The Mirror Lake Highway is one of our favorite spots in Utah. There are so many amazing hikes. In the heat of summer, it is the perfect place to escape the Wasatch Front and find a little cool air. We’ve done a lot of hikes in the Uintas, and recently, we made the short hike to Cliff Lake.
Cliff Lake on the Mirror Lake Highway is part of a long trail system, but to hike to Cliff Lake is only 1.8 miles roundtrip. That includes walking around the lake, too. There is a bit of climb to the lake, but it is not very steep. We classify this hike as mostly easy since it is short. Navigating around Cliff Lake is a bit difficult, so don’t attempt that portion with toddlers. Instead, just hike to the lake and turn around.
Parking
The Cliff Lake hike starts at the Crystal Lake Trailhead parking area. The turnoff is at mile marker 25.5 and there is a short drive to a series of parking lots. Make sure to turn at the first Crystal Lake Trailhead turnoff. There are lots of parking spots, but many people start their backpacking trips from this spot, so turn over isn’t always very fast. It is best to hike in the morning so you can find a parking spot.
Trailhead
When you get parked, find the restrooms. The trailhead starts just to the right of the two pit toilets. There is a sign for Cliff Lake, and the trail is very obvious. As you head toward the lake, notice Crystal Lake in the bowl on the left side of the trail. If you’d like to see Crystal Lake, you can take a short detour on the way up or back down the trail.
After you pass Crystal Lake, the trail begins to climb. Soon, you will come to a trail junction. There is a small metal sign, but it isn’t really obvious, so be aware. At the Cliff Lake sign, turn right. The trail then continues to climb to Cliff Lake. It is not steep, nor long, but it is rocky. We stopped for a short rest when we got to the top, but this was mostly due to the altitude rather than the difficulty.
Hiking Around the Lake
Cliff Lake is aptly named. Along the far side of the lake, a cliff runs very near the water line. There is plenty of room to hike around the small lake, but there is a bit of rock scrambling and we climbed over a downed tree on the far side. Many people chose to walk along the trail just part way and then turn around. It is flat and easy most of the way along Cliff Lake as you head right after arriving at the lake. You will come to the cliff and some large rocks. This is a great spot to turn around if you don’t want to deal with a little more adventure on the trail.
If you do choose to walk all the way around, stay as close to the lake as possible once you are near the cliff side. Sometimes it looks like the trail heads up closer to the rocks and cliff, but it just gets difficult up there, so stay by the lake and you can easily make your way all the way around.
Once you are done exploring Cliff Lake, head back the way you came. Luckily, going down is quicker than coming up. If you are looking for some other hikes along the Mirror Lake Highway, check out our family-friendly hikes list.
