Steep Hike Takes You To The Top Of A Lookout Tower
After a few weeks of waterfalls, hot springs, and breweries, my wife and I were eager to bag our first peak. Even in early May, many of the notable peaks were covered with snow and ice, and we're not up for messing with that.
Mt. Wire appeared to be a good start, but I was initially a bit apprehensive knowing its proximity to the famed Living Room Hike and the University of Utah being nearby. Those factors seemed to be a recipe for a crowded hike.
We started at about 9 AM on a chilly Saturday morning. Parking was rather reasonable at the trailhead, but the signage did read that parking was only for three hours. How they enforce that is questionable to me, but I definitely wouldn't count on being there for many more hours than that.
In early May, we were treated to some fantastic wildflower blooms. They were dense a few steps beyond the trailhead, but once you pass the gate as you begin the incline, you'll see thousands of them.
After a light initial incline, you'll pass the gate for the Shoreline Trail. From here, it's a trudge up and down for a half mile. Eventually, once you have a solid view into the canyon, you'll make a sharp left onto a much smaller trail. This is where the hike becomes particularly challenging as it is a consistent incline until the tower.
On we were hiking, it was rather warm at the trailhead, and seemingly got colder and colder as we hiked vertically. There is also minimal shelter from the wind, so be sure to pack extra accessories/layers to keep warm.
Roughly 2,000 feet of elevation gain and after about two long miles, the tower is finally before you. The fence surrounding the tower ironically has an open gate door so that you can access the tower. While the tower doesn't appear too tall in photos, the climb up on the small rungs can be daunting if the wind is blowing. At the top is a small platform that would have room for maybe five people. A sign at the top reads "Are We Floating In The Sky, Or Is This Just the Feeling I Get When We're Together?"
After a few minutes at the top, we began our descent down the mountain to complete the loop. The final two miles were relatively simple, with some uneven terrain.
As we were descending, the trail became much more green and the crowds of hikers began to become thicker and thicker. We we thrilled to be complete as it appeared that the trail was becoming too crowded to be enjoyable.
We exited the trail where we entered and the amount of cars had tripled, adding another half mile to the hike for many.
It was a chilly day, but I enjoyed the hike and would definitely try it again.
Know Before You Go
The parking area has signage that reads a maximum of three hours. Unclear on how much it is enforced, but something to be aware of.
Even if warm at the bottom, it can be chilly at the top. Make sure you pack items to keep you warm.
This trail is probably best accessed spring through fall only. I'd also recommend avoiding the trail after a rainfall.
The tower has a small ladder to reach the top. I'd recommend a pair of gloves to ascend the tower.
Sunblock/hats always recommended.
Hiking poles were valuable on the way down.
Resources
Video
Location
Near the University of Utah, you'll have to take some surface streets to get to the trailhead. Parking is found on Colorow Road.
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