Sure you can get to the summit by driving, but this is by far the prettiest way to get there.
I followed the route given in the book High in Utah. What a great book. The route starts at the Clear Creek Campground. Turn south and head down the ATV trail until you get to the Lake Fork Drainage junction. There's a nice big sign, so there's no way you can miss it. Turn right onto the trail, and you immediatley start climbing. Surprisingly, it is very green and lush as you follow the creek up the drainage. I noticed ferns and big leafy plants. Reminds me of the northwest. The trail stays to the left of the creek, but steadily climbs up and over a few little bumps, moving slightly away from the creek. After a mile or so, the trail starts to drop down towards the creek, and crosses it. This is a great place for a small break. I was completely by myself. I actually felt like I was in a wilderness area. Very cool. After the creek crossing, the trail climbs up and away from the creek. At this point, I ran into swarms of butterflies. They were everywhere! I couldn't help but stand there and gauk for a while. At this point, the trail peeters out. There are two choices. You can stay next to the creek, and battle tons of deadfall, and thick bush. Or, you can veer up and to the right and make your way through some very tall sagebrush. I chose the latter and started up the hill through the sagebrush. It was tough going. The hill wasn't too steep, but the brush was very thick and tall, making it kinda rough. After topping out, things open up some, and you notice a lone pine up ahead. Head for that across the flat, pass it and then you'll plunge into the forest. Just keep picking your way through the pines, aspens, and small clearings. Head in the same general westerly direction. Stay high and to the right of the drainage. To the right you'll notice some cliff bands above you. That's the north ridge of the drainage. Ahead of you, all you can see is forest, but it soon opens up. Once you come out of the last patch of forest, the view will surprise you. I was here on July 4th weekend, and I thought I was in Glacier! As you come out of the trees you'll be entering a beautiful cirque with sheer cliffs and lush and green in the bottom by Bull Lake. This lake is really a marsh. The cliffs had snow hanging off them, and Resevere Point juts out on the southern end of the cirque like a big tooth. It is an absolutely beautiful area! You'll pick up a trail here again off to your right going up the loose rock. Follow this up to the top and turn to you left, following the edge of the cirque, climbing and turning south at the same time. Through this area, there were deer-beds everywhere, and I scared two or three of them up. Once on top you'll be able to look back down the drainage you came up. This is the top of the Raft River Mountains, and it is very flat. You notice all kinds of roads crisscrossing each other, and you'll have to cross a barb wire fence. The summit is not recognizable, and you'll need a GPS to find the high point. I'm still not sure if I bagged it. Didn't have a GPS. Anyway, I continued on around the top of the cirque onto Rosevere Point and had lunch. Along the way, I found a coyote den. No pups , but lots o' poop! I was very surprised at the amount of wildflowers that covered the grassland on top. For my return trip, I went back down the way I came up. But, I'm sure it would be an interesting trip by going down the Resevere drainage. All together, it was a 7 hr trip, but I beleive it was only that long, due to the route finding and bushwacking. But what a great area to be in! Like I said, I was solo all day. And one other thing to note. Check yourself for ticks when you get done. I found three!
Sorry I couldn't post any pics. When I did the hike I didn't have a digital, and I can't seem to find the pictures that I did take. I'll keep looking though. Keep up the awesome work on the page!
Thanks Eric. Add Dennis Poulin to that list as well since we finished the state on Tuesday, the 22nd. As we were heading down, we met a guy named Terry Sandler (sp?) who was going to finish all of Utah as well. He was just an hour behind us. I'm sure there are many who aren't on the cohp list and will never be noted since they are not even aware of the cohp group. They are just doing Utah because of the "High in Utah" county highpoint book. A trip report will be forthcoming. What a great ten days I had in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.
Dean, on this page you list the elevation of the "liner" Kane County HP as 10,040. But on the Kane County page (https://www.summitpost.org/kane-cohp-ut/280529) you list it as 10,080 - which I believe is corrrect. Please fix the type-o on this page.
imontop - Mar 9, 2006 2:49 am - Voted 10/10
Bull Mountain - Lake Fork RouteSure you can get to the summit by driving, but this is by far the prettiest way to get there.
