Utah · Hiking

Thunder Mountain Trail

Thunder Mountain TrailPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
15.7 mi
round trip
1,652 ft
climb
8,289 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Thunder Mountain 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.

Thunder Mountain Trail is a hard hike in Utah's Dixie National Forest, within the Powell Ranger District. The route is an out-and-back of about 15.7 miles, with a total elevation gain of 1,652 feet, taking you from a low point of 7,077 feet to a high of 8,289 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail's natural surface and the fact that it is open year round make it a destination for any season. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Bryce Canyon National Park show July highs around 80°F with lows near 52°F, while winter highs stay in the upper 30s. The trail is rated hard, and the climb is a significant part of the challenge. Bikes are allowed, so the route works for hikers and riders alike. Nearby, Toms Best Spring Road and the Powell Ranger District's lake fishing are both about 1.8 miles away. Red Canyon Campground is about 3.3 miles off, and the Red Canyon Bike Trail is about 2.3 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 Thunder Mountain Trail

    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, 7.3 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

Toms Best Spring RoadPhoto: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Toms Best Spring Road

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16-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 567 ft elevation gain.

Thunder Mountain TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Thunder Mountain Trail

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

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Grand View Trail

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Red Canyon Bike TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Red Canyon Bike Trail

~7 min drive

10.80-mile out-and-back bike trail in Utah with 1,007 ft gain.

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

Tunnel Trail

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Golden Wall TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Golden Wall Trail

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Hancock Trail

~12 min drive

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

Buckhorn Trail

~5 min drive

1.89-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 516 ft of elevation gain.

Losee Canyon TrailPhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Losee Canyon Trail

~9 min drive

5.88-mile out-and-back trail in Utah with 782 ft elevation gain.