Uinta Highline Trail

High Uintas Wilderness, Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests (McKee Draw to Hayden Pass)

The Uinta Highline Trail runs along the Uinta Mountains from McKee Draw on U.S. 191 between Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Vernal to Hayden Pass on the Mirror Lake Highway. Wikipedia and the guides put it at about 104 miles, with most hikers going east to west and an average elevation around 10,700 feet.

BPRoutes says the trip typically takes 5 to 10 days. Over half the route is in the High Uintas Wilderness, and Wikipedia notes that more than half is treeless.

The hike

Wikipedia lists the eastern start at McKee Draw at 8,240 feet. SectionHiker describes the first 25 miles as “mellow,” a good warm-up, but they’re also the driest: Wikipedia says that after Little Brush Creek at mile 4.3, the next reliable water may be more than 20 miles away near Leidy Peak, where Hacking Lake is a short detour. West of Leidy Peak, lakes and streams are plentiful. BPRoutes warns that the eastern section is faint in places, crosses meadows cut by cattle tracks, and needs careful navigation. Since 2013, volunteers from Vernal have worked on the far eastern section, according to Wikipedia.

BPRoutes places Leidy Peak around mile 25 and the Chepeta Lake trailhead around mile 38. SectionHiker notes that starting at Leidy Peak (79 miles) or Chepeta Lake (66 miles) shortens the trip. Wikipedia and BPRoutes name Dead Horse, Gabbro and Rocky Sea passes among the crossings. Approaching from the east, the trail climbs through Painter Basin to Anderson Pass. At 12,700 feet, Anderson Pass is the trail’s high point and roughly its halfway mark, and Kings Peak, Utah’s highest summit, is about 0.7 miles south. That stretch overlaps the summit route on the Kings Peak via Henrys Fork page.

West of Anderson Pass, the trail continues through a string of basins. Wikipedia says Rocky Sea Pass marks the boundary between the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache national forests. The last miles pass the turnoffs to Grandaddy and Four Lakes basins and Naturalist Basin before ending at the Highline Trailhead near Hayden Pass.

BPRoutes says sheep grazing continues in the wilderness and hikers are nearly certain to meet flocks, so treat all water. SectionHiker recommends a satellite messenger, since cell service is unreliable, and notes that resupply isn’t available between Kamas and Vernal.

Tips

Plan for the dry east end. Carry extra water for the first 25 miles.
Cross passes early when afternoon storms look likely.
Carry a map and GPS backup; some sections are cairned routes.
Arrange a shuttle. The drive between ends takes about three to three and a half hours.
Hike mid-July to mid-September for the best odds, per BPRoutes.

Camping

No permit is required (Wikipedia, SectionHiker). In the High Uintas Wilderness, the 2026 Forest Service order bans camping within 200 feet of any occupied campsite, trail, lake, pond, stream, spring, or other water source where terrain allows, limits groups to 14 people and 15 stock, and limits stays to 14 days in one drainage. A separate 2026 order bans campfires and wood stoves within 1/4 mile of listed lakes and basins, many of them along the Highline, so plan on a stove. Hayden Pass is in a federal fee area, so parked cars need a pass.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific campsite were found. BPRoutes advises using established sites, and Wikipedia’s water notes make the Leidy Peak area, with Hacking Lake nearby, a natural first target after the dry eastern miles.

Trail facts

Distance: About 104 miles
Route type: Point-to-point, usually east to west
Difficulty: Very strenuous
High point: Anderson Pass, 12,700 feet
Campsites: Dispersed; 200 feet from water, trails and other camps in the wilderness
Water: Scarce in the first ~25 miles; plentiful west of Leidy Peak; treat all water
Permits: None; pass needed to park at Hayden Pass
Fires: Banned near many listed lakes (2026 order)
Trailheads: McKee Draw (U.S. 191) and Highline Trailhead at Hayden Pass (SR-150)
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Feeding a week on the Highline:

With no resupply between Kamas and Vernal, every dinner for 104 miles rides in your pack. See the trail meals testers keep reaching for.

Compare the top 5 →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.