You’ll drive as far as you can on pavement, parking at the Alta Ski Resort lodge (Albion Grill). I’ve seen at least one moose on two of my three visits. Someone mentioned on a Facebook group that there are lots of buds, but the flowers aren’t there just yet. Late July and Early August provide the best viewing (depending on the year's precipitation). You can hike up to Cecret Lake any time (though it’s covered in snow and is part of Alta Ski Resort in the winter), July is when the wildflowers paint the mountains. There will be no ski lift this year. The Albion Basin wildflowers bloom at a bit different times each year, but they generally start to bloom the second week of July into August. following the road signs to Ski Resort Dnve up Litte Canyon to the end Of the paved Continue on the road you get to very end parking lot Basin My posts may contain affiliate links. You can find the schedule on their Website for various hikes and activities. The Albion Basin Shuttle will operate on weekends and holidays (July 4, Pioneer Day, and Labor Day) from July 1st through the Labor Day weekend. Catherine’s Pass is located at the first parking lot and is 1.5 miles to the ridge that overlooks Lake Catherine. Reservations Accepted; Additional Notes. Forest: Wasatch-Cache National Forest District: Salt Lake Ranger District Description: The Wasatch-Cache National Forest is home to many spectacular wildflower-viewing sites in the Intermountain Region. This sounds like it could be in order today! This year (2020) I went on August 2nd and the wildflowers still looked amazing. by Alta Lodge July 30, 2015. The road into Albion Basin is generally open from mid-June through the first substantial snowfall each Fall. Availability: July – November (There is a dirt road from Alta ski resort that travels approximately 5 miles up to Albion Basin. Pull into the Albion Basin Campground - you'll find the trailhead on the west side. Do you think there will still be flowers? Mammals: yellow-bellied marmot, pika, chickaree, golden-manteled ground squirrel, moose, mountain goats, mule deer, etc. Grizzly Gulch is ground-zero for Wasatch Backcountry skiing. The lower part of the hike which included lupine looked like they were in their prime! Photo by Wayne Padgett. Albion Basin is a riot of wildflowers through the month of The week after the middle of July is probably the best time. But I don’t think they’ll be as prevalent as they are right now. Moose and deer frequent the basin and mountain goats can often be seen on the precipitous face of Devils Castle, just south of the campground. Details. I love the light purple and white colors of it, as well as the look. I think there would still be flowers at that time, based on what I’m seeing in photos of the area. So when I went exploring in Albion Basin with my camera, I had to capture a photo of one. Explore the Mighty 5 – Utah’s National Parks, Find hiking trails around the country for your next adventure, https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/intermountain/AlbionBasin/, 5 Filming Locations for Goonies Fans to Visit, Best Hikes in Canyonlands National Park for Kids | Needles District, Camelback Mountain Hike: Echo Canyon Trail, Best Hikes in Kolob Canyon at Zion National Park, Visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah. The Albion Basin wildflowers bloom at a bit different times each year, but they generally start to bloom the second week of July into August. Hiking is possible year round, but you may encounter snow November through May. The Town of Alta Summer Information Booth will operate beginning June 30th, with hours from 7 AM to 8 PM 7 days a week. Splitleaf Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja rhexifolia). Albion Basin Wildflower Viewing Area Salt Lake City Orem ovo Basin g Area Heber city) UTAH June. Road Status. Albion Meadows trail: interpretive signs on lower portion addressing history, geology, and wildlife. Mosquito spray is a must, especially if you think you’ll be up the mountain near sunset (speaking from personal experience). No, we don’t understand either). Open. Continue on the unpaved road until you get to the very end parking lot near Albion Basin Campground. The speed limit is 15 mph and the flower hunters in their cars will be in I saw so many colors including pinks, purples, blues, reds and yellows! Cost: Parking and hiking from the Albion Grill at Alta Ski Resort are free. This is a great hike. Address: Alta Ski Resort, up Little Cottonwood Canyon in Utah. Regarding time of year, the wildflower season at Albion Basin typically peaks around the middle of July. Required fields are marked *. Road & Parking. The colors of the flowers is quickly fading. June 27, 2016. They really like the area – but if you’ve got kids, just help them understand that moose are wild animals. The flowers are a little behind on the bloom. When you reach the top, you’ll find yourself standing on the edge of Cecret Lake. It will be just over a 2 mile walk up the canyon road, just to get to the entrance of Albion Basin. Honestly…we never did find it and I felt like we hiked forever. On weekends a limited number of vehicles are allowed up the road. Summer at Alta. Description: The Wasatch-Cache National Forest is home to many spectacular wildflower-viewing sites in the Intermountain Region. Your email address will not be published. Thank you. There is limited parking available at this time. But I’ve had people complain that it isn’t always running. It is sometimes used poetically to refer to the island, but has fallen out of common use in English. Wild flowers usually bloom here in July and August. Don’t let them get too close to the moose. Maybe give it another week or so. The basin hosts the Wasatch Wildflower Festival annually in late July or early August, complete with guided nature walks. Birds: gray crown & black rosy-finch, red crossbill, Clark’s nutcracker, and numerous hummingbirds. It is our goal to protect and enhance the stewardship of this watershed for clean water and sustainable recreation. The speed limit is 15 MPH to limit environmental impact. They don’t plow this road during the winter.) That includes good hiking shoes, hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. Drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to the end of the paved road. If traffic is too heavy, you may not be able to drive up the dirt road to park. That’s why Alta Ski Resort is a great place to hike from. You’ll find a building on your way up called Alf’s. It’s totally worth taking another trip up there to try and find the lake. ... You're about 3-4 weeks early for wildflowers in Albion Basin. But that’s just my opinion. It started to get dark so we headed back to the car but this is a hike I’d love to do again and try to find the lake. July 30, 2015. Spectacular views of Devils Castle, Mt Wolverine, Tuscarora, etc etc. I’ve also read they recently started charging for the shuttle use. Basic Amenities. Albion Basin Experience. High Rustler. Annual Wasatch Wildflower Festival (July):  sponsored by the community of Alta, Snowbird/Alta/Brighton ski resorts, Unita-Wasatch-Cache National Forests, and the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation. See more ideas about albion basin, albion, utah. You’ll drive as far as you can on pavement, parking at the Alta Ski Resort lodge (Albion Grill). Is the trail still snow packed? 