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Guardsman Pass is a scenic high mountain pass at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. It features some great fall color this time of year. After hiking nearby last weekend I couldn’t help but notice how amazing it looked, so that ended up being the plan for the day. Unfortunately, the word is out, and the canyon was the busiest I have ever seen it! Of course, we generally avoid it in winter due to the ski traffic. So, maybe that is what it is like in winter. We've been up here a few times, but it is pretty.
Scenic Drive Details:
Length: About 40 miles out and back, however you can also continue up over Empire Pass and head through Park City and down Parleys for a 55 mile loop (plus time to home).
Time Needed: Normally just for the out and back, maybe an hour. Today was closer to 2 hours. Plus whatever you decide to add to it.
Road Conditions: Paved 2 lane. A little thinner on the Park City side of the pass.
Summit: 9700 Ft.
Restrooms: Several along the way. Mill B, Mill D, at the pass, and the Bloods Lake Trailhead.
Interesting Things: There are a ton of beautiful trails along the way.
Other Info: This post will be mostly Passenger Seat Photography (PSP) photos. Landis drives, I take pictures.
To Get Here:
Take Big Cottonwood Canyon up to the top. Just before you reach the Brighton loop, there will be a signed left turn to head up and over Guardsman Pass.
The Adventure:
The mountains (PSP). Still a little hazy but not too bad.
You would think the, now 3, signs warning of heavy traffic in the Cottonwood Canyons would have been enough to deter me (PSP). But I kept thinking, it can’t be that bad! Oi. I was very very wrong.
This is the furthest back on Wasatch I have waited to turn into the canyon (PSP). You would think this would have been another warning for me.
Finally into the canyon (PSP).
The 4th ignored warning (PSP).
Pretty colors (PSP).
Near Stairs Gulch (PSP).
Approaching the S curve and Mill B South and Mill B North.
More lovely color (PSP).
Here you can see the long line of cars (PSP).
This is the furthest down I have seen parking for Mill D (PSP). There are quite a few trails here including Donut Falls and Dog Lake.
Colorful hill (PSP).
Starting to hit the aspens (PSP).
Nearing the Willow Heights area (PSP).
Passing by Solitude (PSP). You can reach Silver Fork through this lower entrance.
Bright aspens (PSP).
More aspens (PSP).
I didn’t get a picture of the turnoff for Guardsman Pass, but it is right after the fire station.
If you continue forward it will take you to the Solitude Nordic Center which has access to Silver Lake, Lake Solitude, and Twin Lakes. And A little further along the loop will take you to Brighton with access to the Lake Catherine trail. And if you miss the turn, its a loop and will take you back down.
Okay, it is busy up here, but look how pretty it is! (PSP)
More color (PSP).
Scott Hill (PSP).
Passing through the winter gate (PSP).
Going through a pine section (PSP).
Back to the aspens (PSP).
Super pretty up here, even if I am freaking out about the high narrow road a little bit (PSP).
Approaching the summit (PSP).
View from the top into Summit County (PSP).
There used to be parking up here, but now it is drop off and pick up only. The parking area has been moved a mile downhill (on the Summit county Side). That is where we are heading for now.
Heading down the other side (PSP). I could do with some more guard rails on the Big Cottonwood side. o.O
We decided to hike out along the Bloods Lake Trail, we didn’t quite make it to the lake but we did enjoy some pretty color along the way.
We went back and forth as to weather we should continue down into Park City, then down Parleys Canyon to make the big loop, or just head back down Big Cottonwood Canyon. We ultimately decided that it was late enough, and the constant line of cars seems to have slowed quite a bit, so we decided to head down Big Cottonwood. That uh, ended up being a mistake.
Guardsman Pass.
The color leading up to it.
More color.
Heading back towards the pass (PSP). We will be stuck behind this big black van for a while now.
Some nice oranges.
Guardsman Pass (PSP). It looks quite a bit different now than it did a few years ago. And seems a lot more safe too. However, the changes they made made a few trails quite a bit longer, unless you have a shuttle.
Heading back down into Big Cottonwood Canyon.
More color (PSP).
I am not going to lie, I do NOT like coming down this way from the pass. Like I said, it needs more guard rails.
Looking down towards Solitude (PSP).
More color (PSP).
Scott Hill (PSP).
More color (PSP).
Now we’re on the main Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (PSP).
More color across from Solitude (PSP).
Then we hit the long line of cars slowly working it’s way down the canyon (PSP). I have never seen it this bad, and I spend a lot of time up here! Although, not so much in winter, I wonder if this is what it is like in winter.
Managed to get a couple more shots of some color before it got too dark.
The traffic was a little weird today. From Solitude to Mill D was an absolute crawl. Then we got almost normal speeds again all the way down to Storm Mountain, where it went back to a crawl all the way to Dogwood Picnic Area, then almost normal to the mouth of the canyon. All we could figure is there must have been a nervous, not used to canyons driver or 2 that should have pulled over and let the rest of us pass. And honestly, if you are nervous driving down the canyon and need to take it slower, fine do so. But it is your responsibility to be aware of how much traffic is piled up behind you, and seriously if it is more than 1, you need to pull over to allow them to pass at the first pull out available.
Anyway, I do love Big Cottonwood Canyon but, man I don’t know if I ever want to do it with that much traffic ever again. Yeesh! However, it was super pretty today, and the slower pace allowed for better passenger seat photos. Going with 7 out of 10 squirrels today.
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