BEN LOMOND TRAIL Great Western Trail
Ben Lomond Area map

Access: North Fork Park Campground at the horse corral.

Elevation: Beginning: 5,760 feet Ending: 8,640 feet.

Length: 7.6 miles to Ben Lomond Peak.

Use: Heavy- Hiking, Horses, Mountain Bike.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Season: Summer to fall.

USGS Map(s): North Ogden.

Directions: The Ben Lomond Trail begins at the south end of Weber County North Fork Park near the horse corrals. The trailhead access begins on County property, and then changes over to National Forest System lands.

The Ben Lomond Trail is one of the most popular and heavily used trails in the Ogden area. Scenic vistas are your just reward. From the summit of Ben Lomond Peak, the Wasatch Range can be seen stretching 100 miles from the Idaho border to Salt Lake City. Ben Lomond Peak at 9,712 feet makes it the highest peak to the northeast of the Ogden Valley. The Peak was named by a Scotish immigrant during the early days. "She called the highest peak to the north Ben Lomond because it looked so much like the Ben Lomond from her native land".

The climb to the top of Ben Lomond is long and can be challenging for some. After leaving the parking area just past the corrals, the trail crosses Cobble Creek and begins a series of switchbacks up the mountain. There is a waterfall that cascades from Cold Spring at mile 1.6. Ben Lomond Trail connects with the Cutler Spring Trail just before Bailey Cabin Spring. This combined trail then connects with the Skyline Trail which winds off to the south. The trail switchbacks for most of the ascent, flattening out for about a mile before beginning the final series of zig-zags up to the summit. It requires 7.6 miles of hiking to get to the top of the peak. You gain about 2,300 feet in elevation, a steady but moderate ascent. It takes most of one day to hike the trail for most people. The trail gets fairly heavy use from summer to late fall. It is popular for horseback riders and mountain bikers.

In years past, Ogden Valley was known to the Shoshone, Ute, and Bannock Indians as "Opecarry" (stick-in-the-head). The trail through North Ogden Canyon was known as "Lodge Pole Trail," their major route to the mountains. A favorite Indian Encampment was referred to as "Pole Patch" at the northernmost part of Pleasant View below Ben Lomond Peak.

There is probably no better panoramic view of Ogden than from the top of Ben Lomond.

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