Kings Peak recedes into the distance as the group hikes back to the car at the Henrys Fork trailhead. Dollar Lake is a good last place to fill up before heading to the summit. A moose was coming right down to the campground, we rushed to the car to get our cameras and we noticed that there were two moose. Good trail, but lots of loose rock and gravel really requires solidi footwear. Its really easy until Gunsight, and not a challenge. Take a lifestraw to enjoy all the mountain streams. Most hikers camp at the lakes at the Upper end of Henrys Fork Basin. Sunday: Hike the 7.5 miles back to trailhead. At an elevation of 4,000' and less than 3 miles from the ocean, King's Peak provides stunning views in all directions: of canyons, beaches, foggy valleys, and the many greenhouses that dot the Humboldt County backcountry. I took an even more direct path down, but it was really long and sketchy, and I probably wouldn't do it again. At 13,528 feet, King’s Peak is the tallest in Utah. This is a incredibly long hike plan on doing it in 2 to three days. I did not run any portion of the hike. Here you can turn left at the Kings Peak highway sign and travel just over 1km to the parking area. Although the climb to the top of Kings Peak is very strenuous it is not technically difficult, and about the only requisite for the trip is good physical … Then drops down into the Upper Painter Basin about 2 miles to a trail junction. Great trail, great view, be very careful when climbing to the peak, everyone has only one life. From Mountain View, take Highway 410 south about 6 miles to a junction. King Peak Rd./Shelter Cove Rd. Near the peak, temps dropped to high 30’s with rain. If you are a beginner I would not recommend this hike. • Take a 5-10 minute break every hour or so. Thank you, Tim. ARTICLE INDEX The most popular route to 13,528-foot Kings Peak (the highest point in the State of Utah) comes in from the north starting at the Henrys Fork trailhead. • Better to spend 2 nights, if possible. From the Henry Fork Trailhead (approx. • Train by doing long hikes with heavy packs. Saw a couple moose, but they were like 200 yards away. Area Status: Closed Lookout Peak is on the border of Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park. Trailhead to Elkhorn Crossing (~5.25 miles / about 2 hours) Total hiking time was 9.5 hrs, and my total time (car to car) was 10.5 hrs. King's Peak Utah Henry's Fork Trail is a 43.1 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Altonah, Utah that features a lake and is rated as difficult. You'll be climbing up the steep snow covered scree slope to the col to climbers left. • Make sure your bottle is full either right before coming up Gunsight Pass, or shortly after crossing the face – streams become far less frequent after that. View of the longer route through the valley, Section just after the campgrounds near the lake. Follow the main trail about 5 miles to Elkhorn Crossing. When you are at gunsight, there are two options: Descend into painters basin and around the hill, or the fast way OVER the hill. Sit down, take off the pack, eat some food, drink, refill water bottle, if needed. No permits or fees to park here. Friday: Trailhead at 4:30 pm. This is an actual hike, and a banger one at that. The scenery is second to none here. It's only the last ~3 miles that has any real steepness, and even then it's only the final scramble that's steep. The scenery is beautiful and there is wildlife everywhere. There are 3 options that go straight up the face. I completed this hike as a day hike. Then hike out. Many groups have been thwarted by afternoon thunderstorms on their summit bids. It was smooth sailing to Gunsight Pass. Although there is a discernable trail to start the summit climb, it doesn't give you any hints. The trail has a gradual slope for the first three miles, with an elevation change of just over 400 feet. King Crest Trail South (Saddle Mountain Trailhead to King Peak) 5.6 miles, 1,200 ft. climb A gradual climb through a mixture of chaparral and forest, topping off with the spectacular King Peak vista. This portion is off-trail and has a lot of boulder hopping to the summit which has a beautiful view. We totaled 29 miles, and expect it to feel like it. Utah’s 13ers are not overly technical, but they usually require several days to summit due to their remoteness and their distance from the nearest road. This can be a bit hard to spot, but well worth finding. