Desolation Lake Utah in Big Cottonwood Canyon: What to Expect

Quick Answer

Desolation Lake is an 8.3-mile round-trip hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon that climbs nearly 2,000 feet to a scenic alpine lake sitting just below 9,500 feet. The trail is mostly forested with occasional mountain views along the way. In late spring, hikers may still find snow around the shoreline. Although the hike is considered moderate to difficult, the beautiful lake and alpine setting make it one of the more popular hikes in the canyon.

Why We Chose Desolation Lake, Utah

While staying at Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon, we wanted to tackle one of the area’s more popular hikes. One of the advantages of camping at Spruces is that the Mill D North Fork Trailhead is within walking distance, allowing us to avoid the parking battle that often takes place on busy weekends.

The parking lot was already full when we arrived in the mid-morning, but the trail itself never felt crowded. The Mill D trailhead parking lot serves both Desolation Lake and Donut Falls, and it appeared that many hikers were heading toward the shorter Donut Falls trail.

A few days earlier, we had met another couple on the pickleball courts in Heber who travel full-time in a large RV. We quickly discovered we shared many of the same interests and ended up spending several days exploring northern Utah together, including hikes to Kyhv Peak and Desolation Lake.

The temperature was in the mid-50s when we started hiking and climbed into the upper 60s by the time we finished.

Hiking to Desolation Lake

The trail to Desolation Lake climbs steadily through a forest of pine and aspen trees. Most of the hike remains shaded, which made the climb more comfortable even as temperatures warmed throughout the morning.

Although the trail gains nearly 2,000 feet of elevation, the grade never felt especially steep. There are very few switchbacks, and the trail is generally wide and well maintained with gravel and occasional rocky sections.

Wildflowers were just beginning to emerge during our late May hike, adding a little color to the trail. We did not encounter any snow until we approached the lake.

Interestingly, our group felt that Desolation Lake was actually a tougher hike than Kyhv Peak, even though Kyhv gains nearly 2,800 feet of elevation. On paper that may not make much sense, but the long, steady climb to Desolation Lake seemed to wear on us more than the steeper climb up Kyhv Peak.

Arriving at Desolation Lake

By the time we reached Desolation Lake, about 15 people were already scattered along the shoreline. Throughout our lunch stop, hikers continued arriving while others packed up and headed back down the trail.

Despite the number of people, the lake never felt crowded. The shoreline is large enough that everyone seemed to find their own quiet spot to enjoy the scenery.

What surprised us most was the amount of snow that still surrounded portions of the lake in late May. Large patches remained along the shoreline and covered many of the surrounding slopes, giving the area more of an early spring feel despite the comfortable temperatures.

The snow also prevented us from completing the trail around the lake. We had originally planned to hike the entire shoreline, but several sections still had enough snow cover that we decided to turn back rather than cross it.

We spent some time eating lunch with our friends beside the lake and taking photographs while enjoying the cool mountain air. Although the temperature had climbed into the upper 60s, the remaining snow and cold water reminded us that winter had not completely released its grip on the high country.

No one was swimming during our visit, which wasn’t surprising considering the amount of snow that still surrounded the lake.

The Detour to Dog Lake

Rather than retracing our steps directly back to the trailhead, we decided to add Dog Lake to our hike. The additional mileage brought our total distance to approximately 10 miles for the day.

Dog Lake sits at a lower elevation than Desolation Lake and had already shed its snow by late May. Like Desolation Lake, there were several people enjoying the shoreline during our visit.

Although we enjoyed the short detour, we thought Desolation Lake was the prettier of the two lakes. The remaining snow around the shoreline and surrounding mountains gave Desolation Lake a more alpine feel that made it stand out.

Dog Lake offers a pleasant place to rest before the final descent toward the trailhead and may be worth the extra mileage if you still have some energy left. If your time or energy is limited, however, we would recommend making Desolation Lake your primary destination.

Adding Dog Lake brought our hiking total to approximately 10 miles before returning to Spruces Campground.

Is Desolation Lake Worth Hiking?

Yes, we think Desolation Lake Utah is worth hiking, especially if you enjoy alpine lakes and don’t mind putting in some miles to reach them.

The hike, however, is more challenging than the numbers on paper might suggest. Although the trail gains just under 2,000 feet of elevation, the steady uphill climb seemed more difficult than we expected. In fact, our group thought Desolation Lake felt tougher than nearby Kyhv Peak, even though Kyhv gains nearly 2,800 feet of elevation.

This is not a hike we would personally repeat because Big Cottonwood Canyon offers so many excellent trails to explore. Given the choice, we would probably spend our next visit hiking somewhere new.

That said, we are glad we made the trip to Desolation Lake and would absolutely recommend it to others. If you’ve never visited the lake before, the alpine scenery, lingering snow, and mountain setting make the effort worthwhile.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Desolation Lake Trail?

The Desolation Lake Trail is approximately 8.3 miles round trip from the Mill D North Fork Trailhead. Hikers who add Dog Lake to the route can expect to hike about 10 miles round trip.

Is Desolation Lake difficult?

We would rate Desolation Lake as a moderate to difficult hike. The trail gains nearly 2,000 feet of elevation over 8.3 miles. Although there are very few steep sections, the steady uphill climb can feel more challenging than the elevation profile suggests.

Can you swim in Desolation Lake?

Yes, swimming is allowed in Desolation Lake. However, the water remains very cold, especially during the spring and early summer. During our late May hike, snow still covered portions of the shoreline and no one was swimming.

When is the best time to hike Desolation Lake?

Most hikers visit Desolation Lake between June and October after the snow has melted. We hiked the trail in late May and still encountered significant snow near the lake, which prevented us from hiking completely around the shoreline.

Is Dog Lake worth adding to the hike?

Dog Lake makes a worthwhile side trip if you have the energy for the extra miles. While we enjoyed visiting Dog Lake, we thought Desolation Lake was the more scenic destination because of its alpine setting and surrounding snow-covered slopes.

Final Thoughts on Desolation Lake

Desolation Lake gave us a chance to experience another side of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Instead of dramatic cliffs or sweeping overlooks, this hike led us to a quiet alpine lake that still looked more like spring than summer.

The lingering snow, cool temperatures, and peaceful shoreline made the lake a pleasant place to stop for lunch and enjoy the scenery. Although we didn’t complete the loop around the lake because of the snow, we still felt the hike was worthwhile.

One of the things that made this hike especially memorable was sharing it with friends we had recently met during our travels. Spending a few days exploring northern Utah together reminded us that some of the best experiences on the road come from the people you meet along the way.

Would we hike Desolation Lake again? Probably not. Big Cottonwood Canyon offers so many excellent trails that we would likely choose something new on a future visit.

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Big Cottonwood Canyon is full of excellent hikes. If you’ve explored the area, share your favorite trail in the comments below.