+ 35
Devils Castle
Hiking Trail
Hard
3.78 mi
1,716 ft
Hiking Devil's Castle is a difficult scramble on an iconic Wasatch peak high above Alta ski area.
Devil's Castle is a 3.7-mile expert hike that passes Cecret Lake and then gains the ridge after 1,500 feet of climbing. The trail is pretty well marked, but turns into steep and exposed scrambling with some spectacular views from the summit.
Making this into a loop can be a good idea instead of back tracking through the difficult exposed rock. The trail continues along the ridge and then drops back down into the Albion Basin and returns to the trailhead.
To get to the trailhead, drive up to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and follow the dirt road up to Albion Basin and park in the designated parking lot. From here take the trail to Cecret Lake, which follows a well marked and well-traveled trail.
From the lake take the east side of the lake and follow a faint trail that switches back and forth for almost 1000 feet to the saddle between Sugarloaf and the Devil's Castle. Take the left trail (east) and follow it along the ridge until it peters out onto the rocky ridge.
Stay on the ridge where possible, and when forced off of it climb back up onto it.
The westernmost summit is a fine place to finish for those who don't enjoy exposure and steep scrambling. For those who want to continue do so carefully because the rock can be loose, but there are plenty of good hand holds and no rope is necessary to tag the other high points along the ridge. Written by FATMAP Official
Devil's Castle is a 3.7-mile expert hike that passes Cecret Lake and then gains the ridge after 1,500 feet of climbing. The trail is pretty well marked, but turns into steep and exposed scrambling with some spectacular views from the summit.
Making this into a loop can be a good idea instead of back tracking through the difficult exposed rock. The trail continues along the ridge and then drops back down into the Albion Basin and returns to the trailhead.
To get to the trailhead, drive up to the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and follow the dirt road up to Albion Basin and park in the designated parking lot. From here take the trail to Cecret Lake, which follows a well marked and well-traveled trail.
From the lake take the east side of the lake and follow a faint trail that switches back and forth for almost 1000 feet to the saddle between Sugarloaf and the Devil's Castle. Take the left trail (east) and follow it along the ridge until it peters out onto the rocky ridge.
Stay on the ridge where possible, and when forced off of it climb back up onto it.
The westernmost summit is a fine place to finish for those who don't enjoy exposure and steep scrambling. For those who want to continue do so carefully because the rock can be loose, but there are plenty of good hand holds and no rope is necessary to tag the other high points along the ridge. Written by FATMAP Official
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cecret Rd Climb | 0.53 mi | 135 ft | 4.7% |
| Cecret Rd Climb | 0.28 mi | 285 ft | 18.8% |
| Cecret to Saddle | 0.60 mi | 879 ft | 26.8% |