Mount Olympus Wilderness
Mount Olympus is one of three Wilderness areas that form a spectacular backdrop for the Salt Lake Valley. Located southeast of Salt Lake City, Mount Olympus Wilderness consists of narrow canyons and rugged terrain varying from moderate to severe. Elevations range approximately from 5,000 feet to 10,000 feet. High peaks include Mount Raymond, Gobbler's Knob, and Mount Olympus itself, topping off at 9,793 feet. The higher country is characterized by large, alpine cirque basins and bare rocky ridges. The higher elevations can often have snow until the midsummer. Patches of various firs and aspen grow in stands, mainly on north-facing slopes. Lower elevations are covered in dense mountain brush mixed with sagebrush and grass.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 15,291 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.66° N, 111.73° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 5 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead, 1 fishing. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 1 miMill B North Trailhead #005 ↗Trailhead
- 3 mi
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
13 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 55 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Desolation ↗ | 17.6 | |
| Bonneville Shoreline South ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Neffs Canyon ↗ | 4.4 | |
| Bowman Fork | 4.3 | |
| Mill B North | 3.8 | |
| Porter Fork | 3.6 | |
| Alexander Basin | 3.2 | |
| Mount Olympus ↗ | 2.7 | |
| Terraces Elbow Fork | 2.6 | |
| Butler Fork | 2.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedThaynes Canyon 2026 Piles Rx
11 mi from the center point · 73 acres
- PrescribedTaylors Fork Rx
27 mi from the center point · 300 acres
- PrescribedPitt And Page Rx
38 mi from the center point · 170 acres
- PrescribedCastle Peak Rx
38 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- under 0.1 miMurray Theater ↗Murray, UT
- 0.3 miGranite Hydroelectric Power Plant Historic District ↗Salt Lake City, UT
- 0.6 miGranite Paper Mill ↗Salt Lake City, UT
- 0.7 miCasto, Santa Anna, House ↗Salt Lake City, UT
- 1 miBourne, Ernie and Irmgard, House ↗Millcreek Township, UT
- 1 miFish--Baughman House ↗Millcreek Township, UT
- 1 miLivingston, William and Annie, House ↗Holladay, UT
- 1.1 miWalker, George and Lida, House ↗Holladay, UT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Utah
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Mount Olympus Wilderness?
15,291 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mount Olympus Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mount Olympus Wilderness in?
Utah.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mount Olympus Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mount Olympus Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Mount Olympus Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.661° N, 111.731° W. Timpanogos Cave National Monument is 13 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mount Olympus Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Thaynes Canyon 2026 Piles Rx at 11 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Mount Olympus Wilderness?
Timpanogos Cave National Monument (13 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Mount Olympus Wilderness?
The National Register has 457 listings within 15 miles, including Murray Theater and Granite Hydroelectric Power Plant Historic District.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.