The Uinta Highline Trail, a stunning and iconic hiking route located in the Uinta Mountains of Utah, offers adventurers a breathtaking experience as they traverse diverse landscapes, including alpine lakes, meadows filled with wildflowers, and rugged mountain terrain. Stretching approximately 105 miles from the western trailhead at the Crystal Lake Campground to the eastern trailhead at the Hayden Pass, this trail is ideal for those seeking a multi-day backpacking adventure while immersing themselves in the beauty of nature.

Hikers often encounter a variety of wildlife, including moose, elk, and various bird species. The trail is well-marked and features several campsites, making it accessible for both seasoned hikers and those new to multi-day backcountry trips. Additionally, the elevation gain along the trail offers a moderate challenge, rewarding hikers with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, especially from the higher vantage points, which are particularly awesome at sunrise and sunset.

Thoughts before the trip: This trail has been on my adventure list for a few years and I was eager to finally experience it. I am trading my Sierra Mountains for the High Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah. Gotta say, I am approaching this route with more than a bit of caution and respect, fully aware that every adventure carries its own set of challenges. I have been warned about thunderstorms that can roll in at a moment’s notice, freak snowstorms that can transform the landscape into a winter wonderland unexpectedly, and rocky trails that test even the most seasoned hikers. Timing the high passes is critical, as weather conditions can change rapidly, and the possibility of wildlife encounters adds another layer of unpredictability.

Preparation is essential, as the logistics can be challenging, the elevation stays relatively high and weather conditions can change rapidly. The list goes on and on, filling my mind with both apprehension and anticipation. Yet, I am ready to be slapped down and face the suck, because, in the heart of it all, you never know—it just might be an amazing, fantastic surprise waiting for me. Bring it on!

No matter where I am, the trail I travel now connects me to all the trails I’ve ever traveled and to every trail I will travel in the future.
~ Janice Emily Bowers, Fear Falls Away

Uinta Highline Trail Overview

TRIP DATE: August 24-28, 2024
DISTANCE: Approximately 80 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 14,445′
TRAILHEAD: Shuttle trip one way beginning at Leidy Peak Trailhead ending at Highline Trail Trailhead at Hayden Pass
DIFFICULTY: Moderate, but stays at higher elevations
NAVIGATION: Well-marked trail
TIME TO HIKE: Mid-July to Mid-September
WATER: Many natural water sources available
PERMITS: None needed but parking at trailhead requires a Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Site Pass, purchase online prior to trip at Recreation.gov or at staffed state parks, regional offices, or the Utah DNR Bookstore
CELL SERVICE: Generally non-existent, but I did experience Verizon service on Anderson Pass and King’s Peak

Guidebook, Maps & GPS

• Guidebook: Uinta Highline Association Guidebook and GPS – I purchased this online resource and used both the GPX and PDF guidebook
• Map: National Geographic High Uintas Wilderness
• GPX: Click “Open in “CalTopo” in upper left hand corner of map to view and download GPX.

Helpful Links

• Uinta Highline Trail – I purchased both the guidebook and GPX
• MTX Utah – This is the shuttle service I used, highly recommend
• AllTrails – GPS has helpful notes for camping and logistics
• LB Hikes – I used this site for deciding on route and timing

Shuttle Service

• MTX Utah – This is the shuttle service I used and highly recommended!

Trip Itinerary

My possible 7 day itinerary:

Day 1 – Shuttle (MTX Utah shuttle service) leaving car at Highline Trail Trailhead, shuttle to Leidy Trailhead to Deadman Lake (climb Leidy Peak 1.5 miles, 800 feet elevation gain) – 9 miles
Day 2 – Deadman Lake to Fox Lake (Chepeta Lake Trailhead, North Pole Pass) – 15 miles
Day 3 – Fox Lake to Basin East of Anderson Pass – 14 miles
Day 4 – East of Anderson Pass to North Star Lake (Anderson Pass climb Kings Peak from Pass allow 4 hours 1.5 miles 800 elevation gain) (Tungsten Pass) – 10 miles at mile 45
Day 5 – North Star Lake to Dead Horse Lake (Porcupine Pass, Red Knob Pass) – 17 miles at mile 62
Day 6 –  Dead Horse Lake to Carolyn Lake (Dead Horse Pass, Jack and Jill Trail Alternate, Rock Sea Pass – 13 miles
Day 7 – Carolyn Lake to Hayden Pass – 7 miles

Itinerary I actually hiked:

Day 1 – Leidy Trailhead > Gabbro Pass > Sharlee Lake – 15 miles
Day 2 – Sharlee Lake > North Pole Pass > Gilbert Creek – 17 miles
Day 3 – Gilbert Creek > Painters Basin > Anderson Pass > Kings Peak > Yellowstone Creek – 12 miles

Day 4 – Yellowstone Creek > Tungsten Pass > Porcupine Pass > Red Knob Pass > Dead Horse Lake – 21.5 miles

