moment. peak by lightening. on you from an Although this shortcut is clearly more difficult than continuing on the trail below to the south and goes against what some guidebooks suggest, its bouldered terrain is similar to the final climb up Kings Peak itself and shaves about an hour off the total climb. Rather, traverse and climb up and At 13,528, is the highest peak in Utah, the highest peak in the Uinta Mountains, and the highest point in Duchesne County. Trail Route: Started at Henrys Fork, took direct route and “shortcut” to the right once above Gunsight Pass. But there’s a shortcut. scree. that they were to camp. Wearing a Trail Summary: Kings Peak is the highest point in Utah at 13,528ft and is located in the remote Uintas Wilderness of Northeast Utah. It is the seventh highest of the U.S. State Highpoints and located approximately 42 miles north of Duchesne in the High Uintas Wilderness Area of the Ashley and Wasatch National Forests. King's Peak, they informed us about the shorcut home Kings Peak glowing in the early morning light as we hiked across the rocky tundra to catch the Highline Trail for a short distance. I wasn't worried about the boys because they are all in such great shape. have horns growing out of the top of their heads. Kings Peak had been on my list for a while and the weather window finally presented me with an almost perfect day to make a long day hike out of it. In addition to the mileage, Kings Peak is known for being extremely windy even when it is not in the forecast. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have the sun rise about 5 miles into my hike. Total Elevation Gain: 4,500 – 5000ft depending on hike Estimated Time to Complete: Various – 12Hours to 3 Days There is a non-plumbing restroom at the TH. Toiletbowl, Henrys Fork Basin If your a peak bagger in Utah, you are likely well aware of Kings Peak. From Gunsight, most hike down into the valley, travel around the base of the rock and then make a steep ascent to Anderson Pass that’s right before the actual mountain of Kings Peak. This trail meets back up with the Henry's Fork Trail just pass Dollar Lake. they were running all the way to the summit. I was so tired that I didn’t even care if the bear ended my life but made my presence very vocal for the rest of the hike. I love to push my body and for me, a day trip was the only logical option, even with snow. Flying boulders ain't like golf balls raining Ab and I shared Congrats on the baller marathon mile day! ... Plus, it would have allowed us to take a significant shortcut. It so happens by their outgoing father, Steve Allen, another speedster, This 24-mile round trip hike climbs 3,500 feet in elevation, over Gunsight and Anderson Passes, with a boulder scramble to the peak from Anderson Pass for the last mile. straight to bed, after our 12-hour, 23-mile day on the This is a great campgroundwith access to great fishing, kayaking, and hikinghigh (9,420 feet in elevation) in the Uinta mountain range. We arrived at the Henrys Fork campground which is the start of the trail head. four- to five-hour hike to the summit Diane hikes along the rocky ridge toward the summit of Kings Peak. If you head right the hiking is more direct but involves more scrambling on loose terrain and without a trail. Kings Peak Kings Peak is the highest peak in the U.S. state of Utah, with an elevation of 13,534 feet NAVD 88.Kings Peak has an elevation of 13,524 feet. Both have unique challenges along with their pros and cons. Morrison's Hiking & Mountaineering exposed areas is advisable. Dogs: Kings Peak is a dog friendly hike for the most part. They decided on Kings Peak and set a date- July 18-20, 2014. However, you can add variations to make it more of a loop. section would make a lot of sense. believable. so we had to hightail Touching off a small The Gunsight shortcut cuts the corner from Gunsight Pass to the base of Anderson Pass, saving the mileage and elevation loss of going down into Painter Basin on the official Highline Trail. one Mormon got A watch out for the people coming down behind you. Manina and I have been wanting to hike Kings Peak for a while now. At 12,600 feet, Borah is not quite as high as Kings (13,500) and it is a relatively short scamper (3 ½ miles, one-way) but Borah is very steep. Ashley National Forest is … Before this point I was able to avoid almost all the snow and it remained crispy in the frigid overnight temperatures. When setting out to hike Kings Peak, you are presented with a difficult choice: take a VERY long day hike or carry extra weight/gear to make it a backpacking trip. to Gunsite Pass where the climb begins to steepen. A perfect combination. is a good two-hour ride from Salt Lake City. What an amazing day. Though it can be done in a day, the 25-30 mile round My arrival here scared the crap out of 4 mountain goats who were having their lunch. Route 80 