Bloods Lake

Bloods Lake trail

The Bloods Lake Trail is a very popular and busy hike near Park City and is one of the later trailheads on Guardsman Pass Road. The trail is good for most skill levels and I saw families and dogs on the trail although there is a bit of an incline so I will rate it as moderate. Dogs are also not allowed to Bloods Lake and will have to take the Lupine loop. I did also see that Guardsman pass is only open between May and October.

Getting Started

The Bloods Lake Trail is a really popular spot in Park City. The parking lot is across the street from the trailhead on Guardsman Pass which leads to a bit of road noise for the early portion of the hike. When you cross the road you will find yourself in a really nice aspen grove on a wide, flatter portion of the trail.

This is a really nice part of the hike and I am sure it would be amazing in the fall. The first two thirds of the trail are really lovely. They travel through the woods with plenty of cover. The trees clear from time to time to open fields full of wildflowers (in season) and some nice views of the surrounding area.

The flat wooded section of the trail lasts for about a mile and quarter. There are some small up and downs but nothing serious for the first part. After a wide clearing with a bit of descent though the trail will turn more uphill.

The Incline

The last half mile or so to Bloods Lake is where all of the elevation comes in to play on this hike. You will gain about 300 feet of elevation in that half mile with some of the grades reaching above twenty percent. The trails are still wide and there is plenty of room to step off and take a break if needed though.

The views during the incline are a little lacking as well. Most of the hill you are trapsing up will be under heavy tree cover with the exception being about halfway. At that point you will come to a bit of a rock outcrop that provides a bit of a view.

A tenth of a mile from the lake you will come to a trail junction for the Lupine Loop. Dogs are not allowed to Bloods Lake so if you are hiking with your dog you will have to take the Lupine trail. The Lupine trail will loop back to the trailhead or you can take it to Lackawaxen Lake.

Bloods Lake

Bloods Lake was a smaller lake that sits around 9,500 feet of elevation. It is surrounded by tall pine trees but was really enjoyable. I got to the lake just as the sun was setting behind the trees and it made for a really nice moment.

The trail covers the east side of the lake and then reconnects to the Lupine trail so you can do the hike as a loop, continue to Lackawaxen, or go back the way you came on an out and back.

The hike was a really enjoyable evening hike that ended at a nice like at the right time. It was crowded and a little buggy but otherwise a really enjoyable time. I didn’t explore too much of the lake because it was getting dark and I wasn’t familiar with the area but I do hope to get back and do it again one time!

Video of the Bloods Lake Trail

I have created a time-lapsed video of the Bloods Lake Trail to give you a feel for what it is like. I call these time lapsed versions of the hikes my hikers edits. If you enjoy the video, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest updates.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 1.87 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 377 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 9,557 feet. I was also moving for a total of 50 minutes.

As a note, my phone did die on this hike so I only have the out recorded and not the return portion.

I am a Pro member of Alltrails and love it. If you are interested in the platform, please consider using my affiliate link for AllTrails. It gives me a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Effort

This was both an easier hike and harder hike. While the hike is shorter and doesn’t have much elevation gain, the gain it does have is all together making it a bit more challenging. The hike is about 3.5 miles also because my phone died so my recording stopped at the lake and didn’t account for the return trip. I am going to rank it as moderate because of the distance and the elevation all being in the same spot.

Terrain

The Blood Lake is very well used and the trail is very well defined. The trail is mostly hard packed dirt. There is a section of some rock you have to hike over and where the trail gets a little harder to find the best route. Some social trails have started to develop that can lead you astray but it shouldn’t be too hard to follow along.

Access

The Bloods Lake Trailhead is one of several hiking trails along the Guardsman Pass Road in Park City Utah. The trailhead fills up quick. There is room for about 20 cars and there is a pit toilet available.

Wrapping up the Bloods Lake Trail

I really enjoyed the hike to Bloods Lake. The drive up Guardsman Pass was enjoyable as well with a lot of people and cars at all the different trailheads. The trail to Bloods started nice an easy with a really nice walk through the woods before a moderately strenuous trip up a bigger hill. I was ready to be at the lake when I got there!

The lake was nice. It was a little small but there were a couple of spots to get some nice views. I didn’t explore too much because of the time but really would have liked to explore a bit more of the area but maybe on the next trip!

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to my interactive map page that you can find here. If you have a suggestion or comment you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Bloods Lake Trail Gallery