Day 5 – Dead Horse Lake > Dead Horse Pass > Jack n Jill Alternate > Rocky Sea Pass > Scudder Lake – 19 miles
Day 6 – Scudder Lake > Hayden Pass Trailhead – 2 miles

Route Options

• I hiked and highly recommend starting at the Leidy Peak Trailhead. Starting at Leidy will give you big impact from the beginning and feels complete at the end.
• Another option is to start at the traditional trailhead at McKee Draw on Highway 191. This trailhead makes for the longest hike (about 102 miles) and easiest logistics, but the first 20-25 miles are mostly a forest walk with little water. Note: MTX Utah Shuttle Service stops here on the way to Leidy Peak Trailhead.
• Hike in the opposite direction. Start at Highline Trail Trailhead and hike toward Leidy Peak Trailhead or continue to McKee Draw.
• End at Mirror Lake vs. Hayden Pass
• Climb Leidy Peak
• Yo Yo the entire trail, parking at Hayden Pass the beginning, hike to McKee Draw (leave a resupply here in bear locker ahead of time), then hike back to Hayden Pass Trailhead.

Tips

• Be sure and watch your map and know what your upcoming terrain should be. There are trail intersections that are not obvious which way to go or some are easy to blow right by. I used the navigation skill of Dead Reckoning continuously on this route.
• Follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles to minimize your impact on the environment.

Recommended Gear

• Full Rain Gear: Rain mitts or gloves, rain jacket and rain pants (see Favorite Gear from the Hike section below)
• Food Protection: Proper food storage (e.g. bear-bagging) is required, but bear canisters are not. Depending on where you camp, many areas are treeless to hang food. I used my trusty Ursack and OP Sak combo. I did have moose and mice visit my tent during the night on 2 nights of the trip.
• Satellite Messenger: I carry a Garmin inReach Mini 2 and highly recommend it.
• Backpacking Kit:  It is important to get your backpacking kit as light as possible for safety, comfort, and your health.

Day 1

Leidy Trailhead > Gabbro Pass > Sharlee Lake – 15.28 miles
4,269′ elevation gain

The journey kicked off with a 2-day drive to Hayden Pass where I arranged to meet the shuttle at 5:00 am in the morning. The mountain drive from Provo, Utah to the trailhead is gorgeous. The route passes through Heber City with lots of options for places to stay, gas, and food.

It rained most of the night and into the morning. MTX Shuttle Service showed up to the trailhead a bit before 5:00 am, the arranged time. The 16 passenger van was newer and soon filled with other hikers and gear. After that, I took the four-hour shuttle ride to the beginning trailhead with the highly recommended MTX Utah Shuttle service, which made the logistics much smoother. MTX Utah Shuttle service was super friendly, and professional.

Finally, it was time to hit the trail from Leidy Trailhead, and I was buzzing with excitement. Day 1 turned out to be wild with crazy wind and clouds that rolled in like they owned the place, and I even got knocked down to the ground twice! It was a mix of thrill and nature’s raw power, making for a memorable start to this adventure.

At the end of the day, the weather deteriorated. Luckily, I found a protected camp nestled in trees above open Sharlee Lake. I was set up in my tent just as the skies opened raining, thunder and lightening. This was a solid first day.

Day 2

Sharlee Lake > North Pole Pass > Gilbert Creek – 17.34 miles
3,147′ elevation gain

Woke up to a full-on lightening storm. Waiting it out with a second cup of coffee was a great idea.

After the storm lightened up a bit, I quickly packed up and set off knowing I had to get up and over the next pass, North Pole Pass before the next storm system blew in.

I just barely got over North Pole Pass when a crazy storm rolled in, unleashing nonstop rain, thunder, lightning, snow, and hail. I was warm and dry in my full rain gear as long as I kept moving

Luckily, I bumped into Joel, another Highline Trail hiker who was just as eager to tackle the elements. We decided to stick together and hiked through the chaotic weather, sharing stories and laughter to keep our spirits high. He totally made the afternoon and evening zoom by!

It was incredible how the storm transformed the landscape, turning everything into a wild, beautiful scene that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

As I sit here in my tent with wet gear surrounding me, I am so thankful for my rain gear, a new friend, and the tree above me that sheltered the ground beneath my tent from rain, snow, and hail. Good night. Tomorrow if all things go as planned, I climb Kings Peak.

Day 3

Gilbert Creek > Painters Basin > Anderson Pass > Kings Peak > Yellowstone Creek – 11.40 miles
3,210′ elevation gain

I woke up to clear skies, perfect for experiencing scenic Painter Basin and climbing Kings Peak. Painter Basin was a beautiful stroll in the park. It was great fun relaxing and taking in sunlight!

