Big Cottonwood Canyon: Desolation Lake

Location: In Big Cottonwood Canyon southeast of downtown Salt Lake City

Desolation Lake is a popular destination for mountain bikers, so you are bound to see a few of them on this hike. But don’t expect all of them to be riding-there is a 2,000-foot elevation gain from the trailhead to the lake, and riding a bike uphill is much harder than walking.
Setting: Mountainous
Length: 7.3 mile round-trip
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation Change: 1,970 feet
Time To Allow: 3 to 3-1/2 hours
Season: June to October
USGS Map(s): USGS Salt Lake City Topo (1:100,000)