Utah · Hiking

Great Western Trail

23.7 mi
round trip
1,332 ft
climb
9,907 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Great Western Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Dixie National Forest.

  • Duck Creek OHV Trail Closure

    Agency alert covering Dixie National Forest · Order 0407-26-11 · USFS · Dixie National Forest

  • Pine Valley Ranger District Area and Trail and Road Closure

    Agency alert covering Dixie National Forest · Order 0407-26-01 · USFS · Dixie National Forest

  • Cedar City Temporary Road Closure Webster Flat Road (Order 0407-25-02)

    Agency alert covering Dixie National Forest · Order 0407-25-02 · USFS · Dixie National Forest

As of · Source: USFS · Dixie National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Great Western Trail is a 23.7-mile out-and-back hike in Utah's Dixie National Forest, on the Escalante Ranger District. The trail crosses from a low point of 9,037 feet to a high of 9,907 feet, with an elevation gain of 1,332 feet, and it is rated hard. The trail surface is natural, and bikes are allowed. The trail starts at the Boulder Swale OHV Trailhead, which is open year round. That puts the route within easy reach for a multi-day trip in the district. The Mcgath Section of the Great Western Trail lies about 2 miles away, and Sweetwater Road is about 2.3 miles away, so those can be added to the trip. Nearby, Blue Spruce Campground and Chriss Lake, about 7 miles away, offer camping and fishing. Cowpuncher Guard Station is about 7.1 miles away, and Deer Creek Lake is about 8.3 miles away.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Great Western Trail - Mcgath SectionPhoto: Jason J. Corneveaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Upper Death HollowPhoto: Jason J. Corneveaux, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Deer Creek TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Friskey TrailPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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