# Best Spot for Uintas Hike-in this Weekend?



## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Some friends and I are planning to a little overnight hike-in camping and fishing this weekend.

We have been talking about parking near Trial/Washington and heading up to the Weir/Marjorie area for lack of any better ideas. I have never been to this area and am afraid it will be massively overrun with scouts and etc. due to the proximity to Trial/Washington. 

Does anyone have any special recommendations as far as location goes?

Here's some background on our group:
We are mainly stream fishermen. We really like to fish small streams but wouldn't be opposed to hitting any stillwater if the fish are biting. The trip will really be focused on fishing, but we will have one or two non-fishermen with us, so we would also like to camp in a cool spot. We will have a fairly rugged 4WD SUV to get us to the trailhead if necessary. There will be no children in the group and everyone is an athlete of some sort (runners and etc.), so no need to recommend only spots that require only super short hikes. However, we would like to be able to get to the site in time to set up and get some good fishing done before nightfall. We are definitely going to pick an unimproved spot and hope to get away from other campers a little bit. We will likely head up early on Saturday and come back on Sunday (wish it was at least two nights, but schedules don't permit). 

What does the forum think will be the best spots for this weekend?


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that we have fished the lower parts of the north slope streams a few times and really like it up there. But, we would also like to be able to camp near a lake or lakes and possibly fish these small streams connecting the lakes up there that we always read about. 

Many thanks in advance.


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

Marjorie would be a good bet. It is awesome in there. Plenty of Grayling and brookies to catch. Ruth Lake is cool too but gets a lot of traffic and the fishing can be slow at times. There are hundreds of lakes and streams that are off the beaten path in the Uintas. Go to the FS website and see if there is any info on other options in the area.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

If we go to Marjorie are we going to have 50 other tents all around us if we camp anywhere near the lake?


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## Ryfly (Sep 13, 2007)

tap said:


> If we go to Marjorie are we going to have 50 other tents all around us if we camp anywhere near the lake?


Could be. The Crystal Lake trailhead is one of the most crowded in the state. On the weekends it looks like a Walmart parking lot on the day after Thanksgiving. The fishing in the lakes in that area is o.k. but there isn't much stream fishing. You're at the top of the drainage there so the streams are mostly too small or steep to hold many fish. The N.S. has much better stream fishing.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I was in that area over this last weekend, was going to hike some of the trails from the crystal lake trailhead, i pulled into the parking lot there & just left. The place was packed with cars & people. i ended up doing a few other 2-3 mile hikes over the weekend instead of the ones I was originally planning on.

One hike I went on was from the trailhead across from moosehorn, it takes you to fehr lake which is only a half mile or so, then i hiked down into Shepard, marshall & hoover lake. It was a good quick hike, about 2 miles each way. Not many people. You can actually drive almost to those lakes from the murdock basin road.

Another, i left from butterfly lake, went through the trees about 1/4 mile to castle lake, then from there hiked about 2 miles backcountry no trails over by scout lake & some other lake up there. Cant remember the name of it. Didnt see one other person until I got to scout lake. Did see 3 nice bull moose on the way over there.


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## BerryNut (Dec 29, 2008)

I too, did the hike from the fehr lake TH, we went downt to Hoover, beautiful hike, and we even got off that trail and went down to the Duschene river, cant remember which fork it is called but a map would shown you how to get there. Full of fish and they were HUNGRY. You can get there from mirror lake, then set up camp wherever you like.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

tap said:


> If we go to Marjorie are we going to have 50 other tents all around us if we camp anywhere near the lake?


yes


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

This area around Shepard, Hoover, and Marshall lakes sounds interesting especially given the proximity to whatever fork of the Duchesne is right there. 

As mentioned above, I notice that the Murdock Basin Road goes right to these lakes. Does that mean they will also pretty crowded. 


What about the hike over the pass into Middle Basin with McPheters and Ryder? There was at least one big thread about that hike/area on this forum or it's DWR predecessor in the last few years. I know at least a few of you have done it. How long does that hike take? Do you leave from Butterfly or Mirror?


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Also, a big thanks to the people who have replied here. I appreciate it very much!


