Utah Hike of the Week: Lackawaxen Lake — Guardsman Pass

This hike has some steep climbs from the trailhead and again when leaving the lake. Expect some fellow hikers on the trail, too. But the Lackawaxen Lake is one of those picturesque mountain bodies of water that sit in the midst of the Wasatch Mountains. 

Directions: The trailhead is at the Guardsman Pass Overlook. From Wasatch Boulevard in Cottonwood Heights, drive east up Big Cottonwood Canyon for 13.8 miles. Then turn left and drive the switchbacks north and east up Guardsman Pass Road for 3.1 miles. The overlook will be on your right. 

From downtown Park City, drive State Route 224 south then west for 7.5 miles. The Guardsman Pass Overlook will be on your left. 

From the trailhead, hike south past the parking barrier and up the mountain. Follow the worn trail up to the ridge. On the ridge, the turn to Peak 10,420 will be on your left. Take it if you want to add a few hundred more feet elevation to your hike. Otherwise, continue on the trail down the ridge. 

At 0.8 miles, turn left and go down a steep slope. Continue on the trail through a grove of trees. Lackawaxen Lake is hidden through the trees. 

• Hiking Time: 2 hours

• Round-trip miles: 2.4 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,048 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Trailhead restrooms: No

• Dogs allowed: Yes

• Bikes allowed: N/A

• Fees: No

Update at 7:29 a.m. on Aug. 30, 2017: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Lackawaxen Lake.