Utah trails · Desolation
Desolation
A 17.9-mile network in Utah, with 3,815 ft of climbing. Reaches Dog Lake and other lake/viewpoint destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the first third — 57% of the ascent, between mile 0.0 and mile 6.0.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Dog Lake (lake)
- Lake Desolation (lake)
- Salt Lake Overlook (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
Desolation Trailhead — parking nearby. About 27 min drive (17 mi) from Salt Lake City. 40.69710, -111.74056 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 7:09 a.m., the sun rises at 7:36 a.m. and sets at 6:48 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:15 p.m. (MDT) — 11 h 12 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 17.9-mile route takes roughly 8 h 32 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 4:08 p.m. — 2 h 40 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Gwt Big Water To Guardsman Rd + Mill Creek Meadows + Desolation — 10.9 mi loop, 2,209 ft gain
- Gwt Big Water To Guardsman Rd + Great Western 001 + Desolation — 11.5 mi loop, 1,942 ft gain
- Mill D North Fork + Little Water 049 + Desolation — 5.8 mi loop, 667 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Jacobs Ladder — 13.5 mi
- Ridge — 17.3 mi