Ibantik Lake ("eye-ban-tick") is located conveniently close to the Mirror Lake Highway in the High Uintas, and backpacking this route is perfect for beginner backpackers since it's a fairly short yet rewarding trail. It is a very popular lake to camp at, and therefore you won't have much solitude. The best things about this lake is how clear the water is, and you'll see plenty of mountain goats as Notch Mountain looms above you. The trail is really easy to follow, and is best done as a point-to-point route.
Spirit Lake sits in the High Uintas Wilderness on the far East end of the range, with the lake at 10,180 ft. Access to this area is only open from the end of June (sometimes early July depending on the snow pack) through October.
Bald Mountain (11,942 ft) in the High Uintas Wilderness is one of my favorite peaks to summit. Not only is this peak one of the easiest to summit in the area, but it also offers grand views of the Mirror Lake Highway, surrounding lakes, several peaks, and on a clear day you can see Mt. Timpanogos. Along the Bald Mountain trail you may see mountain goats, pika, squirrels, and an abundance of wildflowers in early summer. As with any high altitude terrain, start this hike early in the day to beat the daily afternoon thunderstorms, the afternoon heat, and crowds.
Bourbon Lake sits at an elevation of 9,800 ft and offers a beautiful high alpine lake in the High Uintas Wilderness. This lake gets its name from the color of the lake - the deep amber color reflected against the surrounding cliffs creates an amazing reflection of yellow and golds.
The Fehr Lake Trail (pronounced like "Fair") sits high in the Uintas Wilderness at 10,260 ft, and offers a few hiking options from really easy and short at 1 mile round trip, to a little longer at 4 miles round trip.
Ruth Lake sits high in the Uintas Wilderness at roughly 10,200 ft. Ruth Lake is one of the easiest trails in the Uintas, making it great for families with children, or perfect for the beginner backpacker.
Check out my list of the BEST Day Hikes in the Uintas! The High Uintas Wilderness offers some of the best day hiking near Salt Lake City. It provides for a fun, quick getaway that you can do in one day. If you have time, I highly recommend backpacking this mountain range as well. The Uintas are the only mountain range in the lower 48 states that run East to West. The Uinta Mountains extend for 100 miles across Northeast Utah, and a small part of Northwest Colorado, bordered by the Wasatch Mountains to the West.
Hell Hole Lake (HHL) is located in the High Uintas Wilderness, and is a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by a bowl of mountains, including A-1 Peak and Kletting Peak. After a 3.5 mile walk along the road, the route follows the Main Fork Bear River Trail. The entire route is very gradual, only gaining 1,700 ft over 6.7 miles.
