Lloyds Lake

Lloyds Lake

Lloyds Lake is a small lake in Monticello, Utah that has a hiking and walking trail that circles it. There are some fantastic views of the lake and the mountains and the trail is easy and may be accessible to most skill levels.

Getting Started

There are several places that you can park to get access to Lloyds Lake but be careful to avoid the private property in the area. I parked on the north side and had to take a trail through a wooded area. There were some picnic tables spread throughout the woods but following the trail takes you down to the lake.

The trail is a loop so you can head in either direction once you get to the lake but I started by heading towards the levy. That gave me some really nice views of the mountains and made for an enjoyable hike.

The Hike

The hike around Lloyds lake is really pretty simple. The trail is a wide dirt path that is well maintained. Lloyds Lake loop is roughly two and a half miles and there isn’t much as far as elevation gain to it. What it does have are some really impressive views, especially looking back to the west.

When I hiked in early August, the lake had a really light blue/turquoise look to it. The Abajo Mountains in the distance also framed the lake really well from the northern and eastern sides of the hike. As you make your way around the lake you will notice that about 99% of the hike is exposed and there isn’t much shade. There are some small patches of trees though that break up the landscape.

For the most part though the loop around Lloyds Lake is under full sun. The mountains in the distance stand an imposing guard and the lake sparkles in a the afternoon sun. Lloyds Lake was a really relaxing walk and I found myself in a bit of a trance. Even though the trail is wide and easy to manage I saw myself finding it hard to not walk off the side because I kept staring and the lake and mountains. If you are in the area I recommend this really enjoyable and relaxing hike!

The Abajo Mountains

The amazing looking mountains that are visible for a good portion of the hike are the Abajo Mountains. The Abajo mountains are also sometimes called the Blue Mountains and they are located just south of Canyonlands and west of Monticello. Abajo peak is the highest peak at 11,360 feet. I was mesmerized by the mountains and how great they looked from across the lake on my hike. Plus, I wanted a reason to post another picture!

Video

I have put together this quick video of the Lloyds Lake hike. This is a time lapsed video I like to call the Hikers Edit which is meant to give a feel for what to expect on the hike. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It is free to subscribe and you will be the first to get new content!

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 2.52 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 243 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 7,211 feet. I was also moving for a total of 51 minutes.

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

The Lloyds Lake Trail is a really enjoyable and easy trail. This is more of a walking path than a full trail but it is still a nice way to get out into nature. The loop around the lake is about two and a half miles around but there is very little elevation gain. The trail is also wide so no problem searching for the right footing. I think this trail should be able to be enjoyed by most people.

Terrain

Lloyds Lake trail is a crushed rock and hard packed dirt and is really easy to manage. It is really close to being a sidewalk that circles the lake. There isn’t really any elevation to make it more difficult. The only issue you might run into is the trail getting a little slick because it gets a little sandy in spots.

Access

Lloyds Lake is located off of San Juan, Utah County road 102. There are a couple of spots to park around the lake for access. There were no restrooms where I parked but there may be some in other locations.

Wrapping up Lloyds Lake

I wasn’t sure of what to expect with Lloyds Lake. It was more of a smaller town lake than a destination hike. Then I started walking around the lake and saw the view of the mountains and it was really enjoyable.

While the hike was originally scheduled as just a quick stop on a road tirp it turned out to be one of the most relaxing parts of my day. The turquoise water fascinated me and the trail was so easy. What a great way to stretch the legs and get the blood flowing. With great views!

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!

Lloyds Lake Gallery