White Pine Lake Trail—a quick review
Stop! Time out because we have to clarify this right now: there is a White Pine Lake in Logan, and there is a White Pine Lake in little Cottonwood Canyon. If you’re heading to little cottonwood canyon, this is the right review for you 🙂 Everything you need to know about camping at White Pine Lake in a quick review, let’s go:
Is there service?
Nope! There is no cell service for most of this hike, and definitley not at the lake. Kinda booty. Next!
Parking and Fees
There was no payment to park which was great! However, the Trailhead parking lot was insanely crowded. Keep in mind that this trailhead goes to several other hikes as well, so while the White Pine Lake trail wasn’t busy the higher we hiked, the parking lot was packed and so was the lower trail. You might want to get there earlier in the day if you want a close parking spot.
KEEP IN MIND: We did this hike in late July, which is a busy time for hiking as it is.
Overall I only spent 10$ on this camping trip and that was for food. I brought a pack of ramen, a can of spam, and fruit snacks. Honestly iconic camping food, do you really need anything else?
How far and how difficult?
Well, that’s a tricky one. The post at the trailhead says it’s four miles to the lake, so 8 out and back. HOWEVER, AllTrails reports that it is just over 5 miles, 10.2 out and back. Based on how long the hike took us, I’d say AllTrails is more accurate. The hike is definitely tiring, but that is mostly due to the distance. The trail itself is well maintained and not very steep. The total elevation gain is only about 2,700 feet.
Can I camp there?
Yes! While there isn’t a ton of open ground for tents, we did find a perfect spot right by the lake that was big enough to fit our little four man tent. There are a couple fire rings already set up in the area as well.
I would definitely recommend this place for hammocks! There are tons of perfect hammock trees right around the lake, so if you don’t want to carry a tent up, I’d say hammocks are the way to go. FAIR WARNING though, the mosquitos were really bad until it got dark. Once we got the fire going and it wasn’t quite as warm outside, they didn’t bother us at all, so you probably won’t get eaten alive if you hammock for the night. Probably.
There was only one other camper up there at the same time as us. I was suprised by this because we camped on a friday night and there were so many people at the trailhead. But we had the WHOLE lake to ourselves and it was pretty perfect.
What to pack:
- Mosquito repellant (we forgot. we won’t forget again)
- A lighter
- A jet boil or a small pot to cook over the fire with
- Water filter for the lake water (idk how to say this in a way that sounds normal but the white pine lake water tastes really good)
- Flashlights
- Warm-ish clothes to sleep in (I will say this is the warmest I’ve ever been camping and I tend to be cold so a light sweatshirt would probably keep you warm just fine)
- Hammock or tent
- Sleeping bag and sleeping pad
- Utensils
- We didn’t see or hear much of animals up there but i’d bring mace just in case
- First Aid
- Liquid IV (or the equivalent. Even though we hiked late in the afternoon, it was pretty hot)
- A harmonica (not optional)
Overall:
I 8/10 recommend white pine lake. I’m docking points because the sign at the trailhead lied about the distance and because the light pollution from SLC makes it hard to see the stars. Still, I think it’s one of the prettiest lakes to camp on that I’ve seen. The views along the way are BEAUTIFUL. The hike is long but people were going with their kids and making it up just fine, and I’d say it’s definitely doable for most people. I wish we had gotten up there with enough time to swim around and explore the lake a bit more!
IF you’re looking for something a bit more challenging, click here for my guide to hiking mount timpanogos for the first time! I do this hike every year and it’s seriously one of my favorites. Also if you do this hike you have to get In-N-Out after. It’s tradition, don’t argue.
Safe adventures and thanks for reading!
I’m glad you’re here 🙂
