Devils Castle Loop

 The Devils Castle Loop is a absolutely stunning loop located in The Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail features beautiful forests, iconic peaks, wildflowers, and often quite a bit of wildlife as well. It is much less busy than the nearby and way more popular Cecret Lake. Often I only pass 1 or 2 groups. This is another one of my favorite trails that we tend to do often. 

The shuttle is still not running since being shut down in 2020. So you will either need to pay the $10 fee to use the Summer Road, or add about 1.5 miles each way up through the Albion Meadows.

Quick Details:

Length: 1.8 mile loop. or 4.8 mile balloon.
Trail Type: Loop or balloon.
Difficulty: DR3. There is quite a climb, but it’s not unbearable.
Elevation Gain: 460 ft.
Restroom: Pit toilets at the TH and in the campground.
Dogs? No. Little Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info: $10.00 fee to use the summer road, or 3 extra miles.

To Get Here:

Head to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Stop by the ranger booth to pay the fee and continue up approximately 2 miles to the Cecret Lake TH.

Alternately, turn right just below the ranger station and park at the Albion Base and hike up the Albion Meadows.

Lastly, if they ever resume the shuttle service, you could pick that up at the Albion Base as well. Last I remember it was $5.00 per person.

Heading up the Summer Road (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

It’s a pretty drive (PSP).

Fields of flowers (PSP).

As far as high elevation, un-paved roads go, this one isn’t bad at all (PSP). The only part that makes me nervous is the part right below the Catherine Pass TH. And even that isn’t too bad.

Nearing the top (PSP).

The Trail:

For this trail, you can either go counterclockwise, and start on the Cecret Lake trail, or do clockwise and start up the Albion Basin Campground. I much prefer the latter, as it is more strait forward (there are a bunch of trail splits on the other end).

Right off the bat and seeing some pretty columbines.

Little Cottonwood Creek. Cecret Lake, and various springs up here are considered the headwaters.

Pretty blue columbines. It is rare to well, not rare, but uncommon to see this color. Usually we see only pure white ones.

Some fainter ones.

Another group.

Continuing the climb through the campground.

Supreme ski lift.

Some beautiful paintbrush.

Big group of them.

Lots of pretty paintbrush today.

Just before the campground road loops to the left, there is a short offshoot to continue up Homestake Road.

Pretty sure this is Jacobs ladder.

Geraniums.

Devils Castle. There will be a lot of shots of this bad boy today. After all it is the Devils Castle loop, and it well, is the centerpiece of the trail.

Sugarloaf Peak.

River of bluebells.

Devils Castle and Sugarloaf Peak.

Entering an area with private cabins. You want to stay to the left here, which will put you on Albion Alps Road.

One of the cabin owners has this neat tractor to get around in.

Its quite the climb!

Squirrel!

Another paint brush.

At a little over a half mile you want to look for this trail split off. It’s before the road curves to the left again. There is usually a sign, I’m not sure why it isn’t there right now.

Columbine.

Paintbrush.

Another blue one! Woo. Having good luck with them this year. I am pretty sure this is the most blue ones I have seen on one hike.

More paintbrush.

The trail is a bit thinner, and is less of a climb than the road, but you aren’t quite done climbing.

Pretty forest.

Nice mix of flowers.

More paintbrush.

As you emerge from the trees you get another great view of Devils Castle.

Some kind of mint.

Fun mix.

Yellow and blue.

Devils Castle again.

Daisies, I think.

More paintbrush.

More Jacobs ladder.

The Albion Basin and Greeley Hill above.

Some stunning paintbrush.

Lupine.

Big batch of columbines.

Getting up close and personal with Devils Castle.

It is absolutely spectacular up here.

I love seeing flowers growing out of solid rock.

Under Devils Castle.

When the glaciers receded, they brought down a lot of boulders from the peaks above. You can see quite a few of them around the Albion Basin.

More paintbrush.

Some lupines just getting started.

Found a big patch of snow.

Still trying to figure out that caused this.

Some bloomed lupines.

Almost to the top with some mine tailings.

It’s a little lighter blue, but it’s blue.

Lupines.

This patch of snow lasts pretty late into the season.

This means you have reached the top.

Parry’s Primrose. I only ever find these on this trail. 

View of the cirque below.

Panoramic.

Pretty butterfly.

Back to the Parry’s Primrose. I think these are particularly stunning. I love the purple.

Mine tailings.

More paintbrush.

The cirque again.

Looking up on Devils Castle.

Okay, time to start heading down the other side.

Better view.

Scree field the trail goes through.

Below.

Over the years that this trail has existed, hikers have flattened the stones to an almost paver style walkway.

Looking up.

I almost always see pikas and marmots here, but not having a lot of luck today.

Columbines growing amongst the rubble.

