Utah's
Incredible Backcountry Trails
(second edition)
WARNING:
HIKING INVOLVES RISK!
Hiking is a sport, not a pastime, and like all sports it involves an element of risk. There have been several instances in recent years of people suffering injury while hiking in Utah's backcountry and then filing a lawsuit against a person or organization that gave them information about the hike. This is a disturbing trend with serious implications for everyone involved in the sport.
The author and publisher of this book will not assume responsibility for any mishap that may occur as a result of information present or not present in this book. It is assumed that anyone attempting any of the hikes described in the following pages is already aware of the potential risks, has made all the necessary preparations, and has had sufficient experience to assume responsibility for himself.
Furthermore, while the author has done his best to assure that the information herein presented is accurate, he cannot guarantee its accuracy. Hikers using the information in this book should make allowance for the possibility that it may not be correct.
Utah's
Incredible Backcountry Trails
(2nd Edition)
Text and Photography
By
David Day
Rincon Publishing Company
1913 North Skyline Drive
Orem, Utah 84097
www.utahtrails.com
copyright: David Day, 2013
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
Leasing agreements for the photographs in this book are available on request.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012902811
ISBN: 978-09660858-5-3
Other books by David Day:
Malaysia in Colour (1979)
Singapore, Gateway to the Far East (1986)
Java, Island of Antiquities (1988)
Malaysia, Gemstone of Southeast Asia (1990)
Thailand and the Kingdoms of Siam (1991)
Utah's Favorite Hiking Trails (1998)
Utah's Favorite Hiking Trails, 2nd Edition (2002)
Canyonlands National Park, Favorite Jeep Roads and Hiking Trails (2004)
Utah's Incredible Backcountry Trails (2006)
Colorado's Incredible Backcountry Trails (2009)
Salt Lake Citys Incredible Hiking and Biking Trails (2016
Published by:
Rincon Publishing Company
1913 North Skyline Drive
Orem, Utah 84097
(801) 377-7657
www.utahtrails.com
For Darleen,
my most loyal
hiking companion
for the past 3o years.
Contents
Northern Utah
(6.4 miles)
(6.6 miles)
(7.5 miles)
(8.4 miles)
(6.9 miles)
(8.0 miles)
(31.6 miles)
(25.0 miles)
(13.0 miles)
(22.6 miles)
(34.0 miles)
(16.1 miles)
(19.0 miles)
(7.9 miles)
(10.5 miles)
(5.7 miles)
(8.0 miles)
(9.4 miles)
(5.2 miles)
(5.2 miles)
(6.4 miles)
(7.0 miles)
(9.3 miles)
(5.2 miles)
(6.6 miles)
(5.6 miles)
(7.0 miles)
(9.0 miles)
(6.4 miles)
(5.6 miles)
(17.3 miles)
(6.1 miles)
(8.2 miles)
(4.4 miles)
(11.4 miles)
(13.2 miles)
(8.6 miles)
(9.9 miles)
(9.1 miles)
(16.4 miles)
(15.3 miles)
Southern Utah
(8.1 miles)
(3.0 miles)
(6.2 miles)
(5.5 miles)
(4.4 miles)
(4.2 miles)
(4.8 miles)
(8.6 miles)
(7.4 miles)
(8.1 miles)
(9.0 miles)
(10.4 miles)
(17.0 miles)
(12.9 miles)
(8.8 miles)
(8.9 miles)
(16.0 miles)
(8.6 miles)
(22.8 miles)
(29.9 miles)
(10.6 miles)
(23.0 miles)
(10.1 miles)
(16.1 miles)
(11.4 miles)
(9.0 miles)
(6.1 miles)
(7.0 miles)
(9.7 miles)
(11.0 miles)
(9.4 miles)
(18.1 miles)
(8.8 miles)
(5.4 miles)
(8.2 miles)
(14.3 miles)
(20.4 miles)
(9.5 miles)
(11.8 miles)
(7.2 miles)
(22.0 miles)
(20.6 miles)
(5.2 miles)
(8.6 miles)
(3.0 miles)
(5.2 miles)
(8.0 miles)
(9.8 miles)
(17.3 miles)
(17.9 miles)
(15.4 miles)
(9.1 miles)
(14.3 miles)
(5.4 miles)
(15.7 miles)
Trailhead Locations
Tap to the indicated page numbers for complete descriptions of the trails.
Preface
The publication of my book, Utahs Favorite Hiking Trails, in 1998, marked what I thought would be the end of a six-year project to document all of the best hiking trails in Utah. But as the reader replies began to come in I soon realized that many interesting trails had been left out. This led to a revised edition four years later, and then another revision, and finally to the present book. At this point I must admit that my original goal of documenting all of the best trails in this amazing state will likely never be met, but I do hope I have not omitted too many of your favorite trails. As Edward Abbey once said, there is enough wild backcountry wilderness in Utah for a lifetime of exploration.
In selecting the trails for this book I have focused primarily on those hikes that do not require any special equipment and can be accessed with an ordinary passenger car. There are a few exceptions, the most notable being three trails in a remote corner of Canyonlands National Park. This amazing national park contains many other great hiking opportunities besides the few described here, but most of the trailheads cannot be accessed without a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You can read more about those trails in my book, Canyonlands National Park Favorite Jeep Roads and Hiking Trails .
As with my other books, I have attempted to rate each of this book's trails on a scale of one to five stars according to how much I personally enjoy that hike. The best rating of five stars is reserved for those trails that, in my opinion, are the ten best hikes in the state. I am open to suggestions, and I hope to hear from you if you disagree with my ratings. I would especially like to hear from you if you have a favorite hike that is not included in this book.
A companion website to this book can be found at http://www.utahtrails.com. This site has links to many other useful sites where you can obtain information about local weather forecasts, river flow rates, road conditions, rules and regulations for backcountry camping, and more. Other hiking guide books can also be purchased at this site as well as the popular National Geographic Trails Illustrated trail maps of Utah, all at discounted prices.
