Deseret Peak

At 11,031 feet, Deseret Peak is the highest point in the Stansbury Mountain range, located in western Utah, and can have patches of snow along the trail and on the summit into mid-summer. After a moderately strenuous 9 mile roundtrip hike, one gets great views of the Bonneville Salt Flats to the northwest, the Great Salt Lake to the northeast, and the expansive Utah desert to the west.

Deseret Peak Hike Details

Distance – 9 miles round trip
Approximate hiking time – 6 to 8 hours
Elevation at trailhead – 7418 feet
Elevation at Deseret Peak summit – 11,031 feet
Elevation gain – 3,613 feet
Difficulty – Strenuous
Trail – well maintained, dirt, rock, some scree (small loose rocks)
Amount of water recommended – 2 liters
Bathrooms – Yes, located at trailhead
Seasons to climb – early summer to mid fall

How to get there:

Take Interstate 80 West from Salt Lake City. Go about 20 miles on I-80, then take Exit 99, which takes you to Highway 36. Drive south on Highway 36 for about 3.5 miles. Take the right turn onto UT-138. Stay on UT-138 for 11 miles, and almost drive all the way through Grantsville. (UT-138 becomes Main Street) Turn left (south) onto West Street. There should be a sign for South Willow Canyon. After 5.1 miles south on West Street/Mormon Trail, take a right turn onto South Willow Canyon Road and go for 7.3 miles. The last four miles are unpaved, but a passenger car should have no problem on the road. The road ends at the Loop Campground. Follow the unpaved road to the end of the campground and you’ll see a small parking area, bathrooms, and a sign that reads Mill Fork Trailhead.

Hitting the Trail!

At the start of the hike you’ll find yourself in relatively shady aspen trees that gradually give way to conifers as you gain altitude. At 0.7 miles from the trail head, you’ll cross a small stream, which is usually only ankle deep. Shortly after the crossing, you’ll come to a trail junction. Take the trail on the left to Deseret Peak. There should be a trail marker as well.

Around 1.1 miles from the trail head, the trees will give way to valley with several switchbacks, that for the next 2.3 miles will gain 2,200 feet of elevation. Take plenty of breaks and enjoy the scenery. The last part of the climb to the ridge is the steepest, and the loose scree make the going a little slow.

Once on top of the ridge, it is relatively flat. Take a minute to catch your breath, take a picture or two, admire your progress and then get ready to start the last leg of the hike. By this time, you’ve hiked 3.0 miles and gained a total of 2624 feet of elevation from the trail head. Now begins your march to the summit of Deseret Peak. A couple of trails convene at the top of the ridge. Take the one that heads right. (west) Deseret Peak is to the southwest.

Shortly after beginning the hike, you’ll enter the Deseret Peak Wilderness Area.

At this point you are out of the trees and the hiking surface is primarily rock. There is little shade on the final summit push, so come prepared with a hat and sunglasses. From the top of the ridge, which felt more like a saddle to me, is only 0.9 miles to the summit. Along the summit trail, don’t be tricked by the false summits. Upon reaching the top of Deseret Peak, you’ll see why it’s so special. Since it is so isolated, no other mountain ranges block the views. It is one of the few peaks that has unobstructed views of the vast Bonneville Salt Flats. On a clear day, it is not unusual to spot Pilot Peak, some 60 miles to the west in Nevada, and 60 miles to the south you can see Mount Nebo, the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountains.

Impressive views of the Great Salt Lake in the background

After plenty of pictures and a snack, be sure to sign the climber’s log, found in a small bottle on the summit, and take one last look at the beautiful expanse in all directions. To return to the trailhead, you have two options:

Option 1 – You can retrace your steps and return the way you came. Going back this way seemed to be shorter, faster, and easier to follow than Option 2.

Looking east from Deseret Peak

Option 2 – You can do a big loop by taking a trail that continues up and over Deseret Peak and takes you over the other peaks to the south, then down a ridge trail that can be a little tricky to follow. At 2.3 miles from the summit, you’ll find a sign pointing to South Willow Fork to the left, and the Loop Campground, where your car is parked, to the right. Take the right, and follow this trail which is better maintained than the previous parts. From this point, you are 2.2 miles away from the trailhead, where you started, and the hiking is easy. At 1.5 miles after you turned right on your current trail, you’ll come to another trail intersection. Go left. This completes the loop and puts you back on trail you started from the parking lot. Retrace your steps back to your car!