AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mineral Basin Lift - panoramio.jpg
photophat · CC BY 3.0

Dick Bass Highway–Gad Valley Road, 5 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 5,600 ft · 7 hr 10 min

Dick Bass Highway–Gad Valley Road, 5 sights is a 13.1-mile out-and-back near Alta, UT. It climbs 5,600 ft, with sections as steep as 41% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 45/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi8,147 – 10,831 ft · steepest grade: 41%14.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Creek Road 40.58145, -111.65422
Nearest town Alta, UT
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Dick Bass Highway–Gad Valley Road, 5 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 5,600 ft · 7 hr 10 min

Elevation 8,147–10,832 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Creek Road · 40.58145, -111.65422

Weather Sep 4: Clear, high 68°F / low 48° · precip 1% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:58 AM · sunset 7:56 PM

Transit-accessible: Cliff Lodge (Up) stop 234 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Creek Road, heading SW.
  2. 450 ftTurn left onto Peruvian Gulch Trail, heading SW.
  3. 50 ftSharp right onto Creek Road, heading SW.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto Dick Bass Highway, heading SW.
  5. 100 ftBear right onto Mid-Way Trail, heading S.
  6. 50 ftBear left onto Dick Bass Highway, heading S.
  7. 350 ftTurn right onto Chauner's Loop, heading S.
  8. 50 ftBear left onto Dick Bass Highway, heading S.
  9. 0.5 miSharp left onto Gad Valley Road, heading SE.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  11. 50 ftBear left onto Gad Valley Road, heading N.
  12. 0.7 miBear right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftBear right onto Gad Valley Road, heading SE.
  14. 0.4 miBear right onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading S.
  15. 150 ftBear right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading S.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading S.
  17. 400 ftTurn right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftSharp left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading SE.
  19. 500 ftBear right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  20. 100 ftBear left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading SE.
  21. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading S.
  22. 50 ftContinue straight onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading S.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading S.
  24. 50 ftContinue straight onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading S.
  25. 50 ftSharp right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  26. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Sunday Saddle Road, heading NE.
  27. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Wildflower Trail, heading S.
  28. 0.1 miSharp right onto Powder Paradise Trail, heading S.
  29. 1.1 miSharp right onto Mineral Basin Road, heading S.
  30. 0.3 miSharp right, heading NE.
  31. 0.4 miTurn right onto Miller Hill Mining Trail, heading W.
  32. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  34. 0.5 miReach Dick Bass Highway, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  35. 0.5 miBear left, heading E.
  36. 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
  37. 0.8 miTurn left onto Mineral Basin Road, heading NW.
  38. 0.8 miSharp left onto Powder Paradise Trail, heading NW.
  39. 1.1 miSharp left onto Wildflower Trail, heading S.
  40. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sunday Saddle Road, heading W.
  41. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading NE.
  42. 0.2 miSharp left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading SW.
  43. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  44. 50 ftContinue straight onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading N.
  45. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  46. 50 ftContinue straight onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading N.
  47. 0.4 miBear right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  48. 100 ftBear left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading N.
  49. 500 ftSharp right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  50. 50 ftTurn left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading N.
  51. 450 ftTurn right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  52. 50 ftBear left onto Regulator Johnson Trail, heading N.
  53. 150 ftBear left onto Gad Valley Road, heading N.
  54. 0.4 miBear left onto Big Mountain Trail, heading S.
  55. 50 ftBear left onto Gad Valley Road, heading S.
  56. 0.7 miBear right onto Big Mountain Trail, heading N.
  57. 50 ftContinue straight onto Gad Valley Road, heading N.
  58. 0.1 miSharp right onto Dick Bass Highway, heading N.
  59. 0.5 miBear right onto Chauner's Loop, heading E.
  60. 50 ftTurn left onto Dick Bass Highway, heading E.
  61. 300 ftBear right onto Mid-Way Trail, heading E.
  62. 50 ftBear left onto Dick Bass Highway, heading E.
  63. 50 ftContinue straight onto Creek Road, heading NE.
  64. 100 ftSharp left onto Peruvian Gulch Trail, heading NE.
  65. 50 ftTurn right onto Creek Road, heading N.
  66. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/big-mountain-trail-dick-bass-highway-out-back-6-sights

Trail surface

93% dirt7% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 68°F48°
Precip1%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity34%
Rained 0.9″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°45°
Sunrise 6:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:56 PM
Sat 68°47°
Sun 63°48° 55%
Mon 54°44° 62%
Tue 66°43°
Wed 73°52°
Thu 71°51° 28%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 5:49 PM for the 7:56 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:04 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Cliff Lodge (Up) stop 234 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Creek Road Trailhead

Hikes near Alta, Utah