Santaquin Peak

Wasatch Mountains
Payson, Utah

Santaquin Peak - 10,685'

I-15 exit 254 to Payson
Nebo Loop Road, about 12 miles.
Just before the Payson Reservoir,
look for a sign that says Loafer Mountain Trail
on the right side of the road.

11.4 miles round trip

This trial meanders up and down at the beginning, which is good on the way back, if you have bad knees.

I thought that this was one of the most scenic hikes I'd ever been on, partly because of the autumn leaves (it might not be as pretty in the summer).

We took a wrong turn when we got to the Loafer Ridge. Instead of cutting left (east) up the steep ridge, we went north around the ridge and into Rock Canyon. After some bushwhacking we regained the trail.
At the first saddle, I mistakenly assumed that the ridge north of Rock Canyon was Santaquin. My knees hurt enough so we stopped there for a while. But after consulting the map, it was clear that Santaquin was still at least 2.5 miles to the north. Jared encouraged us to continue, and after some rest we did.
The rest of the hike is the most beautiful, with views so vast, that you can almost see the curvature of the earth. I hope to come back here some day in the winter. I bet you could see the La Sal or Henry Mountains on a clear day.

Some meat-heads swapped the summit sign with Loafer Mountain's.

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Sunday, September 30, 2001