Running trails in Alta, UT
Alta has 1 trail in the directory — 1 with a stated distance and 1 open 24 hours. Every one posts opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 433 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Cecret Lake Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 433 reviews
1 miMixedScenic
Wildflower-filled alpine lake reached via leisurely trails that wind through trees and boulders.
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Alta
- Match the surface to your legs. Most of what's here is mixed (1 of 1). Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More mixed trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? A loop finishes back at the car with no backtracking; on an out-and-back you simply turn round at half your distance. The longest stated distance in Alta is Cecret Lake Trail at 1 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. Every trail in Alta is listed as open 24 hours, so an early start is never the problem. 1 of the 1 listing carries posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 1 has trailhead parking in Alta. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Alta trails by type
Running trails near Alta
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.