Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Very few 11,000 foot summits in the West ask this little of you. Bald Mountain Pass drops you at 10,715 feet, and the trail covers 1.3 miles to an 11,943 foot top, so most of the altitude is handled by your car on the Mirror Lake Highway. That is also the trap: you have not acclimatized, the summit ridge is open with no cover, and afternoon thunderstorms build fast up here. Start in the morning, carry your own water, and turn around if the sky changes.
The Trail
11,943 ft summit in under 90 minutes from Mirror Lake Highway. Altitude! Storms roll in fast.
Pack Loadout (Moderate)
2 liters water, trail shoes, sun layer, snacks, small first-aid kit.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Moosehorn Campground (Camping, 1 mi) · Mirror Lake Campground (Camping, 1 mi) · Mirror Lake (Uintas) (Fishing, 1 mi) · Trial Lake Campground (Camping, 3 mi)
More hikes nearby: Fehr Lake Trail (Hike, 1 mi) · Lofty Lake Loop (Hike, 3 mi) · Ruth Lake (Hike, 3 mi) · Amethyst Lake (Hike, 9 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Bald Mountain hike?
- 2.8 miles round trip with 1178 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Bald Mountain?
- Moderate. Kid rating: 3 out of 5.
- When should I hike Bald Mountain?
- Best season: July-Sept.
- Why hike Bald Mountain?
- Because 1.3 miles of trail gets you to 11,943 feet, the easiest high Uinta summit there is. The Mirror Lake Highway delivers you to Bald Mountain Pass at 10,715 feet, so the mountain is mostly done before you start walking. Respect the altitude anyway, and be off the exposed ridge before afternoon.