Walking Through Wildflowers in Albion Basin, Alta, Utah

The Beta

The Albion Meadows Trail is a 3.6 mile out-and-back trail with 744 feet of elevation gain and is rated as easy. Enjoy walking through this gentle trail through wildflowers in summer, breathtaking views of the mountains at Alta Ski Resort, and streams that flow through nearly the entire trail! This trail is best used from May through October, although there may still be a high snowpack in May and early June, and wildflowers will not bloom until July. Dogs are prohibited to use this trail, as it lies in Little Cottonwood Canyon, part of the Salt Lake watershed.

Need to Know

This hike is very gentle, and is great for all skill levels! It tracks up a well-used path on Alta Ski Resort, with some areas covered in loose rocks. This can be slippery from time-to-time. Because this trail snakes up through some prominent ski runs, there is little shade on this trail. It’s definitely high exposure to sun, wind, and other elements; know before you go!

Justin’s Suggestion

If you don’t care much for wildflowers, do this hike early in the season for more moderate temperatures and smaller crowds. Midweek is always best! For wildflower hunting, blooming occurs in early to mid July. Be sure to arrive early on weekends to beat the crowds – I started my hike at about 7:20am on a Saturday, and was one of seven cars in the parking lot. When I arrived back at around noon, the lot was nearly full with well over 100 cars!

Try to avoid the middle of the day, between 10am and 3pm, if able. The sun is the strongest between these hours, and unless it’s a cloudy day, you won’t get any relief from the sun until you trek up towards the Cecret Lake trailhead, which is about 1.5 miles from your starting point.

Take A Hike!

Take a hike! This is a fun trail with beautiful wildflowers and mountain views. It’s one of the very best places in Utah to see wildflowers, but the season is short – go while you still can!

If you’re looking for a longer hike in Albion Basin, head on up to Cecret Lake for a fantastic time!

Happy hiking!

Parting shot:

Next blog: More peaks and lakes in Utah. Oh yeah!