Utah: Utah County: Uinta NF: American Fork Canyon: Pittsburg Lake Trail # 035

Pittsburg Lake Trail

The Hike

Pittsburg Lake is a great short hike to a pristine alpine lake. The area around the lake offers excellent camping and beautiful mountain vistas. When you go definitely take a pair of binoculars and a camera. The area around Pittsburg Lake and the lake itself are pristine. The trail to the lake is an old mining road and old mining cabins can be found shattered around the lake. The trail is steep and rocky and offers little shade.

Pittsburg Lake

Pittsburg Lake

The Trailhead begins just off the Mineral Basin Road as a jeep trail and immediately crosses the American Fork River. The road forks; take the one to the right which leads to the lake. From here the trail becomes steep, rough, and rocky. As the trail climbs, you can look back toward Miller Hill and into Mineral Basin and see the evidence of many old mines. Nearing the lake, the grade lessens as you pass aspen, willow and subalpine fir. This small lake sits in a rocky basin surrounded by trees and steep mountain walls. There are a few fish in the lake. On the far side of the lake are the remains of an old mining operation including an old cabin.

Pittsburg Lake Trail Map (trail #035). The darker green lines defines the national forest and private lands - Click to enlarge trail map

Pittsburg Lake is just over the ridge from Snowbird Ski Resort that is in Little Cottonwood canyon. Snowbird recently add part of Mineral Basin to the ski area. The Pittsburg Lake is adjacent to Mineral Basin. Choose the links for topographical maps for Pittsburg Lake:

Pittsburg Lake is located inside the Lone Peak Wilderness Area and no fires or wood gathering are just a few of the many restrictions. Anyone interested in fishing Pittsburg Lake should consult with local guides and resources before heading out to fish.

Trailhead

Pittsburg Lake can be accessed from the North Fork of American Fork Canyon. To get to the trailhead take I-15 to the Alpine exit. Head east up the American Fork Canyon (Uinta National Forest) until you come to a fork in the road. Take the left fork to Tibble Fork Reservoir. Continue east past Tibble Fork Reservoir on the rough dirt road into Upper American Fork Canyon. The road follows the stream that feeds Tibble Fork Reservoir. Stay on this road until you reach a fenced in area on the right hand side of the road. You will have to drive through a shallow stream to get to the parking area. The trail begins on a rough, rocky road beyond Tibble Fork Reservoir just before Mineral Basin. Parking is available near the trailhead.

Pittsburg Lake trailhead can also be reached from Wasatch Mountain State Park take the Snake Creek road over Pole Line Pass and into Upper American Fork Canyon. The distance from the Wasatch State Park Visitor Center to the trailhead is approximately 15 miles over dirt and graveled roads.

Pittsburgh Lake Fishing

For the last ten years, Pittsburgh Lake has been stocked with Brook Trout. The pattern has been that every August 1000-1200 3" Brook Trout are stocked into Pittsburgh by plane. The size of fish in the lake are varied based on the depth that you choose to fish! If you plan to hike to Pittsburgh Lake, make sure to do some fishing on your hike.Current Regulations: Statewide Trout limit is 4 fish

Fishing at Pittsburg Lake is generally very good for small, wild brook trout using a variety of small spinners or dry flies. Using the 'fly and bubble' combination with a spinning rod is a good way to fly fish, since there is little room for back casting around the lake from shore.

 

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