South Willow Lake

A lake hike this pretty, about an hour from Salt Lake City? Utah keeps surprising me.

It looks peaceful and dreamy in photos. Don’t let that alpine lake fool you. It made me WORK. High altitude, heat, all that sun — way more challenging than I expected. Start early.

Bring sunscreen. Or an umbrella, like I do.

The Deets

• South Willow Lake, Deseret Peak Wilderness
• About an hour-ish from Salt Lake City
• 7.5 miles round trip
• 2,500 ft elevation gain
• Lake sits around 9,100 ft
• Plan 4–6 hours depending on pace