My favorite Utah hike. I like going up via Cherry Canyon Logging Trail better than Jacob’s Ladder. Either way the initial ascent is grueling. Cherry Canyon is also more convenient bc you can park at Orson Smith park and begin, whereas you’ll need to drive a somewhat nasty dirt road to get to the Jacob’s Ladder trailhead.
One cool thing about the Cherry Canyon ascent is you might run into paragliders who like to hike the first 3-4k vertical feet of that trail to a point where they launch and then glide down just above the ridge.
Once you’ve completed the initial ascent of either Jacob’s ladder or cherry canyon the two trails nearly converge near Ennis Peak. From there a ridge divides the routes as you head towards the top. Cherry Canyon takes the north side of the ridge, and Jacob’s Ladder takes the south side.
The two trails converge again at the base of the cirque that you have to traverse to get to the top of Lone Peak. This is where you’ll need to do some scrambling with exposure. Not for the faint of heart, but also very rewarding.
My personal preference is to take Cherry Canyon all the way to the top, then come back on Jacob’s Ladder and jump back over to Cherry near Ennis Peak. The terrain diversity this method offers is so pleasing. The Jacob’s Ladder route has boulder fields, mountain meadows, and views of Mt Timpanogas and Utah Valley that I adore.
There are some points on the trail where you can simultaneously see Utah Valley, SL Valley, West Desert, and even the Great SL. Best views of any trail in Utah.
If you go by late May, early June, you can expect to find water sources, but you’ll probably also still run into snow at the top. Late summer you’ll want to make sure to pack all the water you need.
One last note, if you take Jacob’s Ladder, be prepared for large portions where the only way to recognize the trail is to follow the cairns.