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Bloods Lake is a high alpine lake located above Park City. The new trail features a lovely mixed forest, wildflowers, and a chance of wildlife. It was also a great way to enjoy the fall colors today. Unfortunately, it ended up taking us quite a big longer than we anticipated to get there due to other fall peepers, so we didn’t make it all the way to the lake today, just to the first switchback. If you would like to see the full trail see the last time we did it.
Quick Details:
Length: 3.2 out and back. We did about 2.2 today.
Trail Type: Out and back
Difficulty: DR3. Pretty mild climb.
Elevation Gain: About 500 ft for the full thing we did about 225 today.
Restroom: Yes, there are pit toilets at the trailhead.
Dogs? A little complicated. Yes, leashed, if you come up on the Park City side. There is a lot of contradictory information out there about driving up Big Cottonwood Canyon with dogs. Technically I think you are okay as long as you do not stop anywhere in the canyon, but I have heard of people being ticketed, so it’s not a risk I would take. Either way, dogs are NOT allowed at the lake. The lake is considered watershed at the moment, and dogs being continued to be allowed on this trail is entirely up to dogs owners and their behavior. Please follow the rules to keep this a dog friendly trail.
To Get Here:
From the Salt Lake Valley the easiest route is to head up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Go all the way up almost to Brighton and turn left at the signed turn off towards Guardsman Pass. If you miss it, not a big deal, it’s just below Brighton which is a loop and will get you back to it (now it would be a right), Go up over the pass. About a mile below the pass is the Bonanza Flats parking lot on the left. The trailhead is across the road. But it’s a good spot and you can see both ways pretty well. Plus, now there is a painted crosswalk.
From Park City, head up over Empire Pass, and towards Guardsman Pass. The parking lot will be on the right a mile below the pass.
Some great color above the parking lot.
Across the road.
The Trail:
The trailhead. It shifted a couple feet to the right since last time we were here.
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The Pilko Family donated a lot of money that made these new trails, and trail improvements possible. Thank you Pilko Family.
Some lovely color.
Trail split. Huh, the Kalamazoo Trail is new.
Some color in the valley below.
Panoramic.
Starting to see a little into Heber.
Into the trees.
So magical!
Great aspen patch.
Close up.
More pretties.
Some of the leaves have already turned black.
Looking up.
Pretty colors.
Looking up.
Just some more lovely color.
Pretty geranium leaves.
Some great splashes of color before we move into the shadow of the mountain.
Entering a patch of pines.
More aspens.
There is a short side trail out to this bench.
With a nice view.
More aspens.
Mixed forest.
I love a lightly leaf littered forest.
Leaves decorating the pines like Christmas Trees.
Mixed forest.
Bald patch.
I love when aspens turn this pretty golden color.
Entering another aspen patch.
Now we’re in the shadow of the mountain.
Looking up again.
The little clearing before the climb.
The little valley below.
More aspens.
The trail goes over this little cliff here a littler further along.
Entering the forest.
Looking up.
I love a good forest.
The first switchback. From here, the trail climbs up pretty quickly for the last half mile or so.
The creek that comes out of the lake.
We got a late start, it took longer to get here than anticipated, and well it’s fall so, we were rapidly losing daylight. We decided the goal for the day was seeing fall color, and that was achieved. As much as I enjoy Bloods Lake, there was no sense climbing just to risk getting caught in the dark. So, we turned back here.
More forest.
I don’t think I would like to be up here on a particularly blustery day.
Back to the little valley.
Some of the color.
Some of the aspen leaves are turning black! I wonder what causes that.
A nice little patch of the golden leaves.
Back in the aspens.
Lots of yellow, little patches of gold.
I like the bands of light in this shot.
More aspens.
Giant bent tree.
Tiny little bush joining in with the color change.
Some nice pops of color before we get into the thick of it.
Looking up.
Closer.
Back down to the overlook.
Looking into Heber.
Back down to the still very crowded parking lot.
With some nice color above.
Thistle that looks more like an artichoke. I know artichokes are a type of thistle, but… this really looks like an artichoke.
Another wildflower hanging on.
View down again.
Across the canyon.
Color above the parking lot again.
We went back and fourth as to whether we should continue down to Park City, and back down Parleys, or go back down Big Cottonwood Canyon. We ultimately decided with the dwindling light, Big Cottonwood shouldn’t be too bad any more…. oh boy we were so so wrong.
Anyway, I enjoyed our adventure today, even with the long waits in traffic. Yeah, we didn’t make it to the lake, but I sure did enjoy seeing the aspens at peak color. And considering how packed the parking lot was, it wasn’t terribly busy on the trail. 10 out of 10 for what we did today.
As for difficulty, the entire trail is a DR3, what we did today would be an easier DR3, as it was practically flat most of the way.
Dogs are allowed on the trail, leashed, but not at the lake. I am not sure where the cut off is, as we didn’t make it that far. Dogs used to be allowed at the lake, but that is no longer the case. Also, its a bit of a sketchy situation to take dogs up Big Cottonwood Canyon in your car. I highly recommend coming up from the Park City side if you have your pups.
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