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/king-peak-trail Last opportunity for water that I saw was a small body of water right before gunsight pass. Those lakes also receive heavy use, please practice minimum impact camping techniques. • If you’re doing a 2-day hike, summit on the 2nd day, after you’ve acclimated to the altitude. It is located just under 3 miles from the trailhead, making it a potential first and last-night base camp if backpackers are willing to push it. Try to use the north side slope, climbing on the top of the ridge line is life-threatening. It was clear that the traffic that traveled through Henry Fork Basin to summit King’s Peak never walked on the other side of the mountain. Kings Peak, looking like a shark's tooth, pokes its head above and between two unnamed summits in the basin's south wall. Try to minimize impacts. 26.5 miles. FYI-the huge mountain to your immediate right is not King’s Peak. So, a long tiring day, but it was worth it. Had a nice hiking trip with the Texan couple, D and W, and Harlie, he chased after me after separating at dollar lake camping ground junction, maybe he was reminding me, come back, this way. We arrived at the Henrys Fork campground which is the start of the trail head. We did this over couple of days on Sep 26th and 27th 2020. Nevertheless, it offers the same Sonoran Desert flora and fauna, an equal opportunity to see owl clover and Mexican goldpoppies, and spectacular 360-degree views from the summit of Wasson Peak. The winds at Anderson were reaching highs of 80 mph, and the air is very dry. 360 view of multiple basins at the top is unbeatable. The trailhead is located on highway #28 just past Lady Falls headed towards Gold River roughly 67km west of Campbell River. Awesome day hike, not to be missed. It is so incredible. I felt a little light headed when we first got to camp (around 9,400 ft), and made my summit on the 1st day harder. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/kings-peak-utah-highpoint-trail If you take the Painters Basin route, your reward is a trail all the way to Anderson. We did it in one day and it is so strenuous that it’s almost not worth it. Arrived middle of the night at the trailhead for an early AM start. Utah Trails. Basically flat. Note: For the motivated, taking an extra day or even just a longer hike out via the Henrys Fork Lake, Grass Lake, and Bear Lakes loop trail that leaves just south of Dollar Lake and loops back west and north to Elkhorn Crossing is a nice diversion. My dad was with us, and created a delay. I brought a banana and ate it at mile 5. The first night, my 0 C sleeping bag with liner was a little too hot, second night it was just right. West Fork Blacks Fork Trail to Dead Horse Lake, Lower Red Castle Lake via East Fork Smiths Fork, Dead Horse Lake via East Fork Blacks Fork Trail, Lower Red Castle To Upper Red Castle Lake, Bear River-Smiths Fork Trail: Blacks Forks Section, Lambert Lake via East Fork Blacks Fork Trail, Red Castle Lake and King's Peak Loop from China Meadows. Pack light but be prepared for rain/snow. Trail Map | Photo Gallery. Just before the gunsight pass (9.6 miles), we found a beautiful pond on the right side and we decided to camp there. It was a bit chilly (33 degrees) this early, so make sure to pack/wear warm enough gear. The summit is roughly 15 miles from the start of this trail. Parking for 50 vehicles, Toilets, campsites, corrals, and stock ramp. The work, and elevation gain, begins shortly after leaving Dollar Lake as the trail begins a steep climb to Gunsight Pass. If you’re planning to do it in a day, make sure to get an early start. Right after summit we had a rough amount of snow/wind. Afternoon thunderstorms are very common. Not too cold. After 0.1 miles in a ferny lush forest, reach the Wilson River-Kings Mountain Trail Junction. Just skirt around the bottom of it for a mile or so until you reach Anderson’s pass and the base of King’s Peak. Large flat fields, rocky fields, and all the while you are surrounded by beautiful mountains. It could have easily been a day hike, but we think you can enjoy it more, if you do it in two days. The Henrys Fork Campground marks the trailhead to the normal route to Kings Peak. Hit maybe the last weekend (9/18/2020) of this year where the summit was free of snow. We didn't follow the route while coming down, just came down the rocks and reached the main trail, it goes around a lot and so we took lot of shortcuts whenever possible, reached the camp around 5pm. Start early with a good forecast to insure success. I drank a Powerade and 2 bottles of water, and did not filter at all. Lookout Peak Trailhead. King's Canyon Trail is the most direct route to reach Wasson's Peak - highest summit (4687 ft) of Tucson Mountains. If you would like more information on joining the "Circle of … Hike Description . When I did it in a day, I left the trailhead about 4AM, reaching the summit about 10AM, just as clouds were starting to build. From the trailhead, the well use trail heads south. Started around 2:30pm from Henry Fork Trailhead, the hike was very easy up to Dollar Lake(7.5 miles). Fill your bottle before leaving camp, put the electrolytes in it so you have