Franklin County High Point Trip Report
Date: July 2, 2000
Author: Ken Jones
On US Hwy. 89, find the Beaver Mountain Ski Area turnoff at virtual milepost 399.8. Head north on the
paved road, Utah state route 243. At 0.7 miles turn off onto a dirt road just as the paved road is entering a
sweeping left turn. Keep right at 0.9 miles, and follow the main road. You'll pass the signed state line
into Idaho at 2.8 miles. You'll pass the entrance to Beaver Creek Campground at 4.7 miles, and pass
another right fork at 4.8 (keep straight). At 6.4 miles, reach a signed junction ("Egan Basin 2") where
you'll go left, passing a couple of right forks immediately but keeping left. You'll cross a cattle guard at
7.8 miles, and skip forks to the left (8.5) and right (8.9). At 10.6 miles is a fork to the right (8475' on
map). Park here. This route was bumpy but passable in a rental 2WD car. Roads in this area have
changed since the 1969 Egan Basin quad was surveyed - the dirt road to the right at this point is not
signed as open, and I believe is technically closed at this point to vehicle traffic. The jeep road over
Danish Pass has been replaced by a graded road.
(Alternate driving route: On US Hwy 91 in Idaho at virtual milepost 3.7 (that's the distance north of the
Utah border) turn east onto paved and signed "Cub River Road". At 8.5 miles, the pavement ends and a
good gravel road continues. At 11.2 miles, turn right. At 13.9 miles, pass Willow Flat campground. The
road deteriorates past this point. Continue up Hillyard Canyon, passing a right fork at 17.5 miles and turn
to the left in a flat area at 17.7. Follow the main track to 18.3 miles, where you'll turn left. You'll pass
through Danish Pass at 19.7 miles and reach the 8475' junction, referred to above, at 20.1 miles from
Hwy. 91. These mileages are probably a bit low. This route was tough on a 2WD rental car; high
clearance would be recommended.)
From the parking area, you can see a bump at a bearing of about 25 degrees. You can't actually see the
summit, but it's behind there. We walked the (closed?) road about 100 yards, then headed more or less on
a direct line for the peak. It's steep, but mostly not loose. The angle keeps getting lower, so several areas
that look like they might be the top turn out not to be. When you get to the top it's obvious. The two
upright rocks which are highest, and furthest north, may be north of the watershed line, and therefore may
be outside Franklin county. Get on top of the other heap, too. We did not find a register.
Total trip is about 2 miles with 1000' of gain. Our round trip was just under 2 hours with a break on top.