The Uinta Highline Trail runs the length of the high Uinta mountain range through the High Uintas Wilderness in northeastern Utah. It is a true wilderness trail, and does not intersect a road for at least 70 miles. The trail is around 100 miles long, but most backpacking trips are done over a 70 mile section between Chepeta Lake and Hayden Pass. A map of this section, which is entirely above 10,000 feet elevation, is here. A topo map is here.
Davy Crockett and Matt Watts set out to run this 70-mile section on August 4, 2007. Their trip was unsupported, which is probably the only practical way to do this route. Davy's detailed report gives an in-depth description of the route. Matt finished the run in 29h44m, with Davy coming in 14 minutes later.
Davy Crockett ran a longer (about 80 miles) route starting at the Leidy Peak TH in 33h19m on July 30-31, 2010. Subsequently, this longer route seems to be the "standard". Chad Brackelsberg did this route in 28h16m on August 29-30, 2010. Stephen Jones lowered the FKT to 27h41m49s on July 22, 2013. Chad Brackelsberg reclaimed the men's FKT (26h42m) and Emily Brackelsberg set the first women's FKT (27h24m) on August 31 - September 1, 2013. The pair ran together the Dead Horse Lake, then split up. Bret Ferrier and Travis Morrison brought the men's FKT down to 25h29m44s on July 23-24, 2016. And finally, Shane Hughes posted a slightly faster time (25h26m41s) on August 19, 2017. Each of these trips is reported below.
The 200 follows the full 100 mile route from highway 191 to highway 150 and back (McKee Draw to Hayden Pass Trailheads and return, or reverse). "Brutal", "grueling", but saves the looooong car shuttle!
Comments
I can't figure out from the description if the standard route is 100 miles or 80 miles. Either way, Campbell's a beast.
Anyone know if a 'double Highline' (out-and-back) has ever been accomplished or reported?
Joey Campanelli just did one a couple days ago. Some details on his Instagram.
Thanks! And wow... that is very impressive.
Starting a Yo-Yo of the UHT today (8/16) from Hayden pass to McKee Draw and back to Hayden Pass, so the full 104 mile route both ways totalling 208 miles. Not sure how fast this will go for me, this is a hike not a run, but wanted to log my intention here and give the link to my Garmin:
https://share.garmin.com/MilissaGillen
If things go well, maybe I will submit for a women's self-supported FKT, either way, totally stoked to be taking on a new adventure!
HappyTrails,
Milissa Gillen
(MaryPoppins)
So that was interesting. Its a DNF due to weather, the Uintas are no joke when the weather rolls in, got a heli ride out with another hiker yesterday. Hope to get back out there at some point. Humbling experience. ~Peace, MP
Just a heads-up: The Highline Trail is pretty much obliterated by forest fire from the junction with the trail to Brinkley Lake to Ledge Lake (approx. 10 miles and 15 miles east of Hayden Pass TH respectively). I found it quite impassable at night, and not much better by day. Excruciatingly slow and painfully schwacky. Until the trail is cleared, I would suggest maybe researching a detour to Jack and Jill Lakes to the north then back to the Highline. In short, do some research and maybe check out the burned section closer before committing to an FKT on the Highline!
7/31/2023 Update on the Rock Creek Basin section of the Highline Trail. Looks like the forest service if finally getting to clearing the section from Ledge Lake to the Rock Creek stream crossing. The trail is still difficult to follow mainly because it has just vanished, but many of the fallen trees have been cleared, or will be soon. Once you cross the creek however, that section up to the Rocky Sea Pass trail junction is still pretty bad with out any trail work at all, and not sure if they will get to that this season or not. But overall, the trail conditions are much improved than the last couple of years.
I also checked out the Jack and Jill route, it's much worse (and longer), I would not recommend going that way.
thinking about doing the 200 this coming summer, anybody know if it’s been attempted (i’m sure it has) and what time it was completed in (even if it’s unverifiable) ?
Myself (Raquel) and my friend Kris will be going for the women’s unsupported record on this in the next few weeks! We will be traveling as a team with everything we need to travel from Leidy to Mirror Lake :)