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The Uinta Highline Trail is a
trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
in the
Uinta Mountains The Uinta Mountains ( ) are an east-west trending chain of mountains in northeastern Utah extending slightly into southern Wyoming in the United States. As a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, they are unusual for being the highest range in the c ...
of
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
that traverses the range from east to west. The trail passes through expansive alpine landscapes dominated by
metasediment In geology, metasedimentary rock is a type of metamorphic rock. Such a rock was first formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment Sediment is a naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and e ...
ary rocks sculpted by past
glacier A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such as ...
s. The broad glacial basins are dotted by hundreds of lakes.


Route

The Uinta Highline Trail extends along the east–west oriented crest of the Uinta Mountains. The eastern terminus is at McKee Draw along
U.S. Route 191 U.S. Route 191 (US 191) is a spur of U.S. Route 91 that has two branches. The southern branch runs for from Douglas, Arizona on the Mexican border to the southern part of Yellowstone National Park. The northern branch runs for from the north ...
, between
Flaming Gorge Reservoir Flaming Gorge Reservoir is the largest reservoir in Wyoming, on the Green River, impounded behind the Flaming Gorge Dam. Construction on the dam began in 1958 and was completed in 1964. The reservoir stores of water when measured at an elev ...
and
Vernal Vernal, the county seat and largest city in Uintah County is in northeastern Utah, approximately east of Salt Lake City and west of the Colorado border. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,089. The population has since grown to ...
. The western terminus is at Hayden Pass near Mirror Lake on Utah Route 150;. The trail crosses eight named passes that exceed elevation and many other smaller saddles and ridges. Between these high points, the trail drops into broad, glacially carved basins and valleys. The high point of the trail is at Anderson Pass ( elevation), and Kings Peak (elevation ), the high point of Utah, is located just south of the pass. Altogether, there is of elevation gain and of elevation loss on an east-to-west trip. The average elevation of the trail is . The Uinta Highline Trail passes through a mosaic of forests, subalpine meadows, alpine tundra, and rock and snow fields, but the striking character of the trail is its openness and expansive views—treeless terrain accounts for over half the distance of the trail. The trail is designated as Trail 025 for the it passes through the
Ashley National Forest Ashley National Forest is a National Forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Within the Forest's bounds are (with in Utah and in Wyoming) of vast forests, lakes, and mountains, with elevations ranging from . The fores ...
and Trail 083 for the it passes through the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, with Rocky Sea Pass being the dividing line. Over half the route is located in the
High Uintas Wilderness The High Uintas Wilderness is a wilderness area located in northeastern Utah, United States. The wilderness covers the Uinta Mountains, encompassing parts of Duchesne and Summit counties. Designated as a wilderness in 1984, the area is located wi ...
where travel is limited to those on foot and horseback.


Hiking

The Uinta Highline Trail can be hiked in either direction, but hikers of its entire 104-mile length more often hike east to west. The trail starts at the Highline Trailhead in McKee Draw, just 0.5 miles west of U.S. Highway 191 on Forest Road 062. A vault toilet and parking area are at the trailhead. The first of trail pass through forest and subalpine meadows, and there can be limited sources of water, particularly late in the season. After crossing Little Brush Creek at mile 4.3, the next source of water may be over away near Leidy Peak. There, Hacking Lake is a short hike off the trail. From Leidy Peak westward, the trail crosses long stretches of alpine tundra, rocky passes, and subalpine forests. Numerous lakes and streams serve as water sources. The trail ends at the Highline Trailhead at Hayden Pass on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway (Utah Route 150). A vault toilet and parking area are located at the trailhead. This is a busy trailhead, particularly on summer weekends, and is within a federal fee area requiring a day pass (may be purchased at a couple locations along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway) or an annual America the Beautiful Pass. The Uinta Highline Trail passes two additional trailheads. Both are many miles from paved highways and are reached by gravel roads. The Leidy Peak trailhead is at mile 24. The Chepeta Lake trailhead is at mile 38. Starting at one of these trailheads shortens the westward hike to Hayden Pass to or , respectively. In the past some users have chosen to shorten the distance traveled due to the unmaintained condition of the far eastern portion of the trail. However, since 2013 the trail from US Highway 191 to Leidy Peak has been improved through the efforts of volunteers from Vernal, Utah. There is no permit required to hike the Uinta Highline Trail. The Uinta Highline Trail has a remote, primitive character. In places, the trail lacks tread and is merely a route marked with occasional cairns, posts, or signs. This can be attractive to users who seek solitude and have the necessary navigation skills.


Gallery

File:Uinta Highline Trail, Big Park, Uintah County, Utah, USA.jpg, The trail through Big Park. File:Uinta Highline Trail, Gabbro Pass, Uinta County, Utah, USA.jpg, Cairns mark the path to Gabbro Pass. File:High Uintas viewed from Anderson Pass.jpg, View from Anderson Pass, the high point of the trail. File:Uinta Highline Trail, Dead Horse Lake, Summit County, Utah, USA.jpg, View from the trail at Dead Horse Pass. File:Uinta Highline Trail, Fall Creek Basin, Duchesne County, Utah, USA.jpg, The trail through Fall Creek Basin.


See also

*
Ashley National Forest Ashley National Forest is a National Forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Within the Forest's bounds are (with in Utah and in Wyoming) of vast forests, lakes, and mountains, with elevations ranging from . The fores ...
*
High Uintas Wilderness The High Uintas Wilderness is a wilderness area located in northeastern Utah, United States. The wilderness covers the Uinta Mountains, encompassing parts of Duchesne and Summit counties. Designated as a wilderness in 1984, the area is located wi ...
*
Uinta Mountains The Uinta Mountains ( ) are an east-west trending chain of mountains in northeastern Utah extending slightly into southern Wyoming in the United States. As a subrange of the Rocky Mountains, they are unusual for being the highest range in the c ...


References

{{Reflist


External links


Uinta Highline Trail: Quick and Dirty Guide
sectionhiker.com Hiking trails in Utah Long-distance trails in the United States Features of the Uinta Mountains Protected areas of Duchesne County, Utah Protected areas of Uintah County, Utah Ashley National Forest