I followed the route given in the book High in Utah. What a great book. The route starts at the Clear Creek Campground. Turn south and head down the ATV trail until you get to the Lake Fork Drainage junction. There's a nice big sign, so there's no way you can miss it. Turn right onto the trail, and you immediatley start climbing. Surprisingly, it is very green and lush as you follow the creek up the drainage. I noticed ferns and big leafy plants. Reminds me of the northwest. The trail stays to the left of the creek, but steadily climbs up and over a few little bumps, moving slightly away from the creek. After a mile or so, the trail starts to drop down towards the creek, and crosses it. This is a great place for a small break. I was completely by myself. I actually felt like I was in a wilderness area. Very cool. After the creek crossing, the trail climbs up and away from the creek. At this point, I ran into swarms of butterflies. They were everywhere! I couldn't help but stand there and gauk for a while. At this point, the trail peeters out. There are two choices. You can stay next to the creek, and battle tons of deadfall, and thick bush. Or, you can veer up and to the right and make your way through some very tall sagebrush. I chose the latter and started up the hill through the sagebrush. It was tough going. The hill wasn't too steep, but the brush was very thick and tall, making it kinda rough. After topping out, things open up some, and you notice a lone pine up ahead. Head for that across the flat, pass it and then you'll plunge into the forest. Just keep picking your way through the pines, aspens, and small clearings. Head in the same general westerly direction. Stay high and to the right of the drainage. To the right you'll notice some cliff bands above you. That's the north ridge of the drainage. Ahead of you, all you can see is forest, but it soon opens up. Once you come out of the last patch of forest, the view will surprise you. I was here on July 4th weekend, and I thought I was in Glacier! As you come out of the trees you'll be entering a beautiful cirque with sheer cliffs and lush and green in the bottom by Bull Lake. This lake is really a marsh. The cliffs had snow hanging off them, and Resevere Point juts out on the southern end of the cirque like a big tooth. It is an absolutely beautiful area! You'll pick up a trail here again off to your right going up the loose rock. Follow this up to the top and turn to you left, following the edge of the cirque, climbing and turning south at the same time. Through this area, there were deer-beds everywhere, and I scared two or three of them up. Once on top you'll be able to look back down the drainage you came up. This is the top of the Raft River Mountains, and it is very flat. You notice all kinds of roads crisscrossing each other, and you'll have to cross a barb wire fence. The summit is not recognizable, and you'll need a GPS to find the high point. I'm still not sure if I bagged it. Didn't have a GPS. Anyway, I continued on around the top of the cirque onto Rosevere Point and had lunch. Along the way, I found a coyote den. No pups , but lots o' poop! I was very surprised at the amount of wildflowers that covered the grassland on top. For my return trip, I went back down the way I came up. But, I'm sure it would be an interesting trip by going down the Resevere drainage. All together, it was a 7 hr trip, but I beleive it was only that long, due to the route finding and bushwacking. But what a great area to be in! Like I said, I was solo all day. And one other thing to note. Check yourself for ticks when you get done. I found three!
Dean - Mar 9, 2006 3:23 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Bull Mountain - Lake Fork RouteThanks for your trip report of your hike. I put a link on the front page.
imontop - Mar 12, 2006 11:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Sorry!!Hey Dean,
Sorry I couldn't post any pics. When I did the hike I didn't have a digital, and I can't seem to find the pictures that I did take. I'll keep looking though. Keep up the awesome work on the page!
ericnoel - Aug 26, 2006 3:52 am - Voted 10/10
Incomplete InfoThis page has an error; the list of Utah completers fails to include Dean Molen. Please fix ASAP! ;-)
Congratulations Dean!
Dean - Aug 26, 2006 2:24 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Incomplete InfoThanks Eric. Add Dennis Poulin to that list as well since we finished the state on Tuesday, the 22nd. As we were heading down, we met a guy named Terry Sandler (sp?) who was going to finish all of Utah as well. He was just an hour behind us. I'm sure there are many who aren't on the cohp list and will never be noted since they are not even aware of the cohp group. They are just doing Utah because of the "High in Utah" county highpoint book. A trip report will be forthcoming. What a great ten days I had in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming.
vanman798 - Dec 5, 2020 3:08 pm - Hasn't voted
Kane County HPDean, on this page you list the elevation of the "liner" Kane County HP as 10,040. But on the Kane County page (https://www.summitpost.org/kane-cohp-ut/280529) you list it as 10,080 - which I believe is corrrect. Please fix the type-o on this page.
Thanks!