Upper Strawberry Trail

Upper Strawberry Trail is a 4.0-mile loop from Strawberry Creek Trailhead, pairing open Sage Steppe meadows with a 1.5-mile Upper Strawberry spur that climbs to a saddle and returns the same way. Take one arm of Sage Steppe to the creek junction, hike the upper trail out and back, then use the other arm to close the loop. Allow two to four hours for about 1,280 feet of climbing from a high 7,920-foot start. It suits hikers who want a sustained creek climb more than a Wheeler Peak viewpoint.

The two lower approaches cross open ground with little shade. Leave Sage Steppe at the Upper Strawberry junction and stay on the named trail toward the saddle; an old Osceola Ditch connection is not part of this route. The first quarter-mile is in the 2016 burn scar, after which the path stays among trees. Strawberry Creek runs beside the route, and several natural crossings are required. Most of the gain comes after the meadow loop, especially on the latter half; two close switchbacks mark the final climb.

The trail ends at a saddle between Bald Mountain and Windy Peak. The view north looks toward Windy Peak; Bald Mountain blocks Wheeler Peak to the south, so this is a forest-to-saddle walk rather than a Wheeler panorama. The 2016 Strawberry Fire burned more than 4,700 acres in the canyon. Strawberry Creek remains an important Bonneville cutthroat trout restoration stream, with monitoring and restoration continuing. Spring brings meadow wildflowers and fall colors the aspens; elk are common in the riparian corridor, especially during rut.

Strawberry Creek Road is a dirt road that closes in winter. Use only the designated spaces at the road-end trailhead; roadside parking is prohibited. The nearest pit toilets are 1.5 miles before the trailhead, and there is no potable water along the road, so carry your drinking water. Pets are not allowed on park trails; trained service animals are permitted. Elk can be unpredictable during rut, so keep at least 150 feet away.