a good amount before getting water higher up on the mountain. This is just like one of the best hikes if not the best that I have ever done. The Henry’s Fork and Kings Peak area of the High Uinta Wilderness is another great option for summer backpacking. The peak is named for Clarence King, the first director of the United States Geological Survey, who had done surveys in the area. I ended up with 28.5 miles for the day on my watch. This is a popular place to camp, however, and July through September in particular it can be f… I wore a nylon long-sleeved shirt which worked great. Make sure to take your time here as not all of the boulders are stable. Drive south on this road for another nearly 3 miles to turn right on the road to Henry's Fork Campground and the trailhead. A few tips on doing the peak in a day: From Mountain View Wyoming, go south out of town on WY-410 toward Robertson. Henrys Fork Trailhead is one of the few trailheads on the north slope of the High Uintas that is accessible all year round. To get to the Henrys Fork trailhead, drive Interstate 80 through Wyoming to State Route 414. This meadow is slow-going from the shortcut side, because there isn't a trail and thus running on the rocks becomes a danger. You want them to be a minimum of 150 calories each. It will give you more time to acclimate to the altitude. After the hike, I was diagnosed with tendonitis and a stress fracture in my left foot, thanks to the steep descent from the summit. Please don’t take the shortcut, extremely dangerous. Up near the top going up there is not much of a trail, so you need to make your own, which isn't too hard. If you do multiple days, don’t camp at dollar lake, it’s too crowded. After gunsight the summit climb is brutal. There is a route before you get down the gunsight pass on the right, it saves a significant amount of time and distance. Intersection to: Tolkan Campground, 3.5 miles, 15 minutes Horse Mountain Campground, 6.5 miles, 25 minutes Lightning Trailhead, 16 miles, 1 hour We took the shortcut and reached the base of the summit, from then on it is lot of scrambling, reached the summit at 1:00pm. From here on out you'll have sweeping views of the valley you are ascending. The top was really windy, like 50+ mph the whole time from every direction. I slept in my car at the trailhead to get a 5am start. So many different zones you hike through! If your a peak bagger in Utah, you are likely well aware of Kings Peak. It is in a little open faced case with a finger holder attached to the back to help with taking photos. The way down is rough, but we made it worse by foregoing Anderson Pass and just getting down the steep side that empties into the rock field/meadow. Both times have been as day hikes from Henry's Fork trailhead. If looking for isolated camping, consider camping off the trail between Elkhorn and Dollar Lake. There are a couple of decent campsites along the trail before Elkhorn Crossing, but from the crossing up, the camping gets much better (and more crowded). • Camp close to a water source (Dollar Lake has some good water sources, and you’ll cross two small streams close to each other right before you get to Dollar Lake area, which has great camping spots in the trees on both sides of the trail) Some Views from this popular lake. We set up camp here for the night and then ascended up Gunsight Pass in the morning. Take an Immodium AD before breakfast, so you don’t have to poop during the hike. Incredible Hike. King Lake - 10.8 Miles Round-Trip King Lake is located 5.4 miles from Hessie Trailhead in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Jerky, granola bar, Stinger waffles, Gu, nuts, chocolate, gummi bears, fruit leather. Most parties camp in the basin, then cross the divide at Gunsight Pass, descend a bit, traverse west, and climb Kings Peak by either the east face or the north ridge. Stay on the good road for 12.1 miles from WY-410 to a signed junction. This made the hike SOOO much less painful. Very impressed by anyone who can do it in under 10. Immediately go to the right towards “the face.” The trail will take you to the bottom of some cliffs (not the really high cliffs up higher and to the right-these are about the same elevation as gunsight pass). Kings Peak is located just south of the spine of the central Uinta Mountains, in the Ashley National Forest in northeastern Utah, in north-central Duchesne County.It lies within the boundaries of the High Uintas Wilderness.The peak is approximately 79 miles (127 km) due east of central Salt Lake City, and 45 miles (72 km) due north of the town of Duchesne. Headlamp w extra batteries and water filter are crucial. On summit day, bring at least 7 of these. The boulder field to the peak is a major pain and is definitely the slowest going portion of the hike. Predicted wind at ~35 mph, and