Lookout Peak via Killyon Canyon and Black Mountain Loop

Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT Northern Wasatch + Uinta Mountains

Trip stats

Distance
14.4 mi
Net Gain
5,200 ft
Time
6-8 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 1
Route
Loop
Peaks
2

Ratings out of 10

Effort
7.2/10
Personality
5/10
Beauty
6/10
Solitude
6.4/10
What do these mean? →

Peaks on this hike

Summits listed in route order

  1. Lookout Peak
    8,960′ elevation · 720′ prominence
  2. Black Mountain
    8,240′ elevation · 320′ prominence

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

40.807590, -111.723000

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Jul 16, 2019 — This overall nice loop in a lesser-visited area of the Wasatch Front visits Lookout Peak and Black Mountain. It follows two trails and a ridgeline, requiring some minor bushwhacking, though not particularly unpleasant. This Black Mountain is not to be confused with the more popular "Little Black Mountain" to the west – this Black Mountain is more remote and probably less fun. I'm not really sure what got me feeling extra antsy about bagging this peak, but it was on my to-do list and it was right along my route, but if you don't feel strongly about it, the route is more of a good time if you skip it, honestly.

I recommend parking along Pinecrest Canyon Road (see map) because Killyon Canyon Road has no parking signs everywhere. I couldn't locate the official trailhead parking area, but since I planned on this being a big loop, I suppose it didn't matter where I parked along the paved section of my route. From here, walk to the Killyon Canyon Trailhead and follow signs that point to Lookout Peak. These were the best views of the day and Lookout Peak was a pleasantly beautiful surprise overall. From the summit, I glanced west at the ridgeline I intended to take. A winter satellite map made the ridge appear to have a nice social trail, but I suppose I didn't take into account the lush summer greenery. I hesitated, but decided I could use some character-building. Overall, this was a fairly easy ridge to navigate, and the social trail was definitely visible for the most part. I encountered 2-3 major brushy sections.

After the ridge, I found myself on a bump that marked the top of my descent trail. I believe the trail is called the Emigration Canyon Miner Trail, but I'm not certain. Here I took a minute to decide if I wanted to stroll down the mostly pleasant trail, or bushwhack up to Black Mountain, which looked much rougher than my ridgeline traverse I just completed. I decided to go for it; yay for character-building! Although a social trail existed, it was so overgrown with brush higher than my head that it wasn't particularly pleasant and only memorable because of the slight misery. The summit didn't have particularly interesting views.

Back at the top of the Miner Trail, I took this slightly overgrown, but welcomed trail, to the heavily-traveled Pinecrest Trail, then back to the trailhead.

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Photos

41 photos

  1. Killyon Canyon Trailhead. No parking signs everywhere. I had walked on a paved and then dirt road for miles to get here, not pictured. If you plan to just do Lookout Peak, you could park closer, but it still requires walking the entirety of Killyon Canyon Road.
  2. Pretty greenery along the Killyon Canyon Trail.
  4. View north at the many small false summits of Lookout Peak.
  5. Looking back into Killyon Canyon.
  9. Approaching the ridgeline leading to Lookout Peak. The peak ahead is a false summit.
  10. Looking back the way I came.
  11. Along the ridgeline on a nice trail.
  13. Making progress along the ridgeline.
  14. Looking back down the ridgeline, almost on Lookout Peak.
  15. Lookout Peak ahead.
  16. Lookout Peak high point is the second hump, and to the right just above the snow in this photo.
  17. After summitting Lookout Peak, I continued west along the ridge.
  18. Yeah, lots of brush at the start, but this was the worst of the traverse.
  19. Difficult to follow social trail at times, likely just because it's summer, but overall an easy route to follow. It's just a ridgeline. Black Mountain visible on the left.
  20. A big section of downhill, Black Mountain visible center.
  21. Looking back up toward Lookout Peak.
  22. A weird dwelling along the ridge.
  23. Continuing along the ridge.
  24. Looking back toward Lookout Peak.
  25. A high point at the top of the Emigration Canyon Miner Trail (out of frame on the left). Ahead is the ridge leading to Black Mountain.
  26. Bushwhack to Black Mountain (visible center).
  27. Black Mountain ahead. Yep, lots of brush.
  28. Already halfway there, might as well keep going!
  30. Nearing the summit of Black Mountain, view east toward Lookout Peak (left). This was the best view while on Black Mountain, and you're right, it's not particularly interesting...
  31. Black Mountain summit block ahead.
  32. Back on the high point the top of the Emigration Canyon Miner Trail, view south. You can see the trail on the left.
  33. Heading down on the slightly overgrown trail.
  35. Great views to the south along the Miners Trail until the trail turned east and headed down a slope. On the way down, the trail is in good shape, but the views were just of forest.
  36. A meadow once the Miners Trail headed back south again.
  38. Looking north back the way I came.
  39. The Pinecrest Trail.
  40. Looking back the way I came.
  41. The Pinecrest Trail wraps around and heads north to the trailhead. Visible in this photo is the ridge I traversed today - Lookout Peak somewhere on the right, Black Mountain out of frame on the left.

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GPX track

Lookout Peak via Killyon Canyon and Black Mountain Loop GPX route and driving track

The complete GPX track is available to download, so you can load the route straight into your navigation app or device. The trip report, route info, photos and planning details stay free.

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