Donut Falls
Scenic hike to a small waterfall in a narrow canyon.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 5.3 km
- Ascent
- 160 m
- Descent
- 160 m
Hiking in Wasatch Backcountry
The Central Wasatch better known as Little Cottonwood and Big Cottonwood canyon offers up some of the finest backcountry skiing in the lower 48. Easily accessible from Salt Lake City, the terrain varies from mellow meadow skipping to steep technical couloirs.
Go hiking in Wasatch Backcountry with curated guides of the best hikes across the region. With over 165 3D trail maps in FATMAP, you can easily discover and navigate the best trails in Wasatch Backcountry.
No matter what your next adventure has in store, you can find a guide on FATMAP to help you plan your next epic trip.
Get a top hiking trail recommendation in Wasatch Backcountry from one of our 11 guidebooks, or get inspired by the 165 local adventures uploaded by the FATMAP community. Start exploring now!
Hiking Routes in Wasatch Backcountry
Little Cottonwood Canyon Trail
This 7 mile out and back trail covers moderate ground as it climbs along the creek for 1,700 feet.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 7.2 km
- Ascent
- 542 m
- Descent
- 10 m
Sugarloaf
Sugarloaf is a simple and relatively easy hike to the top of one of the Wasatch mountains 11,000 foot peaks.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 5.8 km
- Ascent
- 503 m
- Descent
- 503 m
Devils Castle
Hiking Devil's Castle is a difficult scramble on an iconic Wasatch peak high above Alta ski area.
Extreme Hiking
- Distance
- 6.1 km
- Ascent
- 493 m
- Descent
- 493 m
White Pine
White Pine trail is a classic moderate hike that follows an old jeep road high up into the central Wasatch to enjoy a quiet pristine lake in the rugged alpine landscape
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 853 m
- Descent
- 853 m
Kesler Peak
A very steep hike to one of the most prominent peaks in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Extreme Hiking
- Distance
- 9.8 km
- Ascent
- 941 m
- Descent
- 941 m
Butler Fork Loop
This is a 7 mile loop with 2,000 feet of elevation that passes through thick woods and opens up with breathtaking views across the canyon.
Difficult Hiking
- Distance
- 11 km
- Ascent
- 610 m
- Descent
- 609 m
Desolation Lake
This is a lovely moderate hike through some large aspen groves reaching a quiet little lake.
Moderate Hiking
- Distance
- 12 km
- Ascent
- 606 m
- Descent
- 606 m
Hiking Guidebooks in Wasatch Backcountry
10 routes · Hiking
Escape Salt Lake City: Top Cottonwood Canyons Hikes
10 routes · Hiking
10 Stunning Hikes near Salt Lake City
10 routes · Alpine Climbing · Hiking