Guardsman Pass to Clayton Peak

 (Big Cottonwood)
2.4 miles out and back
2-2.5 hrs
Moderate, 1015 elevation gain
Partial shade
No restrooms at trailhead
Late spring, summer, early fall (snow can cover the ridge until mid-June)
*Wasatch  Mountain State Park in Midway is just 10 miles down the Guardsman Pass road to the east

Guardsmans Pass Trail is a 1 mile point-to-point trail located near Midway, UT. The trail is rated as moderate and primarily used for hiking and snowshoeing. This is a great sunset walk that we bring our dogs on most nights in the summer. It is along a ridge so usually we opt for the lesser traveled side that gives you views from the top of the Daly Chutes at Deer Valley.


Clayton Peak from Guardsmans Pass TH (via Peak 10420)
 Hike Time (roundtrip): 2.0 to 3.0 hours
 Distance (roundtrip): 2.2 miles
 Elevation Gain: 1231 feet
Main Aspect: North
 Climb Rate: 1119 feet per mile
 Average Grade: 21%
Notes: From Guardsman Pass, the climb is steep up Peak 10240, then drops down a few hundred feet to a saddle. Lakes come into view on both sides of the ridge. As you get closer to the peak, boulder hopping becomes necessary.

Trailhead: Guardsmans Pass TH
Trailhead Elevation: 9490 ft
Trailhead Outhouse: No
Distance from Park-N-Ride: 17.1 miles
Area: Big Cottonwood Canyon
Area Location: East on 7200 S (SR190) in Salt Lake County
Area Fee: None
Dogs Allowed: No
Notes: The Guardsman Pass road turns off the Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd just before you get to Brighton. Follow the road to the summit. The parking area is usually crowded. This is also the start of the Wasatch Crest trail for mountain bikers.

Waypoint 1: Peak 10420
 Peak 10420
 Elevation: 10420 Feature: Peak
Notes: The peak is between Guardsmans Pass and Clayton Peak near Brighton. There are actually 2 peaks close together, with a nice meadow in the saddle between them.

Destination: Clayton Peak
 Elevation: 10721 Feature: Peak
Notes: Clayton Peak (Mt Majestic) is the east boundary of Brighton Ski Resort. The peak towers over upper Big Cottonwood Canyon to the west and Bonanza Flat to the east.

Drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon turning left on Highway 152 just before the Brighton Ski area. Continue up this road until you reach Guardsman pass and the road turns to gravel. Parking is on the right.

The trail starts at Guardsman Pass. To get there, go up Big Cottonwood Canyon until you see the sign for Guardsman Pass. Turn left on Guardsman Pass Road. Just 2 or 3 miles up the road, you’ll come to the pass, with a beautiful overlook and parking on the right.
After you park, you’ll notice two trails to the right of the parking lot. The one on the right is steep and goes to the summit. That’s the one you want. It was steep, rocky, and a little slippery.
As you near the top, you’ll see a false summit on the right. Well, actually, it is a real summit, and you’ll want to walk up there. There’s a pole right on top, and the views back over Big Cottonwood Canyon are spectacular! We thought this was our destination, but we were wrong. Peak 10,420 is a little farther. We climbed back from this knoll and up to the left to the real summit of Peak 10,420. The view was amazing, and we counted 7 lakes– 3 off to the west, and 4 back to the east– as we took in the 360 degree view.
Start up from the parking area at Guardsman Pass. The trail is the steeper trail going up. It climbs up the ridge in and out of the trees until finally leveling out near the summit of Peak 10,420. Here there is a trail split, go left and up a short distance, you'll be on top. Go right and you begin to descend down to the saddle between Peak 10,420 and Clayton Peak. From the saddle, a trail drops down to Lackawaxen Lake. You'll be taking the trail up the ridge toward the visible summit. It becomes more of a climbers trail near the summit.


*We hiked this July 2016. There were bugs EVERYWHERE! Drench yourself in bug spray if you go. Also, this is very steep and slippery on the way down, so watch your step.