other people. Seeking a hike 10-18 miles one way, to a location with large ridges to follow and easy exploring with vast views from some accessible peaks. Along with a good selection of fishing lakes to jump around on. We will be going in July or August.

I saw some posts about Gladys lake, which looks great, but I fear running into too many people.
Would you have any suggestions of other hikes that fit what we're looking for?
We take the principles of `Leave No Trace` quite seriously and always are good stewards of the land.
Very new to the site and will appreciate any suggestions you all may have.
Let me know if I can provide any more information.
Thanks!
 
Gladys Lake is nice. The whole area around Gladys Lake is called Rock Creek Basin, and is a great backpacking playground for exploring and lake fishing.
You could hit up Naturalist Basin and/or Four Lakes Basin along the way too. Once you get passed Naturalist Basin the number of people you'll see will thin. And then once you cross Rocky Sea Pass and enter Rock Creek Basin, you'll see even fewer people.
 
Last edited:
Brian Handsaker said:
I and 3 other buddies from Iowa go on a backpacking trip every year for the past 9 years. We have done a variety of hikes, 5 years have been in Montana, 3 years in Colorado, and 1 year in Canyonlands Utah.
Our trips have been varied in length and difficulty ranging from 60 mile round trip in a week moving camp everyday, to 10 miles out one day then stay in same camp for 4 days and do exploring day hikes.
Uinta’s have been on my radar for last couple years and this is the year I want to plan our trip there, or will gladly go somewhere else there are good recommendations. We are willing to drive 20 hours one way if necessary – with 4 guys driving only 5 hrs driving each.

I do the the trip planning every year and this is the first site I have joined seeking information. It's a real struggle figuring out good places to go doing it from the computer in Iowa.
We always seek out a secluded hike where we see few or no other people. Seeking a hike 10-18 miles one way, to a location with large ridges to follow and easy exploring with vast views from some accessible peaks. Along with a good selection of fishing lakes to jump around on. We will be going in July or August.

I saw some posts about Gladys lake, which looks great, but I fear running into too many people.
Would you have any suggestions of other hikes that fit what we're looking for?
We take the principles of `Leave No Trace` quite seriously and always are good stewards of the land.
Very new to the site and will appreciate any suggestions you all may have.
Let me know if I can provide any more information.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t give Utah you vacation dollars with all the things they keep doing to National Parks, climate change and defunding the EPA. Go to a state that values the environment the way you do
 
If you want to stay away from people in the Uintas, just be sure to avoid spending lots of time on trails leading to places like Henry's Fork, Red Castle, Amethyst Basin, and the stuff right along Mirror Lake Highway. It sometimes depends on luck and timing too. A group of us on here only saw 2 people in 3 days on a weekend trip to Allsop Lake last summer. Several on here have explored the range much more than I have and can chime in with good answers for you.

Bob Wire said:
I wouldn’t give Utah you vacation dollars with all the things they keep doing to National Parks, climate change and defunding the EPA. Go to a state that values the environment the way you do
Click to expand...
No disrespect, as I also disagree with the environmental policies of most of the politicians in Utah, but driving straight from Iowa to the Uintas and hiking on federally owned public land wouldn't contribute many if any dollars to the state of Utah. Especially if they come down from Wyoming onto the north slope of the Uintas.
 
Bob Wire said:
I wouldn’t give Utah you vacation dollars with all the things they keep doing to National Parks, climate change and defunding the EPA. Go to a state that values the environment the way you do
Click to expand...
You can be magically whisked away to... Delaware. Hi, I'm in Delaware.
 
Or go to Utah and tell everyone that you can (especially small business owners) that you are from out of state and are there to visit some beautiful, wild public lands.
 
Brian Handsaker said:
I saw some posts about Gladys lake, which looks great, but I fear running into too many people.
Would you have any suggestions of other hikes that fit what we're looking for?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
As previously mentioned, Gladys Lake is in the Rock Creek Basin and is a fantastic choice,
especially if solitude is your goal.

I did it from the Highline Trailhead at Mirror Lake Highway to West Fork Black's Fork drainage. It
was just shy of 40 miles. While in the Rock Creek Drainage I saw 2 people, both going
the opposite direction I was. Once you go over Dead Horse Pass into WFBF you'll
see a few people. Camping at Dead Horse Lake would give you amazing views, but also
would more than likely give you neighbors for the night. If you move down the trail a bit
from Dead Horse you'll never have anyone camped near you for the whole trail.

If you decide you want to do Rock Creek Basin you'll either need a shuttle vehicle or
do an out an back. If you do the out and back start from the Dead Horse Pass side and
camp at Ledge Lake. My favorite Uintas spot thus far.

I doubt there is a trail in all of the Uintas that hasn't been walked by a BCP member.

List your priorities (solitude, fishing, peak bagging, etc) and someone here will have
the perfect Uintas destination for you.
 
You could check out Moon Lake Resort which sets at 8,300ft. Acclimate there for a couple of days and then hike north from Moon Lake making a 50 mile loop that takes you over Red Knob Pass over to Deadhorse lake and Deadhorse pass and then back down to Moon Lake. There are multiple trails, multiple basins and plenty of lakes. After Deadhorse pass you could side trip over to Rocky Sea pass which has multiple lakes to the north east. National Geographic makes a good map covering the High UIntas.
 
rundrumkc said:
You could check out Moon Lake Resort which sets at 8,300ft. Acclimate there for a couple of days and then hike north from Moon Lake making a 50 mile loop that takes you over Red Knob Pass over to Deadhorse lake and Deadhorse pass and then back down to Moon Lake. There are multiple trails, multiple basins and plenty of lakes. After Deadhorse pass you could side trip over to Rocky Sea pass which has multiple lakes to the north east. National Geographic makes a good map covering the High UIntas.
Click to expand...

That sounds very interesting, I'm definitely going to look into moon lake area. & the map is on its way!
 
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