# Washington Lake, Uintas



## KennyC

I am planning this summer to get up to some of the lakes off Mirror Lake Hwy. The 1st one that peaks my interest is Washington Lake. There seem to be several other lakes in that area that I could hike to. Has anyone fished this area and if so what can I expect? If this area is one of your honey holes I don't expect you to disclose that info. I am just attempting to spread my wings and do something different.


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## uintahiker

Naturally as a lake you can drive to, it's pretty popular. Not quite as popular as Trial or Mirror. You can catch rainbows, brookies, cutts, and grayling in Washington Lake.

In the area the Crystal Lake TH is immensely popular, with hikes up toward the Notch and Wall Lake, or west to Long, Weir, and Island Lakes. 

Avoid the divide lakes- the fish are small and stunted and finicky. You'd have the most variety if you hike west to the Long/Island Lake area and hit up several lakes there.


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## Kingfisher

ditto. take a nice hike, get away from the hordes and masses. you cant help but do well.


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## LOAH

Long is a cool lake with good shore fishing off the shelf (and you might check the skinny pond below).

Weir has super colorful brookies.


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## KennyC

Thanks for the help guys. What time of year can you get into those places?


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## Grandpa D

July and Aug are normally good.


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## uintahiker

You usually need the Mirror Lake Highway to be open. Normally it's about June 20, but might be earlier this year. 

Camping & Hiking are usually best sometime between July 4 and mid-October. Count on mosquitoes being around until about Labor Day.


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## Kingfisher

snotel sites at smith morehouse and beaver divide will be melted out in 2 weeks - both have about 5 inches of water to melt... could be gone in a week. trial lake has only 15 inches of water to melt... but hasnt started to melt yet. it could be melted out by may or mid may. low snowpacks dont take as much energy to melt as to the big ones i.e. imagine an ice cube and a 10 lb block of ice on hot asphalt, ice cube melts out first. same with snowpack. i would expect much earlier access to the high country this year. would not be surprised to see mid to late may or early june access across mirror lake highway.

www.ut.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/


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## JuddCT

LOAH said:


> Long is a cool lake with good shore fishing off the shelf (and you might check the skinny pond below).
> 
> Weir has super colorful brookies.


This is an easy hike and easy fishing. Good first hike for the year.


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## stevo1

Next time you go by the Kamas ranger station drop by and get the one page paper "6 great day hikes"...it's free and will amuse you for a summer. I love the early season trout in the Uintas...so easy even a caveman can catch 'em. Also the DGR high uinta drainage /lake books.. a great help.


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