Cecret Lake

 Cecret Lake is a stunning high elevation lake located above Alta at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail features a lovely mixed forest, wildflowers, streams, and of course a beautiful emerald colored lake surrounded by magnificent peaks. The trail is short, and beautiful, so it attracts families with kids so it can sometimes not be the serene mountain hike that I generally prefer. But I do enjoy it, and generally hope I get lucky with parents that teach their kids to be respectful on trails. Today was mostly good, only one obnoxious family on the way back down. 

Quick Details:

Length: It is about 1.6 miles out and back, plus whatever exploring you do at the lake.
Trail Type: Out and back, Balloon option
Difficulty: It may be short, but it is quite the climb! DR4.
Elevation Gain: About 480 feet.
Restroom: There are vault toilets at the trailhead, and flush toilets down at the Albion Base.
Dogs? No. Little Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info: Fee area: $12.00 toll to use the Summer Road. You can avoid that by hiking up from the Albion Base but that will add about 3 miles out and back.

To Get Here:

Drive to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Stop at the fee booth, pay your fee, and continue up to the top of the Summer Road to the Cecret Lake parking lot (which they have apparently renamed to Lot B) if it is full there is an overflow lot just to the right (now called Lot C).

It looks like Oktoberfest has started with all the cars parked next to Snowbird (PSP (Passenger Seat Photography)). Yep, just confirmed on their website. Seems a little early for it, but hey, who doesn’t enjoy a day of drinking beer in the mountains?

After paying the fee, we continued up onto the Summer Road (PSP).

Continuing up (PSP).

I don’t know what the material is, but there is something under the dirt that resembles pavement? So it’s not a full on dirt road, but it is at the same time haha.

The next switchback (PSP).

The next switchback (PSP). As far as high elevation dirt roads go, this one isn’t too bad. I don’t like the next switchback, but otherwise it’s fine.

The Albion Meadows appear to be pretty much done in terms of flowers (PSP).

View down from the parking lot.

Fireweed.

A patch of arnica hanging on.

Fun sign.

The Trail:

We stopped at the restrooms, so we hiked up from the overflow parking lot (Lot C). If you park in the main parking lot (Lot B) the trail will be to the right of the general store. This is just a smidge downhill.

A sad looking elkweed.

Bridge over Little Cottonwood Creek.

Downstream.

Upstream.

The trailhead kiosk, it is set back just a bit.

Well, would you look at that. Somebody decided to update the distance and elevation gain. I doubt it was the rangers since there is a track record of none of these signs ever being updated after trail reroutes. But somebody did it, and it is a lot closer to accurate now.

You can see it used to say 0.4 miles. Go back and look at the previous image for proof I was not the peeler of tape, haha it was already peeled up I just looked. Obviously I wasn’t the only one who wanted to see haha. Using last years image, it looks like it used to say Elevation Gain: 280 feet. I am still trying to figure out where the original trailhead was, or where it was rerouted that would lead to that big of a change..

Here is a fun fact, I am not 100% sure, but it looks like this map also shows the original location of the Catherine Pass trailhead, that last year I definitely figured out was rerouted at some point.

Short bit through a construction area. I believe this is part of the Supreme Lift realignment.

Fireweed.

Lots of them. Unlike the rest of the wildflowers, the fireweeds appear to be enjoying our dry ass summer.

Where the Supreme Lift base, correction: bottom terminal was, and will be again. I guess the original lift had a slight curve that was causing more wear and tear than was ideal, so they are rebuilding it.

Google maps used to show the ski lift lines, and I absolutely hated it and did spend some time trying to figure out if it could be turned off, like a filter. Now that I want to see what this lift looked like before, they have removed that feature, and I can’t figure out if there is a way to turn it back on hahaha. Life is funny that way, you just can’t win.

Here is what the old lift looked like last year. I don't see a noticeable curve but whatevs.

On to the climb!

Pretty quickly the trail connects to a cabin access road. It is very rare, but you definitely might encounter a vehicle along the way.

Also, earlier in the season this would be the first stream crossing. Some of them dry up as we get further into summer.

