About this campground
This trail leads from the parking lot at the top of Bull Creek Pass north to the summit of Mount Ellen (11,480 feet), which is located inside the Mount Ellen/Blue Hills WSA. Views from the top are outstanding in all directions and include the Thousand Lake Mountain, Boulder Mountain, The La Sal and Abajo Mountains, the Circle Cliffs and the Waterpocket Fold. The trip from the Bull Creek Pass parking lot to the summit and back is a 5 mile round trip. The entire trip is all above tree line in an alpine zone. The trail is faint in places, but is marked by cairns. There are no developed facilities at the trailhead, but Lonesome Beaver Campground, McMillan Spring Campground, and Dandelion Flat Picnic area are not too far away.
Getting there
Can be accessed from either the east or the west along the Bull Creek Pass Backcountry Byway
Activities
- HIKING
Nearby federal campgrounds
- Lonesome Beaver CampgroundBureau of Land Management2 mi
- McMillan Spring CampgroundBureau of Land Management3 mi
- Primitive campsites at Cedar Mesa CampgroundCapitol Reef National Park16 mi
- Starr Spring CampgroundBureau of Land Management18 mi
- Angel Point West TrailheadBureau of Land Management21 mi
- Angel Point East TrailheadBureau of Land Management22 mi
Explore more Utah camping
Mount Ellen Summit Trailhead doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Utah campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.
Browse Utah camping →Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.