Hiking to Little Elk Lake in the Uintas

Hiking to Little Elk Lake in the Uintas

(Michael Radice/KSL-TV)


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UINTA MOUNTAINS — The snowmelt is increasing and higher-elevation trails and lakes in the Uintas are opening fast. One of the easy and fun early hikes starts on a rough single track trail to Little Elk Lake which sits at about 9,800 feet in the Uinta Mountain Range.

The Norway Flats Road leads to four lake destinations that are located 10.5 miles from Kamas on the Mirror Lake Highway. The Norway Flats Road starts out easy enough, but quickly challenges any sedan with its rocky terrain. Within a couple of miles, 4x4 and high-ground clearance are needed to access the trail. However, 6 miles up Norway Flats Road, off-road vehicles are best for traveling.

Along the road, there are several primitive campsites large enough to accommodate big trailers. Many campers bring ATVs so be aware of the traffic as you hike the higher routes.

You eventually turn onto Forest Service Road 035 and after 1 mile, it flattens out and leads in several directions. Plenty of additional primitive campsites are available. Keep driving north on 035 until you reach a fork marked by a pole with two Forest Service Road markers: 035 and 917. Park in this area and begin your hike.

Forest Service Road 035 will lead you all the way to the short trailhead for both Little Elk and Big Elk lakes. However, you should hike, rather than drive, along this section or you will miss the wildflowers, runoff ponds and evergreen pleasures that make up this area.

Mike Radice/KSL-TV

From the parking area to the top of the ridge above Little Elk Lake, hikers can expect to climb only about 300 feet on the 1.5 mile hike. This is an easy hike for the entire family. However, sturdy boots are best since the boulders and rough road can easily cause you to twist an ankle if you are not careful.

Be sure to bring your camera and a fly rod on this hike. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources periodically stocks these high-elevation lakes with brook trout by dropping them from a plane. The lake is big enough that the kids can play on one end while the anglers try their skills on the opposite end.

This trail leads along a ridge top through most of the hike. Just before you reach the 13-acre lake, there is an option to drop down and hike through the drainage or stay up on the ridge until you reach the summit and see beautiful Little Elk Lake. A short decent down the ridge puts you at water's edge.

This is a great hike to start getting those legs and lower back in shape for longer day hikes.

If you have extra time, hikers can also visit nearby Big Elk Lake. The trail between Little Elk Lake and Big Elk Lake is marked by a large boulder with a painted arrow pointing the way to the larger lake. It is about 1 mile from the boulder to the Big Elk Lake shoreline. At just over 40-acres in size, Big Elk Lake sits at 10,500 feet.

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Michael Radice

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