Little Black Mountain - Salt Lake City Hiking

Distance: 4.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,100 feet
Summit Elevation: 8,040 feet
Access rating: Level 1

One of the most popular hikes in Utah to a mountain summit that isn't really a summit? Little Black Mountain is a great hike to a highpoint on a very long ridge. This highpoint has every aspect of a summit except it doesn't meet the criteria of 300' of prominence. The ridges highpoint is actually 2 miles further east. Because this route crosses the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and the Great Western Trail, it's full of hikers, bikers and runners. The trail is also used for the "Wasatch Steeplechase Run" each year. This is a fairly low elevation hike so hiking is possible year round with safe snowshoeing in winter as well. My pictures are from a mid-May trip.

Walk through the gate up an old gravel road. Stay on the main road past several side trails until you reach a five way intersection. At this pass, take the uphill trail heading toward the eastern ridge top. Gain the ridge and you get a good view of the peak...still a long way away. The going is easy though with very little elevation lost as you go around several bumps on the ridge. A side trail can be taken to climb "The Avenues Twin Peaks". These are not official peaks as well but well known among locals. Eventually the ridge walk hits the base of the false summit where the trail gets steep. At the top you are on the false summit where there is a benchmark called "Rock". About one minute beyond is a bump with a lone tree on top. Below it is the summit register. For the true summit for Little Black Mountain, continue on the ridge on a narrow trail going back and forth over the ridge. If you loose the trail, it's probably on the other side. Just before the top is a rock scramble with some minor exposure. It is class 3 for a few moves. One could also traverse below the rocks loosing some elevation to do so. On top the views are no better than the false summit but you will feel you are on a real summit.

I just Mapquested Terrace Hills Drive. The trailhead is at the top (end) of the road. Everyone just parks along the street.

Little Black from Dude Benchmark

Rock traverse just below the true summit

Looking east toward Lookout Peak

A bunch of these guys around the summit register

Downtown Salt Lake City from the trail

The true summit from the false summit, Grandview Peak in back

Dude Benchmark to the north across City Creek Canyon

The first view of the peak from the trail

Views start shortly after starting up the trail

Gate between houses at the end of Terrace Hills Drive

Looking down at the false summit from the top