Western cone flowers.

Albion Basin - Limit your impact.

They updated all of the interpretive signs a few years ago. Some I think for the better, and some I think lost some neat information. So, meh. Hit and miss.

If you are curious, you can see the old signs on my post from 2022.

Sugarloaf peak. We will be getting a little closer to this one today.

Devils Castle.

Geologic Forces.

Devils Castle and the 2nd dried up stream.

One of many boulders that have come down off of Devils Castle.

Fireweed.

Another large boulder.

Devils Castle through the trees.

The 3rd or middle stream.

It’s flowing… but just barely.

Fireweed.

Like I said, they seem to be super happy right now. They are one of my favorite wildflowers, so I am enjoying it.

3 way trail split. You want to go left. Both right options are private cabin access roads.

Devils Castle.

Asters of some sort.

Sugarloaf Peak.

Devils Castle.

Panoramic.

An Explosion of Color.

The 4th stream.

Forest.

Well, hello there friend.

Closer, cute little hawk friend.

Pretty bird.

Google AI is telling me this is an American goshawk. Yay.

Looking at us.

Back to looking around.

Preening.

Looking about.

Pretty.

So fierce!

Forest.

Enjoy Wildlife… From a Distance.

5th stream.

Monkshood.

Lots of them.

Corn lilies.

Then we cross several glacier scarred slabs.

Devils Castle.

More glacier scrapes.

Then the rocky climb starts.

Super rocky.

Catherine Pass on the other side of the canyon.

Continuing up.

The final hill and switchbacks we will have to climb in just a minute.

Where an old sign used to be. It identified the surrounding peaks.

Mount Tuscarora, Catherine Pass, Point Supreme, East Castle, Devils Castle, Sugarloaf Peak.

I missed Patsy Marley and Mount Wolverine to the left of Mount Tuscarora.

Oh, haha they moved the replacement sign just a smidge uphill. 24 Hours to a Faucet.

The final hill again.

Mine tailings.

The first switchback.

View across the canyon.

Top of the mine tailings.

The mine. I’ve poked my camera in there, doesn’t seem much to it.

A large slab you have to go around. I recommend going left along the front. We watched a family try to go to the right and over it, and they really struggled with it.

Rock wall. This is popular with rock climbers. In fact you can just make one out on the right.

Rocky elbow.

The middle switchback. As far as switchbacks go, these actually are not too bad, but I do not like the top of this middle one, but I am able to get myself through it.

Asters of some sort.

A large patch of fireweeds.

With Patsy Marley, Mount Wolverine, Mount Tuscarora, Catherine Pass, and Point Supreme.

The top of the middle switchback. This is the part that I really don’t like.

The elbow.

The top switchback. It doesn’t make any sense, but I feel better on this one then the middle one. Fear of heights is completely illogical.

Continuing along.

More fireweeds.

Asters.

Around the corner.

The last push!

We made it! Phew!

Quick panoramic.

Quick reminder no swimming, no wading, and as the lower sign says don’t even dip your toes or fingers in. This is our drinking water folks.

Cecret Lake.

Cecret Lake is the headwaters of Little Cottonwood Creek. It is one of the most visited destinations in the Wasatch Mountains. The original dam was built in the 1920 to increase the size of the natural lake. It was replaced and restored in 2018.

Nice clear water.

The lake and Sugarloaf Peak.

Devils Castle and the dam.

Panoramic.

Clear water. The salamanders were being shy today.

The dam. The water level is quite low this late into the season.

A tiger salamander.

Fun fact: most tiger salamanders morph into terrestrial adults. But the one here have plenty of food and few predators so they are perfectly happy staying in their aquatic, larval form. Which explains why I have never seen an adult one on land despite usually seeing tons of larva in the water.

Another salamander.

Fireweed.

Salamander.

One right under a little rainbow.

Another.

The lake again.

Fireweed.

Like I said, the fireweeds are super happy right now. I don’t think I have ever seen so many on 1 trail before.

More fireweeds.

Devils Castle above the lake.