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## BerryNut (Dec 29, 2008)

We were in to Hoover on a Satruday, and there were four people fishing and one guy who took his truck in and was in a rubber raft. Didnt see a soul at Sheperd, but fishing was tough there so maybe thats why. We did pick up three or four nice fighting bows out of the outlet at Sheperd, but as soon as is starts to run down a steep hill to Hoover no more fish. My friend caught one REALLY nice brookie at Fehr, definately a hold over, but we fished that lake for three hours and that was the only fish. I would stick to sheperd, Hoover and the river we fished one of those days we found the trail by accident, but its the Duschene River, just up from where the east fork of the Duschene connects to it. Maybe a mile or so up. Being that you say you guys are in better shape it should be a good hike, I'm really out of shape and made it but was sore the next day.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I hiked down into Hoovers, Shephard and marshall lakes on friday, & only saw one other group of people. I also did best on hoovers lake, but I also caught some pretty brookies on Marshall. On sat afternoon I decided to make the drive on the murdock basin road, Its a LONG rough ride, but some nice scenery. Didnt have to put it in 4 wheel or anything, but its one rocky sum beech. Sat I only fished Marshall as it was getting late in the day, and I hadnt caught anything there the day before. There were a few people camped towards the bottom of the murdock basin road, but I only saw 2 jeeps when I was up in there on Sat, & they were just leaving.


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

Like others have said the Murdock basin has a road but few travelers. I belive you can hike into there from the mirror lake road, its only a few miles.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

pkred said:


> Like others have said the Murdock basin has a road but few travelers. I belive you can hike into there from the mirror lake road, its only a few miles.


You can hike in from the fehr Lake trailhead that is directly across the highway from the moosehorn campground. Its about 1 3/4 or 2 miles to hoover. Not a bad hike except there is a few parts from Shephard lake back up to fehr that climb pretty fast. Was a little rough on this fat guy :lol:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

STEVO said:


> pkred said:
> 
> 
> > Like others have said the Murdock basin has a road but few travelers. I belive you can hike into there from the mirror lake road, its only a few miles.
> ...


+1 you can walk in to Shephard like Stevo said, faster than driving the rough Murdock Basin road.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

This is really good information. Thanks guys! 

On google earth it looks like it is about a 900 ft drop from Hoover down to the Duchesne. Does anybody know how rough the terrain is? Is there any kind of a trail?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

tap said:


> This is really good information. Thanks guys!
> 
> On google earth it looks like it is about a 900 ft drop from Hoover down to the Duchesne. Does anybody know how rough the terrain is? Is there any kind of a trail?


Yes there is a trail, a huge trail. Stevie Wonder could stay on it. It's rocky, muddy and steep in places.

Just do it!

All ya need is a bottle of water and a pack of smokes.

Go, it will be fine.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

tap said:


> This area around Shepard, Hoover, and Marshall lakes sounds interesting especially given the proximity to whatever fork of the Duchesne is right there.
> 
> As mentioned above, I notice that the Murdock Basin Road goes right to these lakes. Does that mean they will also pretty crowded.
> 
> What about the hike over the pass into Middle Basin with McPheters and Ryder? There was at least one big thread about that hike/area on this forum or it's DWR predecessor in the last few years. I know at least a few of you have done it. How long does that hike take? Do you leave from Butterfly or Mirror?


I had a thread on the "shortcut" last summer. BugBuilder and 2 buddies went over the top on a day trip to McPheters with a float tube.....an amazing feat, just amazing. They jumped in on the thread.

Here's the "pass" as viewed from Bald Mountain:









Go in from a small parking lot 1/4 mile from the entrance to the Highline Trailhead on the Mirror Lake Highway. There is no trail. Just look up...straight up. Start early in the morning. take a piece of rope to tie to your pack if you happen to cliff out.

Here's the "pass" as viewed from Lofty Peak:









Last time I went over I had a full pack. 
Dumb, very dumb.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Thanks for the "shortcut" info Wyogoob! I was pretty sure that was your thread.

Also, thanks for the info on the trail down to the Duchesne. The fisherman in our group are big stream guys and basically hate lakes, so that will be very useful.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks. You have to go over the mountain where the arrow is. The back side has cliffs on either side of the arrow.

Middle Basin has excellent fishing in numerous un-named ponds and small lakes. There are streams galore with some fat brookies in them. Not a footprint to be found. 

It's a great place to spend 4 or 5 days and just kick back up above treeline.


igotagitbak2wurk


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Much appreciated wyogoob! Even if I don't make it over to the middle basin on this trip. I will on a future one.


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Ok, I just went back and found the thread from last summer about the middle basin. That was a great thread.

It looks like someone has posted a pic of the middle basin in Google Earth at exactly the top of the "shortcut" too. Thanks to the that person for marking the way a little bit.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

tap said:


> Ok, I just went back and found the thread from last summer about the middle basin. That was a great thread.
> 
> It looks like someone has posted a pic of the middle basin in Google Earth at exactly the top of the "shortcut" too. Thanks to the that person for marking the way a little bit.


What! Might be my pic, I looked on Google earth but couldn't find the pic. Did it look like this:


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## tap (Jun 27, 2008)

Similar view but different pic. Apparently, someone named Kevin Mikkelsen posted it.


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