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Cat Hill and Greeley Hill are a great way to get the kids back into shape for spring hiking trips. Try these peaks in late winter, when the temperatures start to warm up. Both have good views and the warming sunshine the entire route. These are 2 of the smallest bumps around that officially rank as a mountain in Utah. Both are sagebrush covered but it’s easy to negotiate around the bushes.
Cat Hill and Greeley Hill
Distance: 0.5 miles each
Elevation Gain: 300' for Cat Hill, 330' for Greeley Hill
Summit Elevation: Cat Hill 5,293 Greeley Hill 5,331
Kids difficulty rating: Easy
Access rating: Level 3
Access:
The Route:
From the north
Cat Hill
Greeley Hill
Cat Hill as you approach from the road of Highway 68
Inspecting the Ant Benchmark on the summit of Cat Hill
Greeley Hill
Pinyon
Bismark
Views of Lake Mountains and Mount Timpanogos
Utah Lake and West Mountain from Cat Hill
Wanlass Hill
Blowhole Hill
Pinyon Peak
Bismark Peak
6713
Packard Peak
Boulter Peak
On the ridge above the firebreak, follow ridge up to summit of Greeley Hill
View SW to the East Tintic Mountains
From start of Greeley, looking up firebreak to ridgeline
Cat Hill is the easier of the two. Walk up easy terrain until you reach a false ridge. Continue walking to the higher ridge and north to the summit. About halfway is a barbwire fence that can easily be crawled under. The summit has a benchmark. It’s not a very high summit but there isn’t much around so the mountain was a good survey point.
For Greeley Hill, park a bit further south where a side road goes along the north slope of Greeley Hill. Just west of the power lines is a firebreak where all the brush has been removed up to the ridge top. This is the best route for kids to walk. Once on the ridge top, follow easy terrain until the last 100 vertical feet where it gets a bit steeper for the youngest ones.
Note: The map below is 20 foot contours not the usual 40 so it looks harder than it is.
The best access is by taking Highway 68 south 18.8 miles from the intersection with Highway 73 out of Lehi. There is an old gate that remains open if there are no cattle grazing. If it is closed, open and close gate behind you. Follow this road west 3 miles toward Cat Hill, skirting its north flank before hitting the power line road. Turn left at the power lines (another seasonal gate), going 1.5 miles to Greeley Hill. Just before Greeley, you will drive along the west side of Cat Hill. Park wherever you want to start up, preferably the road highpoint.
I’ve also accessed the area by following Lake Mountain Road out of Eagle Mountain for 17 miles (stick to power line roads when it heads to Soldiers Pass).
Views SW of the Tintic Mountains