Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
Ruth is the Uinta lake you can reach before your coffee goes cold, and it still fishes like a place you had to work for. The Division of Wildlife lists it at 10,340 feet, 9.5 acres, and about 30 feet deep with brook trout, which is a lot of fish habitat for a walk this short. The trailhead sits on the west side of Highway 150, roughly 11.5 miles south of the Bear River Ranger Station. Parking is limited, so an early start does double duty.
The Trail
20-minute walk to a fishy alpine lake - bring the ultralight rod.
Pack Loadout (Easy)
Water bottle, sunscreen, hat, snacks, comfortable shoes.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Mirror Lake (Uintas) (Fishing, 2 mi) · Mirror Lake Campground (Camping, 2 mi) · Moosehorn Campground (Camping, 3 mi) · Trial Lake Campground (Camping, 5 mi)
More hikes nearby: Lofty Lake Loop (Hike, 1 mi) · Fehr Lake Trail (Hike, 2 mi) · Bald Mountain (Hike, 3 mi) · Amethyst Lake (Hike, 7 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Ruth Lake hike?
- 2.1 miles round trip with 249 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Ruth Lake?
- Easy. Kid rating: 5 out of 5.
- When should I hike Ruth Lake?
- Best season: July-Sept.
- Why hike Ruth Lake?
- Because a five-year-old can stand on the shore of a 10,340 foot alpine lake here after a walk you can measure in minutes. State fisheries records list brook trout in the lake, and the Forest Service closes the trail to mountain bikes, so foot traffic is all you share it with.