yeah it was rough, but doable with cold weather gear. It’s very easy on the way up until gunsight pass. Members of the "Circle of Friends" have access to more specific information, explicit route information, GPS waypoints, trailhead location and detailed maps. It has many wonderful photos of our adventures that are invaluable to us. Turn right and climb 3.5 miles to Anderson Pass (12,800 feet) before climbing to Anderson Pass. You never know when the wind will blow, and when you lose your balance on your feet, because everyone got tired before reaching the ridge line. Shortcut • Dress in layers. After taking a few pictures they darted into the trees… Immediately to the north and east of Lookout Peak is the glacially carved Kings Canyon. It’s cold and windy up top, so bring layers on summit day. Forecast said the nights would be high 20s, low 30s. There is a little switchback when you are almost to gunsight, dont take it. Get ready for a beautiful hike up a valley. At this point turn onto Uinta County road 283 (Forest Road 072) and continue south towards Grahams Reservoir and Bridger Lake for another 12 miles. A lovely pet, a nice couple. Within ten minutes of arriving we seen are first sign of wildlife. Didn’t jog on the way up barely jogged on the way down. Alligator Lake is the first great camping spot once you hit the trail. At just over 12 miles turn onto Forest Road 17 and continue south 6.8 miles to Forest Road 077. Instead, continue straight on county road 283, resetting your odometer. As the highest summit in the state, 13,528-foot Kings Peak is affectionately known as the Ceiling of Utah (although prior to satellite measurement in 1966 the highest summit was thought to be South Kings Peak, the summit of which sits at a mere 13,512 feet of elevation). The Kings Peak hike is one of those five, and we decided to extend our visit in this diverse area for as long as possible. The trailhead is on the inside of a horseshoe bend, just past the turnout for Kings Canyon Overlook. You can shave off another 15 minutes or so by scrambling and boulder hopping below Gunsight Pass rather than taking the switchbacks. So grateful that people who love the outdoors are amazing people! It’ll take 3-4 hours, depending on how fast you hike. You can bypass Gunsight and the meadow by sliding down the chute at Anderson, although it is dangerous. I arrived at the Henry fork trail head at 5:00 am, got back at 12:00 am. Follow this well graded road 7.0 miles to where it makes a U-bend to the left. If you’re a little chilly when starting to hike, that’s perfect, because you’ll heat up quickly. Trailhead: 2878 m ( 9443 ft. ) The regular route descends into Painter Basin, and crosses the basin. And that doesn’t count the 20 miles of driving down remote dirt roads in Wyoming to get to the trailhead. From the top of Lookout Peak you have a splendid view looking right down into Kings … Kings Peak among others in Yellowstone Creek Basin. We started from the camp around 5:45pm and reached the trailhead at 9:45pm. By. The right-most trail seems to be easier. On the south side of the basin, at the trail junction, go right (west) and begin the climb back up to Anderson Pass. Kings Peak, UT; Mount Powell, UT; Gilbert Peak NE, UT; Bridger Lake, UT (very small section, not needed). Started Henrys fork early morning as my plan was to finish it and be back to camp that night. then take Road 017, a gravel road, south about 12 miles to a fork, The east road, road 077 heads south about 5 miles to Henrys Fork. This is a screen capture video of a Google Earth flyover of the trail from Henry's Fork trailhead to King's Peak. Because it is the Utah highpoint, it is also very heavily used. If you want a very strenuous hike, the trail continues: see the Elk Mountain-Kings Mountain Loop Hike. People say that you need to be super fit, and to an extent its true, and its not like some little mountain like Mount Mitchell in the Appalachians. • On Summit day, leave camp as early as possible. Overview. The other photo is the rocky scree slope you'll need to climb to ascend Kings Peak. Dollar Lake (~8 miles from the trailhead / about 4 hours) This trail starts at the Henrys Fork trailhead and goes past Dollar, near Henrys Fork Lake and over Gunsight Pass (11,891 feet). The basin comes into dramatic view as the trees open at the crossing. The meadows were overtaking them. It only accounts for ~1.5 mi of the total hike, but it took me 1-1.5 hrs to compete. Weather was great and peak is still free of snow. Overall a great experience. It saves a fair amount of distance and elevation. Awesome hike !! Location of Kings Peak Utah . Henry’s Fork Trailhead is easy to access via … It's an easy hike all the way to Gunsight, and as has been noted by others, you can run this part. 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