Monte Cristo–Cardiff Peak, 9 sights is an 11-mile out-and-back in Twin Peaks Wilderness near Silver Fork, UT. The route passes Chad's Gap, Cardiff Pass and Cardiff Peak before reaching Monte Cristo at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 5,792 ft, with sections as steep as 43% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi8,098 – 11,116 ft · steepest grade: 43%11.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Silver Fork Trail 40.62447, -111.61313
Nearest town Silver Fork, UT
Directions
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Monte Cristo–Cardiff Peak, 9 sights
11 mi · ▲ 5,792 ft · 6 hr 34 min
Elevation 8,096–11,116 ft
Out & Back · Twin Peaks Wilderness
Trailhead: Silver Fork Trail · 40.62447, -111.61313
Weather Sep 5: Clear, high 70°F / low 52° · precip 1% · wind 14 mph · sunrise 6:58 AM · sunset 7:54 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Honeycomb Cliffs Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Silver Fork Trail, heading SW.
- 1.7 miTurn left onto Flagstaff Mountain Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Chad's Gap.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Twin Lakes Pass Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Michigan City Road, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Cardiff Pass Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miPass Cardiff Pass.
- 200 ftBear left onto Mount Superior Trail, heading NE.
- 100 ftPass Cardiff Peak.
- 1 miPass Monte Cristo.
- 350 ftReach Cardiff Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miBear left, heading E.
- 250 ftBear right onto Cardiff Pass Trail, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Michigan City Road, heading E.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Twin Lakes Pass Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Flagstaff Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Silver Fork Trail, heading NE.
- 1.7 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left onto Honeycomb Cliffs Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
100% dirt
Weather
ClearTemperature 70°F52°
Precip1%Wind14 mphUV7Humidity32%
Rained 0.2″ 6 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°50°
Sunrise 6:58 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Sun
66°46°
51%
Mon
61°44°
55%
Tue
70°46°
Wed
74°52°
Thu
69°55°
20%
Fri
74°54°
21%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.5 mi in (~246 min). Leave by 3:28 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Silver Fork Trail Trailhead
- Honeycomb Canyon Access Road & Honeycomb Cliffs Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 917 ft
- Honeycomb Canyon Trail & Honeycomb Cliffs Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 1,872 ft
- Silver Fork Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,846 ft
- Honeycomb Cliffs Trail–Mine Shaft Trail, 4 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 1,418 ft
- Holy Schist Trail–Honeycomb Cliffs Trail, 3 sights 4.7 mi · ▲ 1,528 ft
- Cobalt Cruise Trail–Honeycomb Cliffs Trail, 4 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 1,637 ft
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