Panoramic.

Sugarloaf Peak.

Devils Castle.

Scree field below the peak. This is a great spot to look for pikas and marmots. We didn’t see either today though.

Looking towards the front of the lake.

Panoramic.

You can see the high water line.

Thin bit through some bushes.

The lake with Catherine Pass in the background and… is that smoke? We thought maybe the wind had shifted and the smoke from the fire up in Ogden was coming down this way. But when we got home we saw on the news that there was a new fire near Provo and the wind was blowing the smoke north so it was probably that. 

Panoramic.

Below Sugarloaf Peak.

We didn’t go all the way around the lake, but by this point we might as well have! The loop around the lake is only about 6/10ths of a mile. But there are 2 small spots I don’t like much. So we decided to head back.

One last look at the lake from back here.

And a panoramic. Because I didn’t take enough of them yet haha.

Some asters.

I think that is Sugarloaf Pass.

Sugarloaf Peak. I wonder what those poles across it are. Maybe power lines?

Trees.

Devils Castle.

Panoramic.

Neat little rock finger jetty. There is ALWAYS someone on it, so this time it’s gonna be may!

Its a fun little natural jetty. But be careful, it’s a little slick.

Devils Castle.

Sugarloaf Peak.

Another panoramic.

Buttercups.

Big patch of asters.

The lake.

The high water line again.

A final look at the lake before we head back down.

Heading back towards the switchbacks.

The basin below and Catherine Pass.

The top switchback.

Patch of fireweeds.

With a view.

Poking up from behind a rock.

More.

Elbow to the middle switchback.

The middle switchback. It doesn't bother me at all on the way down. See, irrational.

Some asters.

Down canyon.

Elbow.

The bottom switchback.

The basin.

There is pretty much a slow rock slide happening here. I swear the rocks move a little every time we come.

In the shadow of the mountain.

Panoramic. With Patsy Marley, Mount Wolverine, Mount Tuscarora, Catherine Pass, Point Supreme, East Castle, and Devils Castle.

Asters.

Heading across the giant granite slab.

Glacier scrapes.

Devils Castle.

Continuing down.

Old microwave tower.

Deer!

4 of them.

With Devils Castle above.

Closer view.

With Devils Castle again.

Glacier scrapes.

Some deeper scrapes.

Corn lilies.

The upper stream crossing.

Forest.

Found some paintbrush hanging on.

The 2nd uppermost creek crossing.

Continuing along.

Asters.

Devils Castle.

The middle crossing.

Big boulder.

Looks like an old mans nose on the left here.

The Devils Castle Loop turn off.

Potgut squirrel.

Fireweed.

The upper of the 2 lower, dried up streams.

Devils Castle.

Continuing down.

More smoke. Yuck.

Larkspur.

The lower dried up stream.

Forest.

Fireweed.

Crossing through the construction area.

Another fireweed.

Again.

Lupine.

Another paintbrush.

Bridge over Little Cottonwood Creek. Technically all of the streams are Little Cottonwood Creek, but this is the most prominent one.

Upstream.

Downstream.

Back to the parking lot. 

Some poor soul’s car is being towed away. I hope with their knowledge. That would absolutely be the worst, coming down from hiking and finding your car gone! 

Heading down the Summer Road (PSP).

The tow truck appears to have broken down at the Catherine Pass Trailhead (now lot A) (PSP). The tow truck might need a bigger tow truck.

View down canyon (PSP).

Continuing down (PSP).

The last switchback (PSP).

Down to the fee booth (PSP).

Down canyon again (PSP).

View all the way down the U shaped canyon (PSP).

Little bit of a sunset (PSP).

Well, that is always a nice trail. Like I said, it is popular so some people can kind of ruin the serenity it should offer. It was a little less busy today than we have seen it though, so that was nice. I also enjoy the various wildlife we see along the way. Eh, 9 out of 10 squirrels today.

As for difficulty, it is pretty short, but it is a bit of a climb! DR4.

Dogs are not allowed in Little Cottonwood Canyon. So be sure to leave Fido home for this one.