# Backpacking in the Rock Creek Drainage



## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

A cousin and I just got back from a brutal 2.5 day, 30-mile backpacking trip to the Rock Creek Drainage via the Highline Trail. Among the hardships such as sore feet, mosquitoes, exhaustion, headaches, blisters and a no-fire restriction, there was some good:

Carolyn Lake, FULL of small grayling, who made the water literally look and sound like it was boiling, and were also eager for a dry-fly:
[attachment=8:8i9dfpas]IMG_1373 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]

There were also lakes with no names:
[attachment=7:8i9dfpas]IMG_1399 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]
[attachment=3:8i9dfpas]IMG_1420 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]

As well as lakes with names:
[attachment=6:8i9dfpas]IMG_1417 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]
[attachment=5:8i9dfpas]IMG_1418 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]

And some meadow streams:
[attachment=4:8i9dfpas]IMG_1415 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]

in the drainage that were all full of these dudes:
[attachment=2:8i9dfpas]IMG_1401 resozed.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]
[attachment=1:8i9dfpas]IMG_1403 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]

Although the ones shown were caught using a Jake's spinner my cousin was using, my favorite method (for my favorite colorful fish) was a big ole' streamer....which they would destroy when they would hit it....lots of fun.

It was a great trip over all. A little more work and little less fishing than I had planned on but that's the Uintas for you. I can't wait to hit this beautiful place again!
[attachment=0:8i9dfpas]IMG_1394 resized.jpg[/attachment:8i9dfpas]


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## Kingfisher (Jul 25, 2008)

snake fish... all head and skinny body. they have to eat non stop to survive the winter. cool pics, great trip


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Awesome landscapes. Nice report. Sorry it was more work than fun though.


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

LOAH said:


> Awesome landscapes. Nice report. Sorry it was more work than fun though.


Thanks, haha yeah I made the mistake of wearing my hunting boots, which are not too breathable. That combined with my 200 lb body + a 50 lb pack = a pressure cooker for my feet.


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

Nice!! I have ambitions of that trail this year. Nice brookies too. I am just getting into the streamer world myself.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Nice report. Thanks for posting.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Oh man I can't wait to get over there! It's in my plans soon! Thank u for showing me what I'm waiting for


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

Some advice, if you are planning on hitting the rock creek drainage via the highline like we did, have someone pick you up at the bottom of the drainage rather than just going back to the highline trailhead. Going over rocky sea pass as you are heading East is not too bad but going back over it is awful, especially if you are trying the return trip in a single day. Also, if you continue down the drainage you will cover more ground and get to explore a lot more than we did. Just my 2 cents.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The last time I was in the top of Rock Creek from Rocky Sea Pass I went out the East Fork of the Bear River. The saddle above Helen lake is pretty easy to negotiate. Priord and Norice Lakes are cool, nice size fish thanks to constant thinning by the Boy Scouts.

The time before I went east over Rocky Sea Pass I went over Ostler Pass into Lake Amethyst then out Christmas Meadows. That's a tough ridge to go over (slide down on your butt). 

The Highline Trail from the Mirror Lake Highway to Rocky Sea Pass is a drag. I recommend getting off the Highline and going up thru Natutralist Basin and hit 3 or 4 lakes up there on the way over to the pass. Not all that much difference in time. You don't even have to break your rod down between lakes. The elevation change (up and down) is nothing. You go up to the Basin, make a half-circle and then go over to the Pass. If you're on the Highline you come off the Mirror Lake Highway trailhead and go down into the "hole" only to have to climb back up the same elevation change to get over Rocky Sea Pass. By that time you're give out and haven't fished much. 


blah, blah, blah, I seldom hike back the same way I came in. I just have Mrs Goob drop me off at one trailhead and then pic me up at another trailhead later.


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## Caddis-n-Cutts (Sep 28, 2007)

Looks like a really fun trip. Good looking fish as well. That meadow looks awesome.


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## BULLOCK9 (Jan 27, 2010)

Great fish!! I also have the naturalist basin in my sites.


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## poiboy (Nov 18, 2010)

The very little that I've seen of the Uintas, always keeps me wanting to see more. These pics and your report makes me want to go into that drainage for my next trip. Great job.


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

Thanks, it really was a spectacular place.


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Nice post! I would love to catch some grayling! 8) Where are the pics of the grayling?


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## dartangion (Jul 2, 2008)

Haha when I got back, I realized that I didn't take any pics of them...they were are pretty small, but had a pink tint to them, maybe that's normal to see, but it was a first for me!


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