# Dead Horse Lake



## TIMBO

I need a good pack trip with some fishing and wildlife viewing, and was thinking about hikimh into Dead horse anybody been up there recently? How's the fishing? See much wildlife? Hopefully I can get in there without to much trouble.


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## wyogoob

The West Branch of the Blacks Fork is full of sheep. they are probably at the north end of Buck Pasture at the moment so the top of the drainage may have some wildlife, elk and moose, in it.

Deadhorse can get real crowded this time of year. The stream sometimes fishes better than the lake. Deadhorse has cutts, brookies and now tiger trout. I haven't been up there since they stocked the lake with tiger trout.

Nearby Ejod Lake is shallow and is warm enough, relative to Deadhorse Lake, to wade. Some years there's a good crop of strawberries to the north of Ejod Lake out in the meadow. The flowers around Ejod at this time of year are hard to beat in the Uintas.

It is a long hot walk up to the lake, no shade. Start early. Also note they were talking about moving the trailhead back north 1 1/2 miles, but I don't know if they did. The last 1 1/2 miles of road up to the trailhead was terrible for mudholes. Many without 4-wheel drives were getting stuck.

There are dead horse skeletons on the mountainside:









There are some small lakes in the drainage that you can bush-whack into.

I have been there many times. Had a tent destroyed in a hailstorm there once. My car was parked 2 days away, on the Mirror lake Highway. Lightning 'bout got me there too.

Good luck.


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## wyogoob

Another pic:


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## TIMBO

I wonder how long the sheep will be in there. I have seen sheep in various spots in the uintas, but I would love to avoid them.


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## wyogoob

The sheep will make Deadhorse Lake mid-August or so. The 1st part of September they will turn around and eat their way back to the North Slope Road.

It's in a wilderness area, so it's full of people and farm animals.


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## TIMBO

Wyogoob ever been to bobs lake in the middle blacks fork drainage? I was just looking at it on the map maybe I'll head there.


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## wyogoob

TIMBO said:


> Wyogoob ever been to bobs lake in the middle blacks fork drainage? I was just looking at it on the map maybe I'll head there.


Bob's is a high lake, I think over 11,000' feet. Very few people go there. Went there once in the late 80s, the bad drought years. Had a compass and map and got lost. After finding the lake I fished quite awhile with fly rod but got skunked, never seen a fish. It's supposed to have nice cutts in it.

It maybe one of those lakes that winterkills so I would check the stocking reports to see if it has been planted recently

I would like to go back. It's would be a day hike with a GPS. Very nice place.

I have some old pictures somewhere.

If you're looking for a nice lake to go to and catch some fish try Lake Amethyst. One of the prettiest places in the Uintas. It's a big lake with plenty of room to get away from the people and set up camp. 5 1/2 mile hike, 1 mile of which is tough, the rest is easy.


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## TIMBO

Thanks Wyo. Amethyst sounds like a good place. I think I'll give it a try.


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## wyogoob

TIMBO said:


> Thanks Wyo. Amethyst sounds like a good place. I think I'll give it a try.


It's a goodun:


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## SpiritualLiftence

I'm actually considering going to this this summer for my first trip!! Anyone know the popularity?


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## wyogoob

SpiritualLiftence said:


> I'm actually considering going to this this summer for my first trip!! Anyone know the popularity?


Dead Horse or Amethyst?


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## SpiritualLiftence

wyogoob said:


> SpiritualLiftence said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm actually considering going to this this summer for my first trip!! Anyone know the popularity?
> 
> 
> 
> Dead Horse or Amethyst?
Click to expand...

Amethyst was on my agenda first but we agreed on something with more mileage, so were considering Dead Horse.


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## wyogoob

SpiritualLiftence said:


> wyogoob said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> SpiritualLiftence said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm actually considering going to this this summer for my first trip!! Anyone know the popularity?
> 
> 
> 
> Dead Horse or Amethyst?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Amethyst was on my agenda first but we agreed on something with more mileage, so were considering Dead Horse.
Click to expand...

On a weekend Amethyst can be very crowded, not so bad during the week. Its a huge basin up there so people spread out. There are no farm animals up there, odd for a wilderness. A mile or less of the hike is a drag, the rest is fine. It was an easy day hike for us up to the time we hit our 50s.

Dead Horse is a long hot walk. Many go in on horses. There are only 2 lakes up at the end of the drainage. It is full of sheep, but shouldn't be up to the lakes yet. The stream fishing on the way up is excellent. In a couple of hours you can go over the mountain at Deadhorse Lake and get into the top of Rock Creek.

The scenery in both basins is spectacular.


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