Ruth Lake and Jewel Lake

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

(map link)

Parking at the trailhead for Ruth Lake requires a permit as part of the Mirror Lake Highway Recreation Corridor (UT-150). It even had a fee tube with a note that Saturday was a fee free day even if I ended up charged for it. (Grrr!) The trail rises its way from the highway to Ruth Lake in 1 mile, then continues upward to connect to Lofty Lake Loop on the ridge above. I had plans to visit Ruth and a few more lakes which have use trails visiting them.

Where to start for Ruth Lake

A little water makes a little waterfall

There's a couple generic ecology signs along the way to make it an interpretive trail. Trees make oxygen, animals live here. If you take in such things often, you'll learn nothing new.

Pooling water in a meadow along the way

There's an old junction early on. I got to wondering where it might have gone once, but didn't get to exploring. There's plenty other space I was already planning to explore.

Another pool below East Lofty Peak

Arriving at Ruth Lake below Lofty Peak

Ruth Lake and Hayden Peak

I wandered along the edge of Ruth Lake until I came to a use trail that looked like it would climb to Naomi Lake and did just that.

Naomi Lake

With mallards on the log

There's a long rocky arm beside the lake. I climbed up on it and walked it toward Fir Lake. I passed cairns, but was only incidentally following them.

Naomi Lake from the rocks nearby

A small pool like an oasis in the bare rocks

The Bear River valley, Hayden Fork

I rounded Fir Lake, climbing to find a geocache and a bit higher for a nice view over the little lake.

Fir Lake with Mount Marsell, high point off the left side

Then I rounded the lake some more and made my way to Jewel Lake. I found more thin trail and a few impacted camps along the way.

Fir Lake with the arm of rock I walked along and Mount Marsell

One of numerous camps along the way

Meadow on the approach to Jewel Lake, just visible through the trees

Jewel Lake and Mount Marsell

Long grasses in Jewel Lake

I rounded Jewel Lake as I had Fir Lake and found the most impacted camps on the northwest side. Trail is a little faint until climbing some rocks, but from there is pretty obvious except in the flat rocky places it crosses.

Use trail beside a stream

Pond below Mount Marsell signed as Liberty Lake 1952

Clouds start to appear over Kletting Peak

I arrived back at the Ruth Lake Trail at a spot marked by a cairn. I decided not to climb the ridge since I would probably do the loop trail it gets to later. I headed down and out instead.

Ruth Lake and Hayden Peak

The reflection of Hayden Peak is better in the pond just east of Ruth Lake

*Wasatch 2022 photo album*




©2022 Valerie Norton
Written 1 Dec 2022