Hiking Project Logo

A strikingly beautiful trail through glacial valleys with amazing views of the Salt Lake Valley.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

9.6

Miles

15.4

KM

Out and Back

11,276' 3,437 m

High

6,254' 1,906 m

Low

5,325' 1,623 m

Up

5,324' 1,623 m

Down

21%

Avg Grade (12°)

78%

Max Grade (38°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Overview

This is a very steep trail but extremely rewarding. It ends up at one of the most noticeable peaks from all over the Salt Lake Valley, and it definitely shows because the views from Twin Peaks are incredible.

The first part of the trail is a well-maintained trail that is less steep and crosses over a nice cascade. The last 2,500 feet of vertical gain are very steep and require a lot of scrambling over talus, but all of the struggle is worth it.

Need to Know

If you are not comfortable with off-trail wayfinding and scrambling, or you just want a shorter, easier option, turn around at the end of Broads Fork Trail #055.

If going in the early summer, an ice axe will be nice to have for the last sections.

Description

From the trailhead, the Broads Fork Trail #055 ascends through a pretty forest as it goes toward the Broads Fork drainage. The trail at this point is well-maintained, although still steep in most sections. About a mile from the trailhead, the trail crosses a footbridge right by a very pretty cascade.

About another mile from the bridge, the trail comes out into the glacial valley with great views of O'Sullivan and Dromedary peaks, as well as a couple of beaver ponds (with a weird log crossing in there as well). The trail continues, although (at least in early summer) it gets faint and sometimes covered by snow at this point.

Eventually, at about 2.5 miles from the trailhead, the trail starts to get really steep as it starts to carve through the giant talus pile that sits at the head of this cirque, and the trail completely disappears at some points under the snow and talus. The objective is clear, though: get to the head of the cirque, at the saddle just below O'Sullivan Peak, so even without a trail it is easy to keep sight of where you need to go.

After getting to the saddle, the "trail" goes back behind the rocky ridge that leads to Twin Peaks and follows below the rocky ridge until reaching a steep couloir. It then goes up the couloir, where the real trail reappears for the last few hundred vertical feet to reach the top.

The views from the top of Twin Peaks are incredible in all directions. To the west is the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Lake Valley; to the north are other sections of the Wasatch Range like Ben Lomond and Ogden Peak; to the east are the rest of the peaks along the ridge that divides Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, and to the south are the amazing cirques and aretes of White Pine Canyon, Red Pine Canyon, Maybird Gulch, as well as the Pfeifferhorn. The views are absolutely breathtaking, especially in the early summer when snow still lingers in the higher parts of the Wasatch Range.

Flora & Fauna

Keep an eye open for beaver dams and ponds and plenty of wildflowers in early summer.

Contacts

Shared By:

Tomsen Reed

Trail Ratings

  4.3 from 13 votes

#1404

Overall
  4.3 from 13 votes
5 Star
62%
4 Star
8%
3 Star
31%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#98

in Utah

#1,404

Overall
17 Views Last Month
16,414 Since Nov 5, 2015
Very Difficult Very Difficult

0%
0%
0%
0%
42%
58%

Photos

A view across Little Cottonwood Canyon, looking up Hogum Fork to the ridge near Lone Peak and the Pfeifferhorn. It's hard not to feel small when peeking at the shoulders of these giants!
Nov 5, 2015 near Alta, UT
The basin just below Twin Peaks
May 11, 2022 near Alta, UT
Beardtongue flower in the Broads Fork Basin
May 11, 2022 near Alta, UT
A killer view looking up Broads Fork at O'Sullivan Peak.
Nov 5, 2015 near Cottonw…, UT
Just before the log crossing, heading up Broad's Fork
Jul 14, 2019 near Cottonw…, UT
A view up Hogum Fork and Maybird Gulch, as well as a view of the Pfeifferhorn.
Nov 5, 2015 near Alta, UT

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.