The La Sal Mountains offer hiking destinations with different trail routes: the Tuk Trail leads to a ridge below Mount Tukuhnikivatz, while the South Mountain Trail loops around South Mountain. The Burlfriends Trail, in turn, follows its own route between La Sal Pass and La Sal Pass Road. These differences help you decide which route should shape your stay; information about access roads adds to your planning.
Choose hiking trails by length and destination
The Medicine Lake Trail is about one mile long. The Burlfriends Trail covers four miles, starting at La Sal Pass and ending at La Sal Pass Road. Along this route, aspen and pine forests are part of the described trail, as is Beaver Lake, which the trail passes. This means you can assess the Burlfriends Trail by more than just its length: the forest and lake provide additional, specific points of reference when choosing a route.
The Tuk Trail is a spur off the Burlfriends Trail. Its trailhead is about half a mile from the parking area at La Sal Pass; from there, it leads to a ridge below Mount Tukuhnikivatz. If you have this ridge in mind as your destination, you can distinguish the spur from the route of the Burlfriends Trail when planning. The approximate distance from the parking area refers to the Tuk Trail trailhead.
The South Mountain Trail offers a different kind of route: it loops around South Mountain. On a broader scale, the La Sal Mountains have several peaks over 12,000 feet and more than 300 miles of hiking trails. The individual routes are part of a vast mountain region with many other trails. Here, the specific features that matter when choosing include length, route and destination.
Getting oriented to mountain destinations and access roads
Mount Peale reaches 12,721 feet. The easiest access is via La Sal Pass Road; the approach is from Upper Two Mile Road near the town of La Sal. The best way to reach La Sal Pass Road is via UT 46 and Two Mile Road. This identifies both the mountain destination and the sequence of roads that factor into planning your drive.
For the La Sal Pass/Geyser Pass Trails loop, there is a staging area south of La Sal, at the intersection of Highway 46 and County Road 154. The approach heads northeast. This is a separate route reference from the drive to Mount Peale: if you are planning the loop, you can use the staging area and the described approach direction to help orient yourself. Check current road conditions before setting out.
Historical and film connections
There are connections to the mountains beyond the hiking trails, too: the historic Old Spanish Trail passed by the La Sal Mountains. The opening titles of Thelma & Louise were filmed near the La Sal Mountains in the U.S. state of Utah. Local history and film history thus sit alongside specific mountain and hiking destinations; they add other topics to consider as you explore the landscape.
Combine your stay with tour planning
If you are planning an overnight stay in La Sal, your next step is to decide which destination should be the focus: for example, Mount Peale, the trails at La Sal Pass or the La Sal Pass/Geyser Pass loop. The routes differ in their destinations and access roads.
Discover more destinations: Mexican Hat, Blanding, Monticello, Oljato-Monument Valley, Spanish Valley
Go to the main travel overview: San Juan County.
