Hiking Kessler Peak, Utah – Trail Map, Pictures, Descriptions & More

Kessler is a stunning peak in Big Cottonwood Canyon that boasts 360 degree amazing views, a very steep trail, 3,000+ feet of elevation gain, and very little foot traffic. On top of that, it has a rich mining history with mines scattered all over the hiking trails. Here’s what you should know about summiting this peak!

Quick Navigation:
Trail Map | Trails | Hiking In Winter | Camping | Weather | Directions | Pictures

Difficulty – Strenuous
Distance – 4.71 miles round trip (7.6 km)
Height – 10,403 feet (3170.8 m)
Elevation gain – 2,857 feet (870.8 m)
Duration – 4-5 hours (book time)
Trailhead Location – Donut Falls Trailhead (Cardiff Fork Trailhead if Donut Falls parking is full)
Dogs – Not allowed

Need To Know Information

• Dogs are not allowed in Big Cottonwood Canyon or anywhere on this peak.
• The Donut Falls parking area is relatively small, and busy. On most weekend days, you’ll need to park at the Cardiff Fork Trailhead. This will add just under 2 miles and 320 feet of elevation gain round trip to your hike (1 mile each way).
• There really is only one common route up this peak, it is not well traveled, and it can be difficult to find without having a map of the trail on your phone.
• This route crosses into private property, and this is an area where there have been private landowner disputes in the past. It is possible that for periods of time, hikers are not allowed to pass through. We have not encountered issues before, and are unaware of the current issues with these land rights.
• Because of the steepness, this is not a beginner trail. I’d suggest only attempting this peak with ample experience on similar mountains.

My Experience

I had skied off of the summit of Kessler peak (we will eventually cover that in another article), or off of the ridges several times before actually hiking the peak in summer. Since hiking it for the first time in summer, I have gone up several more times because of how great it is. Short mileage with steep trails and great views is exactly what I’m looking for. This will be a regular summit for me because of its close proximity, and lack of foot traffic as soon as you get off of the Donut Falls trail.

Summit of Kessler Peak with my friend John

Trail Map

Here is a link to the route that can be uploaded to your device.

Routes

Kessler Via Cardiff Fork Or Donut Falls Trailhead

We recommend starting at the Donut Falls trailhead, but if full, hikers will start at the larger Cardiff Fork Trailhead and hike up the road, or hike along the Donut Falls trail next to the road to reach the Donut Falls trailhead parking lot. The road is slightly quicker, but the trail is a little nicer.

Once arriving at the Donut Falls Trailhead, hikers can go along the Donut Falls trail, or take the Cardiff Fork trail, which is more of a dirt road than a trial.

Here, hikers need to pay attention. If taking the Donut Falls trail, as soon as they cross the creek, hikers need to hop off of the Donut Falls trail, and continue straight to a cutoff trail that meets with the Cardiff Fork Trail – a dirt road. Right after getting on Cardiff Fork Trail, hikers should be heading up the road/trail and looking to the right up the steep embankment. In less than 1,000 feet, there is an unmarked sharp right turn up a steep and rocky trail. This is the trail to head up to Kessler.

From here, directions become very simple as you just stay on the trail that is relatively well worn in and easy to follow. There are a couple areas near the summit where the trail sort of splits off, but following any of them will take you back to the most traveled path, and then find the easiest route to the summit in the final few hundred feet.

Most of this trail is within forest, and pretty steep with a few short areas that flatten out, and give you a view of the summit ahead. The trail will also take you through a few avalanche slide paths where you’ll get great views on the way up.

Hiking in Winter

This is a common backcountry skiing zone, but because of the extremely high avalanche dangers, this zone should only be done by those with experience in avalanche terrain. This is not a trail to be attempted by anyone without substantial winter experience. You can read the current avalanche forecasts on the Utah Avalanche Center website. Nearly every face of Kessler Peak has a very large avalanche slide path, and this is an area with several avalanche deaths.

Camping Information

There are several nearby campgrounds, but because of the very steep trail, and this being about a half day hike, it is not a common camping area. That being said, it lies within US Forest Service, and Wasatch National Forest land, and therefore, camping is allowed as long as you follow the rules of the area in which you camp.

Weather

Here is a detailed weather forecast for the area:

Alta, UT

Today
Sunny. High near 37, with temperatures falling to around 29 in the afternoon. North northwest wind around 2 mph.

Tonight
Mostly clear. Low around 18, with temperatures rising to around 21 overnight. East southeast wind around 2 mph.

Monday
Mostly sunny. High near 37, with temperatures falling to around 30 in the afternoon. East wind around 2 mph.

Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. East wind around 2 mph.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 41. West wind around 2 mph.

Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 25.

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 38.

Directions

Additional Pictures

Kessler Peak In Winter

Kessler Peak

Kessler Summit at sunset