Lake Blanche Trail

Distance: 3 miles
Time: 4 hours
Elevation gain: 2,700 feet
Difficulty: 3
Overall: 8
Reference: North-central Utah, just southeast of Salt Lake City, in the Twin Peaks Wilderness.
User groups: Hikers. No wheelchair access.
Pets are not allowed on this trail
Permits: No permits are required. Parking and access are free.

Directions

From Wasatch Boulevard in Salt Lake City, drive east on 7200 South into Big Cottonwood Canyon for a total of about 4.5 miles to the trailhead on the south side of the road.

Maps

Trails Illustrated's Wasatch Front/Strawberry Valley. For USGS topographic maps, ask for Mount Aire and Dromedary Peak.

Contact

Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake Ranger District, 6944 South 3000 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84121; (801) 943-1794.

Trail notes

Although the elevation gain is steady at first and steep at the end, it is far from overpowering, making the hike into this beautiful basin, surrounded by jagged spires, a must-do trip for enthusiasts in the area and a prized overnight destination. The trail follows the Mill B South Fork all the way, its waters gurgling beside you. The real climbing starts about 1.5 miles in and continues for about three-quarters of a mile, weaving through rock outcroppings before arriving at lakeside. Lake Blanche shares this basin with Lakes Lillian and Florence, all close together. Stay on the north side of Blanche, the highest of the three, to easily reach the other two little bodies of water. Perfect campsites have often been abused by careless campers, of which you should not be one.

Information courtesy of Buck Tilton, author of Utah Hiking.