UtahWild.com

[Rodney]

While the Henry's Fork Trailhead is the more popular and closest hike to King's Peak, (13,528 ft, highest point in Utah) there is another way. The Center Park Trailhead is much closer to Salt Lake City than the Henry's Fork Trailhead and this trip is possible seeing less than 5 people at any time. (my experience with 6 trips in there) The High Uintas Wilderness Map number 711 from National Geographic Trails Illustrated is an excellent map of the area. (R.E.I. or Kirkhams) While the scenery is gorgeous the trail is a series of ups and downs all the way to Five Point Lake (11,000 ft) in the Garfield Basin. There are many streams for water but the first lake seen from the trail is Spider Lake in the Garfield Basin. The Garfield Basin is easily one of the most beautiful areas in the High Uintas. Summer before last, I laid in a skylight tent and watched the moon rise over the Bluebell Pass Area on several occasions. Fishing is generally good in the Basin due to light pressure but was really good at Little Superior with rainbow power bait on small treble hooks. (cutthroats) Five Point Lake is a good base camp for a long day hike to the King's Peak Summit and back. Deer will graze around your tent and elk are sometimes seen grazing in the meadows. Good firewood is everywhere if fires are permitted. While the trip in is difficult and the trip out more difficult due to the big up at Swasy Hole, vistas of the southern exposures of the highest terrain in Utah plus solitude is ample payment for the effort.
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Rodney

[vprince]

How about a little more information on the Center Park trail? Where is the trailhead?

[Rodney]

Hey! Glad somebody is reading these things! The Center Park Trailhead is on the South Slope of the High Uinta Mountians and is reached either by driving through Kamus, Utah or by driving to Duchesne, Utah on Hwy 40. I prefer the drive to Kamus and will take it from there. The other route is the same after reaching Duchesne and taking Hwy 87 to Mountian Home. Take I-80 from Salt Lake City past Park City, Utah to the Hwy 40 Junction east of Park City. Take Hwy 40 east bound to the Kamus Exit which looks to be about 4 miles from the junction. Turn left (east) and drive about 7 miles on Hwy 150 to Kamus. At the Junction with Hwy 189, turn right and drive south a couple of miles to the Hwy 35 junction in Francis, Utah. Turn left and take Hwy 35 east (you will also pass the shortcut to the Grandview Trailhead on this route) to Hwy 87. Turn left and drive 14 miles to Mountian Home, Utah. Follow the Moon Lake road north to the intersection of the Yellowstone River road and turn right. Follow this road another 4 miles to the Hell's Canyon road and turn left and follow that road 7 miles up to the Center Park Trailhead. The Yellowstone River road is a washboard road that will shake your teeth out and probably loosen every bolt and screw in your vehicle. The Hell's canyon road that the book (High Uintas Backcountry by J. & B. Probst) says is so bad was actually a relief. Hell's Canyon Road is easy in a car and is well maintained up to the trailhead. The trailhead has newer bathrooms and has a large parking lot that looks about half as big as a football field. The Trail from the Center Park Trailhead will be on the west side of the Yellowsone Drainage while the trail further past the turnoff to Hell's Canyon will take you to the Swift Creek Drainage. The Swift Creek Drainage is a nice area but is in my experience is busier than the Center Park Trailhead. Anderson Pass, near King's Peak, can be reached from either trailhead but again, I preferred the Center Park Trailhead and the beautiful Garfield Basin. While I have driven this route many times, I credit High Uintas Backcountry, noted above, for assistance with this summary and can recommend this book to plan trips. Coupled with Utah and sometimes Wyoming road maps, books such as this are invaluable to help us use the backcountry.
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Rodney