Deborah Wall/SPECIAL TO VIEWThe 12-mile, one-way Bunker Creek Trail, located on the Markagunt Plateau in southwestern Utah, is mostly downhill, traveling from 11,000 feet in elevation to 8,400 feet.
Deborah Wall/SPECIAL TO VIEWThe 12-mile, one-way Bunker Creek Trail, located on the Markagunt Plateau in southwestern Utah, is mostly downhill, traveling from 11,000 feet in elevation to 8,400 feet.
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This time of year, an enthusiastic hiker needs to keep an eye on the calendar. Most of us love high-elevation hikes and try to wedge in a few before shorter days, school schedules and early snow conspire to make them impractical.
For such a place to go while the going is good, I recommend Bunker Creek Trail on Utah's Markagunt Plateau. The trail is good for putting miles on hiking boots or knobby bike tires, while enjoying spectacular scenery and one of the earliest foliage seasons in our region.
Located on Dixie National Forest land near the town of Brian Head, the lofty trail starts at about 11,000 feet and descends 12 miles, one-way, through conifer forests, aspen groves and open meadows. It's practically downhill the entire way, with only a few strenuous uphill sections. Overall, it loses about 2,600 feet in elevation.
At this elevation, fall foliage season starts early. Aspens will begin to change in the next couple of weeks and often reach their most golden glory by the end of September.
Whether hiking or biking, the trail is best done as a point-to-point excursion, so you will need to arrange for a pick-up at trail's end or in nearby Panguitch Lake. If you don't have a friend to pick you up, Brian Head Resort has a trailhead shuttle service, which runs Thursdays through Sundays until Sept. 28.
The trail starts off the gravel road to Brian Head Peak. As you drive up toward the trailhead, look off to the right in an area known as "Little Ireland." You might see a flock of grazing sheep or glimpse a few yellow-bellied marmots making their way through the meadows. Before you even stop at the trailhead, drive past it a short way to Brian Head Peak itself. At 11,307 feet, you can take in one of the premiere panoramas from the plateau. On clear days, you will be able to see into Nevada and Arizona.
Heading back the way you came to the large signed parking area marked Sidney Peaks Trail, park and then walk across the road and head up a short but steep hill and you will be ready to go. A couple of other trails leave from this same trailhead, so be sure to bring a good map, just in case one of the trail signs, intended to tell you which path you should follow, happens to be missing. Without that map, it would be easy to head in the wrong direction and end up many miles from where you wanted to go.
The first few miles are fairly easy; then you will reach a strenuous uphill section through a meadow. After this, you will descend to a stunning overlook with great views down into Parowan Canyon. The trail continues along the ridgeline, back through the trees, and after about four miles from the trailhead, you will arrive at Sidney Valley Road.
Cross over to the east side of the road and you will see signed trailheads for the Left and Right Forks of Bunker Creek Trail. The choice is yours. If you are traveling on foot, either fork is suitable, as you won't notice too much difference in the terrain. But if you are relying on pedal power, you will find the Left Fork to be more technical. Since forks are customarily named from the bottom of the drainage looking upstream, the Right Fork will be on your left and Left Fork on your right. Got that?
Whichever fork you choose will certainly be the highlight of the entire trail. After about three miles, they join back up, becoming the Bunker Creek Trail once again.
Both forks are highly vegetated, with dense conifers interspersed with stands of aspen and tall grasses. You might even see some late-blooming wildflowers. If you are biking, be aware these singletrack trails have lots of twists and turns, occasional drop-offs and many rocky areas. Because the plateau still receives afternoon thunderstorms this time of year, be prepared to travel through some very muddy areas.
About seven miles from the original trailhead, both the narrow singletrack forks meet and your path widens into an old Jeep trail. Don't be surprised if you come across free-roaming cattle in this area.
The remainder of the route is self-explanatory, except for one unmarked fork in the road, where you will stay left. The Jeep trail gets easier to travel the farther you go and eventually turns into a maintained gravel road. Follow this out through a wide-open meadow area called Blue Spring Valley to the junction with Utah Highway 143.
If you have a friend picking you up, this intersection makes a good meeting spot. But if you have arranged for the Brian Head shuttle, go left onto the main road and travel about one mile to the Panguitch Lake General Store for your arranged pickup back to the resort.
Since the whole trail lies at a high elevation, the air is thinner and your outing might seem more exhausting than at lower levels. September temperatures will be cool. Be prepared for daytime highs in the 50s or even below, with a realistic possibility of freezing temperatures at night.
Deborah Wall is the author of "Great Hikes, A Cerca Country Guide," published by Stephens Press. She can be reached at Deborabus@aol.com.
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