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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Utah |
| Size | 15,291 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.6611, -111.7309 |
| 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
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 8 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 1 moreHide
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, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSouth Street
37 mi from the center point · 12 acres
- PrescribedPitt And Page Rx
38 mi from the center point
- PrescribedCastle Peak Rx
38 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSpring Canyon Rx
40 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
- 0 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 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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?
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Birches Picnic Area. 9 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Mount Olympus Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 2 recreation sites here, including 1 trailhead and 1 lake and pond fishing. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Mount Olympus Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.661, -111.731. 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 2026-09-18, the nearest South Street at 37 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Mount Olympus Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 22 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
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
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.