Long Lake

This is a quick hike from the Crystal Lake Trailhead on the south slope of the Uinta Mountains. Due to that, it sees a lot of use even during the week. People zip up from Salt Lake City looking for a quick getaway, or to escape the summer heat. However, the lake is indeed quite long and offers many campsites all the way around it. With scouts, family, or solo you will enjoy the alpine atmosphere of Long Lake. Park at the Crystal Lake Trailhead. Hike West out of the parking lot. The parking lot is often packed, and there can be a constant flow of people coming and going on the first part of the trail. This is easily the most popular trailhead in the Uintas as it serves several basins. You will hike around a third of a mile gently uphill, then you will come to a right branch marked with a sign. That branch leads to around 11 lakes. Just keep on going straight. The trail climbs modestly over the next mile. This is where you gain all your elevation. Near the high point there is a random sign nailed to a tree for Mount Watson. Keep your eye out for it; it is also a good photo spot for the mountain. Steadily the trail drops down into the sprawling basin before you. This is the North Fork Provo River drainage. Long Lake is one of the headwaters of the Provo River. The other, of the South Fork, starts from Washington and Trial lakes, which you left behind near the trailhead. Around 1.7 miles in, the trail will start to have right branches that will lead through the trees to the north side of the lake. Camping can be found along the main trail, with a few places on the left, and many on the right near the lake. There are many more sites around the lake, including our favorite (for small groups) on the backside near a small stream and waterfall. The southwest side of the lake is bare and rocky. Long lake receives heavy use, even when snow is on the ground. The crowds often drop lines in, and I have only tried fishing there once and had no luck. The streams around the lake can be far more rewarding. I'm a fly fisherman and I've caught a few small trout in the streams near Long Lake. While you may not find solitude at this lake, you will find beauty and fun. Even if you drive up after a long day in the office, this is a quick location to get to and well worth it. One of my fond memories from this lake is sitting on the north shore late at night watching a dramatic thunderstorm roll across the lower Uintas in the distance. It was quite a show, and amazingly, didn't result in any rain on us that night. While there were people camped around the lake, no fires were visible at that moment. As the lightning danced among the distant peaks, I felt alone in the raw wild. It was pretty nice for only having hiked two miles in.