2020 UPDATE: I haven’t hiked up to Albion Basin this year, but I follow several online Utah hiking forums. Good luck. The Albion Basin Summer Road is scheduled to open on June 30th. Your pictures are soo good! Albion Basin Family Pictures are THE BEST. Hiking in the Albion Basin, photography permit information, Alta Environmental Center Stewardship events, and summer trail maps for all of you Alta summer needs. Drinking Water; Vault Toilets; Additional Conveniences. Dan Pearce/flickr. I hate when that happens. No photo bombing, please. RELATED POST: Find hiking trails around the country for your next adventure. That’s how you know you’re going the right way. Albion Basin is one of the most beautiful areas in the entire wasatch. Like I said, Albion Basin is one of my favorite places ever. You can drive on a dirt road and get further up the canyon, but we enjoyed starting at the bottom of Albion Basin and hiking up to Cecret Lake. I prefer meeting at the bottom of the canyon where you will then follow me to the top. Historical Weather. Washington DC 20250-1103, Pollinator-Friendly Best Management Practices, Native Plant Material Accomplishment Reports, Fading Gold: The Decline of Aspen in the West, Wildflowers, Part of the Pagentry of Fall Colors, Tall Forb Community of the Intermountain West, Albion Basin Plant Checklist (PDF, 98 KB), Strategic Planning, Budget And Accountability, Recreation, Heritage And Volunteer Resources, Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air And Rare Plants. The Indian paintbrush and the other colorful flowers of the high Utah mountains are a wonderful way to relax. …and so we experienced it this weekend! It's a popular trail, so you won't find much solitude here. From the base of the canyon, Alta ski resort is about 15 minutes up and is located in the town of Alta. Photo by Teresa Prendusi. The route has nice views down canyon and in late summer great wildflowers fill the basin. Tuesday, June 16, 2020. I was thinking of going today. Albion Basin Summer Road: This United States Forest Service road is one of the highest elevation vehicle access points in the Wasatch Mountains, and as such it is extremely popular. One of the most renown, Albion Basin - in the heart of the Wasatch mountains - is located at the top of glacially-carved Little Cottonwood Canyon, above the ski resorts of Alta and Snowbird at over 9,500 feet. . The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is A which is approximately 2 miles away and has an elevation of 8,730 feet (647 feet lower than Albion Basin). From the trailhead near Albion Grill, follow the trails up the mountain. Beautiful photo of the lake. Albion Basin is the Miss Universe of wildflower hikes in Utah. Twin Lake Pass via Gizzly Gulch, Sunday, June 14, 2020 Yeah, I've made a career of making fun of the crowds skiing Grizzly Gulch, but I have my reasons. Ownership and Management: U.S. Forest Service, Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake Ranger District, (801) 733-2660. (Updated Aug. 30, 2020). 2006 Directions. I look forward to sharing my travel tips with you. See more ideas about albion basin, albion, cottonwood canyon. If you hike from the parking lot to Cecret Lake, you’ll have hiked roughly 5 miles roundtrip. peak season, you'll encounter a lot of cars along the road. From the Albion Basin Campground, the hike to Cecret Lake is 1.5 miles roundtrip. July is a beautiful time to explore Albion Basin up Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon. It’ll make you want to move to Utah if you don’t already live here. Wasatch penstemon (Penstemon cyananthus) and Nuttall’s linanthus (Linanthus nuttallii) in an Albion Basin meadow. If you’re trying to go in mid-July (when the wildflowers are in bloom), plan extra time to get to a parking spot. I tried to hike to this lake before but it was so “secret” that I couldn’t find it! Tram rides to alpine flower displays are available during the summer months at the Snowbird Ski resort. Albion Basin: Wildflowers and the Hike to Cecret Lake. The road is restricted. Basics Number of Sites: 24 sites Price: $10-14. Your email address will not be published. Alta and Albion Basin are a recharge area for a critical watershed serving the Salt Lake Valley. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station. Cecret Lake Interpretive Trail – signage, no mountain bikes allowed. Limited. If you’re looking for a wonderful time exploring Utah’s wilderness, plan a hike up to Cecret Lake. Hikes in Albion Basin: Want to see Albion Basin on foot and not just from your car?The most popular trail, Cecret Lake, is located at the campground (second parking lot).This is an easy 1.6 mile out and back trail that takes ends at a small lake. Viewing Information: High-elevation meadows with fields of paintbrush, columbine, lupine, Jacob’s ladder, penstemons, etc. It’s where you’ll find some of the most colorful wildflowers. The organizers do have hikes for people of all ages, but if you plan to do a larger hike with young kids, here are some ways to make hiking more fun – and help you keep some sanity. Earlier this month, I posted about a backpack outing we did in June to Lake Mary from Brighton. Amenities; Details; Amenities. Albion Basin is about 45 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, up Little Cottonwood Canyon. As with any hike, it’s a good idea to have the right gear with you. Albion Basin is about 45 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Albion Basin Road Alta, Utah 84092 Reservations: 877-444-6777 Local: 801-742-2356. What you will find is incredible beauty that can be shared by all Utahns. 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