Island Lake Hike

The Crystal Lake Trailhead gives you access to a very large number of hikes right in the heart of the western Uintas. Heading west from the parking area takes you along several major lakes towards Island Lake. This lake also can be accessed from Weber Canyon by way of Smith and Morehouse Reservoir through a long eastward trek. Thanks to the many nearby forks and trails, you won't usually see too many people here on weekdays. Backcountry camping opportunities abound, and you can bring the dogs off-leash. This area has many ponds, lakes, and creeks that are very beautiful, but they do give the mosquitos a lot of places to breed. Swarms of bugs can get pretty bad in early summer, but that is also peak wildflower season in these parts, so cover up and bring some spray.

The rolling terrain never gets too steep, so bring the family along for a long but relatively easy hike. There is a fee to recreate in the Uintas, but you can leave your America the Beautiful Pass on your dashboard to enjoy the place for free. Keep an eye out for the plentiful moose in the area.