Looking back at the tailings pile.

Looking back towards Devils Castle.

Looking back at the cirque.

Uh oh. Are we going to get rained on?

The trail is a liiiitle thin through here, but its still not too bad. My completely irrational fear of heights tingles just a smidge here, but seriously it is not too bad.

Pretty pink flowers.

More Parry’s primrose.

More columbines.

Another tailings pile.

More Parry’s primrose. We ended up seeing a bunch of these today.

Flat faced rock. We usually see rock climbers on this, but none today.

We had a very brief pika sighting. I was able to snap off one shot and he was gone again.

Catherine Pass.

Looking back towards Devils Castle.

Both mine tailings.

Pretty yellow flowers.

Re-entering the forest.

Big patch of forget me nots.

Closeup.

Devils Castle again.

Some young lupines.

Penstemon.

Thistle.

Penstemon.

Lovely forest. 

Where was this cloud cover on the way up!

More paintbrush.

The Cecret Lake Trail doesn’t look as busy as it usually does.

The steep descent.

Pretty forest.

Interesting bird with a red head. Terrible shot, but I wonder what that was?

I inquired on my local birding groups and got 3 very plausible options: Green-tailed towhee, Cassin's Finch, and Red-napped sapsucker. The sighting was too brief, and well, my photo is terrible, but reading up on all of them, any of them are possible.

More forest.

Pretty yellow flowers.

In a crack.

Spring.

Which supports this beautiful river of wildflowers.

Another trail split. I tend to go to the right, and enjoy that trail. But I think the official trail is to the left. One of these days I will go that way.

More boulders.

Somewhere under all those bluebells is another spring.

Paintbrush growing out of a crack.

So many Parry’s primrose this year.

Pretty forest.

Forest and boulders.

More paintbrush.

Columbines.

Devils Castle through the trees.

Flowers growing out of rock.

Another little stream.

Fun little family tree looks like a ship.

Bluebells and corn lilies that haven’t bloomed yet.

More paintbrush.

View down.

Crossing the stream again.

The paintbrush is sure popping today.

More bluebells and corn lilies.

More paintbrush.

Looking back at Devils Castle.

It’s just so pretty up here.

Lovely mix of color.

And then we popped out onto the Cecret Lake Trail. Going right will be the quickest way down, but there is a more scenic route just a smidge to the left.

Devils Castle again.

Another nice mix.

Paintbrush and forget me nots.

I was going to take a picture of the turn off for the scenic route but, someone decided to use it as a means to get off the main trail to change their baby… I aint taking a picture of that. and no judgement at all! Babies need changing, I am actually thrilled they went off the main trail without trampling wildflowers. I just feel bad that we had to walk by. They apologized to us, but seriously, you did the best you could in the situation. No worries at all.

Another giant boulder.

Pretty forest.

Elephant heads. One of my favorites!

Stream.

Little waterfall.

Lined with wildflowers.

Loads of white bog orchids.

Loads of elephant heads.

White bog orchids.

A good mix of both.

Lupines, orchids, and daisies.

Looks like they are trying to revegetate this old trail to the lower parking lot. The alternate is not much further.

Split rock.

Another little spring.

Still not sure if there are 2 springs here, or one spring with 2 puddles.

But the elephant heads and white bog orchids seem to love it here.

Pretty yellow flowers.

White bog orchid.

Elephant head.

Monks hood.

Shooting stars.

White bog orchids.

Sugarloaf Peak.

Devils Castle.

Very moody clouds. Glad we are just about done and getting off the mountain.

An actual sign in the pit toilets at the trailhead. o.O 

Newer trail called Catherine to Cecret Connector. It goes from here to the Catherines Pass Trailhead.

Deer! (PSP).

Heading back down the Summer Road (PSP).

Some wild wildflowers along the Summer Road (PSP).

View down canyon (PSP).

Looking back up towards the Albion Basin from below the Summer Road.

One of my absolute favorite views along the Wasatch Front (PSP). I really would hate to see it disrupted by gondola towers. Seriously there are not a whole lot of glacier carved canyons that offer such a perfect U shaped canyon view.

We stopped by a gas station on the way home, and found this sign on the side door. Oh boy I guess it was a bit rougher in the valley than  up in the mountains!

I LOVE this trail. It is just absolutely gorgeous, the wildflowers are amazing, the surrounding peaks are awesome, the wildflowers are AMAZING, normally we see a bit more wildlife than today, and it is not a crowded trail. It really just hits all the the things I want. Plus it is a short quick way to get away from the crazy heat. Salt Lake hit a record of 107 today for only the 4th time ever! Yikes. Anyway, 9 out of 10 squirrels. losing 1 for the rough climb and confusing web of trails.

As for difficulty, Oof, this is a bit of a climb, but DR3.

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