Racetrack Benchmark

Overview

Racetrack Benchmark is a high mountain towering over Highway 40 as you pass the Strawberry Reservoir. It isn't too far off the highway and the trail is short, so this makes a good little peak if you have some extra time passing through. Racetrack Benchmark comes in with 1,491 feet of prominence making it #147th most prominent peak in Utah. With an ATV trail to the top and a steady stream of hunters in the fall, it's amazing to find a summit register placed in 2005. Placed by the infamous Gordon MacLeod & Barbara Lilley of Simi Valley, CA on Aug 11, 2005, members of the Desert Peaks Section Angeles Chapter Sierra Club.  

View of Racetrack from Peak 8038 to the south

View of Racetrack from Highway 40

Getting There

From Heber City, go east on US 40 to Daniels Pass, then continue dropping down to the Strawberry Reservoir. After passing the main Strawberry Reservoir access on the right, go 1.3 more miles on US 40 to the signed road on the left for Co-op Creek Road. Take this very nice gravel Co-op Creek Road for 6.8 miles. At this point, a high clearance road cuts off to the right, switchbacking up the NW ridge of Racetrack. Drive this road 2.5 miles to the beginning of the ATV trail. If you have a regular car, you could park, walk 2 miles of road, then take the first ATV trail up to the saddle just north of the summit. From there, it would be an easy stroll up to the summit via the north ridge. Note: There is another access road traversing below the south ridge of the mountain to the ATV trail discussed above. It is much more slow, rocky and rough. This road takes off just feet after leaving Highway 40 on the Co-op Creek Road. Both roads are shown on the map provided.

Racetrack Benchmark Map

Red Tape

The gates on both roads that access this peak (shown on map) close from November 1st to July 1st. I showed up in June and they were definitely locked.

Camping

There are primitive camps throughout the area. The biggest are just up the road I suggested not taking to the summit. Once you get into the trees, spur roads go into all sorts of camping spots. There are several established campgrounds on the west side of Strawberry Reservoir. You'll be paying a fee there for sure. Lodgepole Campground is just off Highway 40 west of Daniels Pass.

Route

The ATV trail is really good. It might even be possible to drive but it does lean awkwardly in a few spots. The hike is only a mile or so. With kids, I stuck to the trail but one could just climb directly up and reach the summit quickly. Keep an eye out for the benchmark about 100 feet before the summit cairn.  

Looking up the ATV trail from just above the trailhead

Looking down to the car, hiking up the ATV trail

Summit cairn with Currant Creek Peak in distance

Strawberry Reservoir

Current Creek Reservoir

Wasatch Front with Timp in the middle

External Links