Alexander Basin, located in Mill Creek Canyon, is a beautiful hike to glacier-carved bowls on the north side of Gobbler’s Knob, but has a notorious reputation of being very steep. But steep doesn’t mean long, so if you’re in the mood for a leg workout, but don’t have a lot of time to hike, then Alexander Basin is a good destination with a lot of bang for your hiking buck.
The trailhead is located 7.8 miles up Mill Creek Canyon in the Central Wasatch Mountains. Look for the signed trailhead on your right as you head up canyon. There is a small pullout that holds a dozen cars. From the start, the trail is steep as it switchbacks into the pine trees. And then it gets really steep! In fact, it pretty much goes straight up the mountain. But don’t be deterred, because if you take it slow, you’ll make it up with little problem… just don’t try to run up the thing.
After about a mile, the trail leaves the thick pine forest and enters the basin where views of the mountains and the valley far below are revealed. The basin itself is usually filled with wildflowers and is very lush. However, the trail remains steep with a few flat sections as the incline becomes terraced. After the final terrace, you’re in Alexander Basin proper, which is a good turnaround point after you soak in the mountain landscape.
For a longer hike, you can continue following the trail as it winds up through the boulders and talus fields to the top of Gobblers Knob.
Overall, hiking to Alexander Basin is about 2.5 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. It’s a butt kicker that will make your quads burn, but the reward at the top far outweighs the effort.