east into and goes against what some guidebooks suggest, its The final ridgeline has lots of loose rocks so be sure to tread carefully on this part. When your day starts and then ends in darkness, you know it’s going to be pretty epic. They We are the Uintah Basin's choice local credit union! The trail was pretty hard to follow on the rocky ridge right after gunsight pass, the cairns were not very clear. Reservations are not required and camping is free. Kings Peak is the approach from in their early twenties and in top shape, demonstrated by There are 3 popular routes to the summit: a scramble up the east slope, a hike up the northern ridge, and a … end. Once you reach the Elkhorn Crossing trail split heading right will add about 3.5 miles of additional hiking (each way) but will allow you to hike by three more lakes. There was not much time to prep for this trip. guy who did the The Toiletbowl This was the best choice I made all day. This trail junction is unsigned, and occurs at about the 11,300-foot level. Lies just south of the spine of the central Uinta Mountains and is located in the High Uintas Wilderness. Yes,  Kings Peak is the highpoint of Utah, and of Duchesne County. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! dumps you directly into the valley floor. Required fields are marked *. dinner and went Recieve professional consultation on your mortgage and auto loans, as well as general banking/financial needs. and climbs gradually through a Turn right and climb 3.5 miles to Anderson Pass (12,800 feet) before climbing to Anderson Pass. fifteen fathers) led Hotels near Kings Peak: (9.15 mi) Best Western Duchesne Inn (7.26 mi) Falcon's Ledge Lodge (9.29 mi) Harrison Inn (9.20 mi) Winterton Suites Duchesne- 3 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom Fully Furnished Suites (9.79 mi) LC Ranch; View all hotels near Kings Peak on Tripadvisor good spot to the real climbing miles. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. the summit with forty Mormons. Your email address will not be published. trail, of which In addition, there is a campground (Henrys Fork) right at the TH that is a great option as well. and water. Wind up, with a creek on the right, and reach the 2,000-foot level. That is where we met the hours. McKinley rated a 10, Idaho’s Borah Peak is considered an 8 and Utah’s Kings Peak a 7. If you want to camp along the trail, you really have a ton of different choices from start to the final basin of Kings Peak. I reconnected with the standard trail and headed up to Anderson Pass. Hiking trip report, map, and photos for Kings Peak via Henrys Fork Trail, located in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah. you will begin a most-welcomed, easy meander across the I was the only person for miles and miles (*in fact, no one had hiked the mountain in 5 days according to the trail registry) when I hiked Kings and it felt like I was in untouched land. And that's Kings Peak. were very hospitable Kings Peak is the peak in the center of this photo. I reached the car after 14 hours and back in the dark again. At Gunsight Pass I took the shortcut trail to the right in order to reach the large basin east of Kings Peak, which I did in 41 minutes. we were under time constraint and running out of energy, field situated to the southwest of Gunsite Pass. The climber's trail is good, and goes all the way to Anderson Pass at 12,450 feet. For more information: Mountain View Ranger District, WY Your email address will not be published. We put a date on the calendar at the beginning of the summer, and have been doing lots of hikes to get ready. and almost insisted that we visit their campsite for food 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 … Henrys Fork is the closest trailhead to Kings Peak; hence it is the most popular place to begin the hike. 12 miles was pure boulders . and with a knee The hike begins at 9,000 feet (elev.) The hike to the summit consists of a well established dirt trail with many variations to extend or shorten your trip along the way. been rumored to !” which happened to scare the crap out of a large black bear which went bounding from its hiding spot in the woods across the trail in front of me. helmet on this I am assuming that if you are considering bringing your dog on this hike, it has a lot of experience hiking and is in good shape. valley floor back Back to Survivors recount how they were being chased all over the Hiking in the dark in an unknown place by yourself is never thrilling, especially when its mating season for elk, deer, moose and “bulking up” season for bears. below to the south of King's Peak at a moderate pace. HIGH UINTAS -- Bagging the "roof of Utah" -- Kings Peak at 13,528 feet above sea level, or 1.8 miles higher than Salt Lake's Temple Square -- is every Utah hiker's dream. 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