The climb from Painter Basin up to Anderson Pass is no joke. Steep and rocky. After climbing at a pretty good clip, I stopped just below the pass to lounge, dry out gear, and eat lunch. Getting all my gear dried out in the sun (with no wind!) was a sweet bonus, allowing me to relax and soak in the moment after such an exhilarating couple of days. Also, Kings Peak, the highest peak in Utah is a popular day-hike destination and I knew I would be seeing other hikers very soon.

The views and climb of Kings Peak was absolutely amazing, packed with tons of rock scrambling that kept my adrenaline pumping! I enjoyed every second of it. The breathtaking scenery all around made every effort worth it; the mountains stretched out like a majestic painting. Honestly, it was everything I hoped for and more!

After sharing the peak with other hikers, I descended carefully, packed up my gear I had left at the pass and headed down to my next goal, Yellowstone Creek.

The evening views and lighting were particularly special. I found a great camp above Yellowstone Creek perched perfectly to view sunset. The temperature dropped a ton while I was getting all set up. I think tonight is going to be very cold.

Day 4

Yellowstone Creek > Tungsten Pass > Porcupine Pass > Red Knob Pass > Dead Horse Lake – 21.56 miles
4,830′ elevation gain

Cold, cold night. Ended up wearing all my clothing even rain gear. It worked, no shivering and I slept well.

I had a visitor in the night, a moose. He sniffed my tent a few times, I yelled at him, and he walked away slowly. End of story, thank goodness.

Frost lined my tent and the surrounding landscape. It was not until reaching the top of Tungsten Pass that it warmed up and the ground softened.

Lake dotted Garfield Basin and Porcupine Pass were totally my favorites of the day! So open, diverse, and remote. The descent off Porcupine is an engineering feat and steep.

While I was munching on my lunch, a friendly thru-hiker, Twig stopped by, and we started chatting about the trail and our adventures so far. It was such a great moment! We quickly found out that we had a bunch of hiker friends in common, which made the conversation even more fun. How awesome is that? We shared stories about our favorite spots along the trail, the memorable sights we’d seen, and even a few funny mishaps! Turns out yesterday was her birthday and she had summited Kings Peak at sunset.

Twig and I ended up sticking together for the rest of the day, laughing and enjoying the beautiful scenery all around us. After climbing Red Knob Pass together we decided to make it all the way to Dead Horse Lake for the night. We arrived just before dark. Surprising to us, the lake is a popular destination for backpackers with a large amount of established campsites. Most of the sites were full. So crazy. Anyway, my goal tomorrow morning to get the top of Deadman’s Pass at sunrise.

Day 5/6

Day 5 – Dead Horse Lake > Dead Horse Pass > Jack n Jill Alternate > Rocky Sea Pass > Scudder Lake – 18.5 miles
3,335′ elevation gain
Morning of Day 6 – 2 miles to Highline Trailhead all downhill

Day 5 was all about the epic sunrise at Dead Horse Pass, where the colors of the sky painted breathtaking views as the sun peeked over the horizon. It felt like magic, watching the world wake up beneath the golden light.

Twig caught up with me early morning and we continued the rest of the hike together.

I had a bit a apprehension about the upcoming burn area and the Jack n’ Jill alternate. Turns out the main route is the alternate and still goes through an extensive burn area. For me it was a big bummer hiking through that huge burn area, which was once a lush landscape filled with vibrant trees, lakes, campsite, and stunning wildflowers. I could only imagine how gorgeous it must have been back in the day, a true paradise.

As we topped off Rocky Sea Pass, the wind was crazy, my braids blew sideways. The rest of the day was in more front country type of hiking in and out of burns. Not my favorite. Twig and I did find a clump of unburned trees at the shore of Scudder Lake, 2 miles from the end of the Uinta Highline Trail. The clump of trees with established camps. We both took a dip, cleaned up and talked trail until dark.

Morning of Day 6, Twig and I wrapped things up at Hayden Pass, soaking in the last views of the vast wilderness around us, and now she’s off to tackle some other BIG hikes! I’m excited to read about her adventures at Twig Adventures.

Favorite Gear from the Hike

• Rain Pants – You will need them! If not for rain, for wind, snow, and any other cold blasts that come along. I slept in mine on this trip. Here is the women’s version (size medium) I use HERE and the men’s version (size small) HERE.
• Rain Jacket – Again bring a newer rain jacket that is waterproof. I have a few rain jackets that I like. On this trip I brought my women’s Montbell Versalite (size medium).
• Waterproof Gloves or Mittens – For this trip I used lined Showa Gloves . Note: Showa Gloves run very small, I wear a size large.

My Thoughts

Hiking a new mountain range is always such a thrill! On the Highline Trail, I loved the open amazing views, walking on alpine tundra, admiring cool cloud shapes with anticipation of incoming storm systems, and tons of peace since there aren’t many humans around. As a bonus, like the Continental Divide Trail, the big stone piles are fun to look for to stay on track. This is a great shorter thru-hike that doesn’t take a huge amount of time with huge payoffs.

Please comment below for any questions or thoughts you might have. 🙂