The heat in Utah has felt insane this summer! With temps practically over 100 degrees everyday we have been trying to spend as much time in the high mountain tops as possible. One of our favorite things to do in the summer to beat the heat is head to the Uinta’s. With elevation up to 13,000′ and temperatures 25 -30 degrees cooler than at home it’s definitely the place to be. From Kayaking to fishing to hiking and exploring…the Uinta’s offer an adventure for everyone!
When it’s so hot outside the ice cold river water is so refreshing to splash around in! We love being able to soak in the sunshine, breathe in the fresh mountain air and enjoy the views.
When we are out doing this type of hiking we always have our Keen’s with us. They are our favorite water sandal that easily goes from dirt trails to water and we all have our own pair! Even baby Jack 🙂 What I love so much about these for myself and my kids is that they provide enough arch support while we are hiking but they are still comfy enough to wear all day. Plus the bottoms are “grippy” so we can climb up and down the rocks without slipping, even our three year old!
My toddler and baby both have the Newport Style.
I’m wearing the Women’s CNX II.
Todd has on the Men’s Clearwater CNX
Investing in a good shoe that’s made for land and water is definitely worth it and makes it easier to explore on all of our summer adventures!
Mirror Lake (that sits at the bottom of Bald Mountain) is probably the most iconic lake from this Mountain Range, and it’s usually a stop that most people to choose to make when they visit. While the scenic views are definitely picture worthy here, there are over 1000 other different lakes scattered all over the mountain tops and over 400 miles of rivers. With a quick look at the All Trails App, or Google Earth (before you go as you probably won’t have service at the top of the mountains) you can find all sorts of trails and roads to explore. Or you can just use an old fashioned map book like we used that lead you to these mountain lakes and streams that are just as majestic but without all of the crowds.
To avoid the crowds, we chose to follow our own trail back into the forest and found ourselves our own lake to hang out at for the day! We crossed mini creeks and streams and passed a few smaller lakes covered in lily pads with ducks swimming around. We loved only having to hike a few miles in to reach such a cool spot and having our own secluded lake to play in. It was so refreshing and more our style of exploring! We kept talking about our plans for a week long backpacking trip deep into the heart of the Uinta’s some day – but definitely when our kiddies are old enough to walk themselves and carry their own packs!
For us, this was the optimal feeling of what getting in the wilderness is all about. It felt like the perfect weekend outside…Blue skies, sunshine, time with the people we love the most and just enjoying the simple pleasures in life! So if you need us, this is probably where you’ll find us the rest of the summer until it cools off and we can head back down to the desert 😉
Looks beautiful.
It was such a pretty weekend!!! We loved it!
Yes, it has been a HOT summer. That looks like a cool and refreshing escape!
It’s been soooo hot!!! We love being able to have water and lakes like this to play in for our kids!
Sounds like the perfect place to go during these super hot summer days.
It was the perfect place to go and cool off!! This heat wave has been so crazy this year!!!
It sounds like the perfect place during this heat! I love going to lakes! Stay safe while beating the heat.
We love going to lakes when it’s so hot!! It’s the perfect thing for our boys!
Truly magical experience to be in nature. The pictures are gorgeous.
Thank you so much!! We love getting out as much as we can!
You must be enjoying this much-needed break. The pictures tell all.
looks like a great experience. it’s my dream to make such a trip once I have kids.
I wish I had known about this place before my trip to Utah a few weeks ago. The heat was blazing! This is definitely a great idea for a cooler outdoor adventure.
It’s hot here in Alabama too!! We also have a lot of lakes nearby to cool off – just like you guys! I would love to spend some time in Utah one day.
It’s so nice that your waters are clean. I could never allow my child to dip his feet on water here coz it’s guaranteed to be dirty.
I have a pair of Keen’s sandals and swear by them. They are amazing. I wore them this past weekend on a four day canoe trip and they held up remarkably well.
Yes!! We LOVE our keens! They have been so handy on our hiking/water adventures! And we’ve definitely been putting them to use a lot lately! 🤣
The Uintas are so magical. I’ve been making a weekly trip there from SLC because it’s so pretty out there! I’ve spent so much time by the lakes, it’s amazing!
It’s definitely a magical place- anywhere in the Uintas is so cool!! How awesome to get to go adventure there so often! Thanks for reading!
I agree, anywhere in the Uintas is worth visiting! There’s so many lakes accessible through a small or medium day hike. Loved the blog!