Little Cottonwood Canyon
Personal Notes
This page presents our personal notes on camp sites and hiking trails accessible from Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah.
Sunday, July 28, 2001
White Pine Lake Trail
In Little Cottonwood Canyon, this trail is 10 miles round-trip with a 2,600 foot elevation gain. It shares the same trailhead as that for the Red Pine Lake Trail. The trail mostly follows an old jeep road. It is rocky, but easy to follow. We would rate it moderate to strenuous. The lake, a glacial tarn, sits in a very pretty area, like a jewel.
We believed that we were the first up the trail this morning, but just as we approached the lake, we unexpectedly met one of our coworkers who had made the hike on her own. That was a pleasant surprise.
Along the trail we spotted picas, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and a variety of insects and plants. We crossed may springs and seeps and cascades. The day was sunny, warm, and breezy.
On our return trip back down the trail we met a good number of hikers on their way up.
July 4, 2004
Red Pine Lake Trail
We dove up into Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Mountains, and parked in the White Pine Trailhead parking area. The GPS Coordinates for the parking lot are N 40 34.531; W 111 40.860. The elevation there is 7,661 feet. Both the White Pine Lake and the Red Pine Lake trails head out from there, and share an old jeep trail for the first mile. At that point there is a large kiosk with information and signs pointing the way for the two trails. The Red Pine Trail starts just beyond the sign and cuts back to the northeast for just a bit as it climbs a series of short switchbacks. Very soon you’ll find yourself at a short foot bridge across the White Pine Fork. At this time of year the stream is rumbling down across the rocks at a pretty good volume, and a series of cascades makes for a pretty picture if you can catch the sun just right.
Cross the bridge and make your way along a short climb to where the trail pretty much contours around the face of a ridge. The vegetation all along the trail can be thick in many places, and you’ll see a variety of mountain plants, many of which were in blossom. As the trail comes around the ridge and heads back south you’ll find an opening in the trees with an excellent view of the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, the road, and the city and valley below.
From here the trail gradually climbs up the side of the ridge and the sounds of Red Pine Fork can be heard from down below. After the two mile mark the trail seems to climb more steeply and the trail becomes more rocky. There are places, at this time of year, where springs pour our across the trail and, in several areas, use the trail as the path of least resistance on their race to reach base level.
Along in here we crossed a narrow band of scree, where we spotted several picas sitting out sunning themselves. It’s always a pleasure to spot these shy creatures.
There are several stream crossings, but generally there are rocks available to provide good footing. As we got higher up we encountered patches of snow. We found that in many areas it was not wise to follow the footsteps of those who had come before. Before we crossed a snow field we looked ahead to locate where the trail emerged. That way we could head in that direction and didn’t have to bushwhack to get back to the trail once we had crossed the snow. There were also some muddy areas, but, generally, you can find dry paths around these areas (try not to widen the trails any more than you have to). Near the top there was a brief “sprinkle” shower. The sky had been cloudy all along. But the weather soon cleared and the rest of the hike was nice.
Eventually we encountered an old mine dump, and a bridge that crosses the stream to the west, leading to the Maybird Gulch Trail. We stayed on the main trail, and from there the climbing became more difficult, seemingly going straight up in some areas. But if you keep a steady pace and keep placing one foot in front of the other, before long, you’re at the lake and enjoying the spectacular scenery.
The lake is offers several shades of deep blue, with wonderful pines ringing the edges. In addition to the gorgeous view, we spotted several ground squirrels and seeming herds of their young, all romping and playing in the warm morning sun around the entrances to their homes.
A bit further along we crossed into some large boulder flows coming down from the towering peaks and ridges above. Right down into the water. This is where we spotted a pair of marmots. The male was quite large. We also spotted several more pica.
We walked a little farther along the east side of the lake to a sunny spot where we sat and rested and ate a bit of trail food. Here we spotted a mother marmot and one or two young ones, high up above us. We also saw more ground squirrels, pica, and chipmunks. There were also several swarms of gnats (or small insects of some sort) drifting through the air, but they didn't bother us too much.
The temperature was a bit cool and it was breezy along the lake. We almost put on our jackets.
On our way up we started out just ahead of a young couple, who passed us just after we started up the Red Pine Trail. Close to the lake a young fellow came up from behind and passed us. There was another couple camped at the lake, apparently having spent the night before. While we were at the lake a couple of older fellows arrived, and that was pretty much it, until we headed back down. By then the trail seemed crowded. However, we aren’t sure everyone we met on the trail would have made it all the way to the lake. Some seemed ill prepared for the rigors of this hike. We would rate this as a moderate hike, with some strenuous places.
The trial is 3.25 miles to the lower lake, for a 6.5 round trip hike. The going down, in some places, can be as tough as going up. One has to be careful of loose rocks when descending the steeper portions of the trail.
The entire trip took us just over four hours, and when we got back to the trailhead, the parking lot was completely full. There is a restroom at the trailhead.
