Best backpacking within 200 miles of Salt Lake City

[Tiemac]

What would you Suggest?

[BruteForce]

How many days? Terrain?

Normally, I'd recommend anything in the Swell, but temps and these recent thunderstorms (flash floods) would be problematic. How about Delano Peak atop the Tushar mountains (between Beaver and US89 near Circleville? You'd be at almost 12k elevation and plenty of trails and areas to pitch tent, etc..

[Tiemac]

One or two nights. We are not mountain goats but some climbing is always good. Water for purification. I will check out your suggestions. Thanks!

[DesertDuke]

For quite some time my answer would have been the Uintas. Still great, but loads of other people will have that same idea. I would say trying Boulder mountain but that might be just out of your range. This is for summer of course. Red rock areas are on the list after mid Sept. I don't know how much you searched the site already, but there are boatloads of TRs on here describing great hikes. Just read and choose. I don't think there is one best pack trip.

[BruteForce]

One or two nights. We are not mountain goats but some climbing is always good. Water for purification. I will check out your suggestions. Thanks!


The nice thing about this destination is that you can drive to about 10k' elevation, then hike to the top, then hike the ridgeline in any direction from that point.

[nefariousdeeds]

Uintas -

Naturalist Basin - (High Line Trail)Plenty of lakes.. 3 Peaks (If your'e into peak bagging). Only around 6-8 Miles to the upper basin.

Brown Duck Lake Trail - Plenty of Lakes (Brown duck, Kidney etc) - Peaks to summit as well, high elevation.

[Scott P]

For quite some time my answer would have been the Uintas. Still great, but loads of other people will have that same idea.

Only a few places in the Uintas are popular. Many areas you can explore for days/months/years on end without running into a soul. Some of the old registers placed on some of the peaks have gone at least 15 years between signatures.

[Tiemac]

Thanks everyone im checking those places out. Decided against this weekend do to thunderstorms. What a wuss huh.

[D.O.N.E.]

A great backpacking destination my dad used to take me to when I was a kid is the cuberant lakes area. It's not a rough trail, and I've seen many a neat critter sighting there, including a pack of mountain goats maybe 20 feet away from the trail. We popped over a ridge on our way out and bam there they all were! There's a bunch of different lakes to check out, always had good fishing, many a spot complete with 'table' rocks. I do know the boy scouts occasionally go up there, never ran into them on our trips, but did find their stash of canned goods. On a side note - canned food for backpacking?! I guess they mean to wear the boys out to the point where there is no energy left for troublemaking?? The only times we ran into folks was them hiking out as we hiked in, never shared the lake. I will add it's been at least 5 years since the last time I went up there though. It's just a really calm, peaceful area great for a relaxed weekend of fishing.

[Tiemac]

Cuberant basin Looks like a great place. We just did the Lofty Lake loop east of that area. Hope to go to Amethyst basin this weekend if I have the cash.