Hiking Notch Peak
Delta
Overview
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Sun 44 | 38 |
Mon 44 | 35 |
Tue 43 | 32 |
Wed 34 | 30 |
Thu 34 | 27 |
| View Full Weather Details | ||||
|
Sun 44 | 38 |
Mon 44 | 35 |
Tue 43 | 32 |
Wed 34 | 30 |
Thu 34 | 27 |
| View Full Weather Details | ||||
Big views of the west desert from the summit of Notch Peak
Notch Peak is considered by most to be a Utah classic. The hike is quite casual, but the summit offers jaw dropping exposure down the second highest vertical drop in the United States. (The first is El Capitan in Yosemite.) Some debate the second highest drop status depending on how you define pure vertical drop, but it is a stunning drop to stand on top of, and a hike I would strongly recommend. The views of the west desert from its summit give some perspective on the lonely western side of the state and how isolated and expansive it is.
Be aware the hike is located in the very wild and unpopulated west desert of Utah. Services, people, and help are a long ways away when visiting the area. Given the remoteness, I would rate this as an intermediate hike. Be sure to have a mechanically reliable car, spare tire, and extra food and water in case of trouble.
There is good primitive camping at and near the trailhead though no water is available in the area.
Looking north west down from the summit of Notch Peak
Getting There
From Delta, head west on US-50/US-6 for about 40 miles to just after mile post 48. The side road is on the north side of the road:
- Reset your odometer as you leave the highway. There are many side roads along the way. Stay on the main road, major junctions are specified. ( 12S 305376mE 4325742mN / N39° 03' 33" W113° 14' 58" )
- 4.35 miles - Miller Canyon on the left. Turn left onto this road. ( 12S 308034mE 4331647mN / N39° 06' 46" W113° 13' 13" )
- 9.5 miles - Picnic area/pit toilet on the right. Junction. Go left, staying on the most used road heading west. ( 12S 300572mE 4335019mN / N39° 08' 30" W113° 18' 27" )
- 11.3 miles - Junction crossing a wash. Stay straight (not left). ( 12S 298013mE 4334063mN / N39° 07' 56" W113° 20' 13" )
- 12.1 miles - Cabin on the right. ( 12S 296764mE 4333784mN / N39° 07' 46" W113° 21' 04" )
- 12.8 miles - Notch Peak and Hell n' Moriah Canyon Trailhead and end of the road. ( 12S 295705mE 4333619mN / N39° 07' 40" W113° 21' 48" )
Roadtrip pondering the exposure on a cold november day
Route
From the trailhead, begin hiking up Sawtooth Canyon. A towering wall on the left offers a good preview of the immense walls that surround much of Sawtooth Canyon. After just a few minutes, a major junction is reached. Stay left. The trail is an old ATV trail. Follow it up Sawtooth, keeping an eye out for the many arches that dot the walls both high and low. We saw three on our trip.
The ATV trail gives way to a use trail, still staying along the bottom of Sawtooth Canyon. At a steep ledgy section, the trail ascends left, crosses the canyon, ascends out of Sawtooth Canyon on a well-defined social trail, then re-enters Sawtooth above a few small falls. The canyon becomes more shallow here.
At a prominent junction as the canyon becomes more of a wide valley, follow the social trail left and up to a saddle. At the saddle, the hike changes from a canyon hike to a jaw-dropping ridge hike! The views from the saddle are excellent and the reason to do this hike. From the saddle, hike south up easy slopes to the true summit of Notch Peak.
Return the same way.
Photos
Maps
| Trailhead |
12S 295741mE 4333606mN N39° 07' 40" W113° 21' 47" |
| Junction left |
12S 294848mE 4334258mN N39° 08' 00" W113° 22' 25" |
| Arch and cave view to East |
12S 294040mE 4334104mN N39° 07' 54" W113° 22' 58" |
| Arch View |
12S 293746mE 4334137mN N39° 07' 55" W113° 23' 10" |
| Arch To East |
12S 292912mE 4334391mN N39° 08' 03" W113° 23' 45" |
| Leave Right |
12S 292447mE 4334510mN N39° 08' 06" W113° 24' 05" |
| Leave Left |
12S 292266mE 4334914mN N39° 08' 19" W113° 24' 13" |
| Summit |
12S 291776mE 4335426mN N39° 08' 35" W113° 24' 34" |