We started at the trail head and went clockwise. - varied terrain and good amounts of shade.
Note: the featured map has you starting the opposite way,crossing the road and saving the good part for the end. trailhead and headed towards Kirkwood.
Started at 7:30am with a 34 degree air temp, no wind. We took a wrong turn once we were across the street at the camp sites and had to scramble all the way up the hill to relocate the trail, but no big deal. The first 4 miles are uphill but definitely worth the climb. Three stars *specifically for the loop + hiking. The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, camping, and nature trips and is best used from July until October. Started the trail at 8 am Saturday morning, made it to the top with my 50 pounds of gear by noon. This is a well marked trail that we took our little dog on. Pretty hard for this 70 yo. After passing through some beautiful wildflower fields and beautiful vistas we climbed above tree line. A note for those who hike with dogs: I went the second week of July and there were no natural water sources for them along that part of the trail. Even though I brought water, my dogs were still hot and tired by the time I got back to the trailhead.Absolutely gorgeous! Pass through hoodoos, ride the mountain ridgeline and through pine forest on this 14.7 mile loop.
The views are lovely and trail relatively interesting. Did some exploring and practicing with my gear, melted snow for water etc. Saw a few mountain bikers.
Incredible views. 14.7 mile loop (if you include the Red Canyon paved trail to make the full loop) I’ve never seen so many wildflowers! Round trip the hike is approximately 7 miles, with an elevation gain of 1,400 feet. keep checking you map as the trail markers are a bit confusing. Moving time to the summit was just over 2 hours. Skip the rest.You definitely need to download the offline trail in-app because this is one of the worst marked trails I have ever been on. It was pulverized and loamy from that sort of traffic — less than ideal for hiking — and the scenery was nothing to write home about, if writing home is your kind of thing. Completed 8/10/19; quite easy given the altitude and the varied terrain made it very enjoyable. Overnight camping was a blast but you'll need to put in the effort to prep a flat spot for your tent. Some trails or park services may be closed this weekend so check with local authorities before heading out. If I do it again, will try to do half loop. Definitely a challenge on the continuous climb but well worth the views and wildflowers. Then you cross back over 88 to trail head parking lot.Great hike. Utah Travel The trail is primarily used for hiking, trail running, camping, and nature trips and is best used from July until October.
* I agree with those reviewers that any part except for the bit between the parking lot and summit (direct to ascent) was meh. Was fortune to witness the beautiful sunset coming back.
Once we hit the Horse Canyon parking lot, we ran into private property and decided to hike the last few miles back in 88. Help keep our trails and parks open during COVID-19 by committing to social distancing. Horses should be in pretty good condition or you'll have to stop once in a while for a rest.
The ground there is firm. The trail starts at the parking area accessed from Highway 88 about two miles north of Silver Lake, and ends at the top of Thunder Mountain, near the crest of the Sierra Nevada. took 6.5 hours stopped for pictures and a quick lunch. What a great local trail we have here.Beautiful views!
The altitude is noticeable if you are not accustomed to it, do remember to take breaks as needed when you do get some shade in the higher parts of the trail, and pack sufficient water and snacks. There were other unmarked trails coming off this route that do not show up on this map. App is accurate at about 12 miles.
Dogs are also able to use this trail. I'd say this hike is easy to moderate. Made camp at 9200 feet of elevation. An out and back from the summit gives you the best views of trip without a bunch of extra miles and elevation gain.I loved the views but had snow on part of the trail right before the main rock, where you see the whole valley and lakes. I also saw and heard quite a few hunters first thing this morning.A wonderful hike with a group of people today. First part nice and gentle going down to the lake through the woods followed by a steep but progressive climb of 2000 feet to the top. It's very dangerous to have such a long route without proper markings. There were some small sections that required a bit of scrambling but not too bad.
So if you read this before you go, please be kind and take a can with some paper and a couple of pens so we can keep the tradition alive. That part of the trail is primarily for mountain bike, trail riding and dirt bike use. I went about 4 miles out, following the ridge above Kirkwood. If you take the right trail, which is not on the map, it is a more direct route to the summit, not as gnarly, and shaves .8 miles off your hike. Advice: do and out and back straight to peak. Look for the Yosemite mountains to the south and the Desolation Wilderness to the north. We made this mistake and ended up in a very dangerous situation trying to backtrack to the 88 before nightfall and having to hitchhike back to the parking lot. If you follow the map, you will be taking the left trail. Industry Website
A good 4 miles up to the peak and 4 miles back to parking. didn't like that we had to cross hwy 88 near that point and hike road to a small camp ground. Thunder Mountain Trail is located just outside Bryce Canyon National Park and is a gorgeous mountain bike trail with scenic views of the backside of Bryce Canyon. No mosquitoes but very high winds on the ridge.Great trail. Always practice courtesy on the trail.