Utah · Hiking

Great Western Trail - Utah

Great Western Trail - UtahPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.0 mi
distance
8,190 ft
high point
Lollipop
route
Easy
difficulty
May–Oct
best months

Is Great Western Trail - Utah 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 - Utah is a short, easy walk in the Powell Ranger District of Dixie National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The route is just 0.04 miles long, and it sits at about 8,185 feet, with the high point at 8,190 feet. There is no elevation gain, so the trail is a flat, low-effort outing. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Bryce Canyon put July highs around 80°F with lows near 52°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s. The trip takes about half an hour. The Agua Canyon Connecting Trail and East Side Road are both about 1.7 miles away, and the Bristlecone Loop Trailhead at Rainbow Point is about 1.9 miles off. For an overnight stay, King Creek Campground is roughly 9 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Great Western Trail - Utah

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      37° / 17°

      6 wet

    2. Feb

      39° / 18°

      7 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 23°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      54° / 29°

      6 wet

    5. May

      63° / 37°

      5 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 45°

      4 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 52°

      8 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 50°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      70° / 42°

      7 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 32°

      5 wet

    11. Nov

      46° / 23°

      5 wet

    12. Dec

      37° / 17°

      6 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bryce Canyon Np Hqrs, UT, 12.4 mi away at 7,890 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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

Agua Canyon Connecting Trail

~3 min drive

1.62-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 387 ft gain and 1,172 ft loss.

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Bristlecone Loop wayside (108)

~3 min drive

This trail takes you through a forest of white fir, Douglas-fir, limber pine, and ponderosa pine. Bristlecone pines—some over 1,000 years old—grow at the trail's southern end where hikers enjoy grand views to the south. Small mammals and a variety of birds, including woodpecke…

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Riggs Spring Loop Trailhead at Yovimpa

~3 min drive

Riggs Spring Loop Difficulty: Strenuous Total Distance: 8.8 miles (14.2 km) Ascent: 2,503 feet (763 m) Average time: 4-6 Hours This trail may be inaccessible during mid-winter due to snow depths ranging from 2-15 ft (0.7-5 m). Descending from the rim, this 8.8 mile (14.2 km)…

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East Side Road

~3 min drive

7.87-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 1,206 ft elevation gain.

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Riggs Spring Loop Trail

~3 min drive

8.27-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 618 ft elevation gain.

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Bullrush Hollow

~8 min drive

3.43-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 63 ft of elevation gain.

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Bristlecone Loop Gazebo

~4 min drive

A small octagon shaped log shelter built by the park in the 1980s after the Bristlecone Loop was completed. At this point in the trail you might recognize smaller bristlecone pines nearby. Look for densely bunched needles travelling in a bushy arrangement up the branch.…

HIKE

Bristlecone Loop Trailhead at Rainbow Point

~3 min drive

Bristlecone Loop Trail Difficulty: Easy Total Distance: 1.0 miles (1.6 km) Elevation change: 200 feet (61 m) Average time: 1-2 hours This trail may be inaccessible during mid-winter due to snow depths ranging from 2-15 ft (0.7-5 m). The Bristlecone Loop reaches elevations…

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Podunk East Road

~5 min drive

6.07-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 1,202 ft elevation gain.

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Under-The-Rim Trail

~3 min drive

22.06-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 5,230 ft elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors