Difficulty: Beginner ◉
Length: 3.4 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 670 feet
Dog Friendly: Yes
Trailhead coordinates (copy + paste): 40.6099, -111.5355
Directions: When driving up Guardsman Pass Road from Park City, park at the new Bloods Lake lot on the right side of the road. This road is seasonal and can only be accessed from mid/late May through early November. Check UDOT's traffic website for current status. In the Northeast corner of the parking lot (the opposite direction from the crosswalk to the Bloods Lake trailhead), you'll find a sign marking the start of the hiking-only Io trail. Turn left when the trail opens up at the dirt road, which comes out at the McConkey's chairlift if you stay on it until the very end. There is a connecting road near the top which leads to the top of Empire chairlift, if you're feeling up for a small detour. From McConkey's, start on the rocky trail that heads toward the peak, and follow the ridge all the way past the patrol shack to the summit.
The best place to ski on a powder day, Jupiter Peak is a fun one to visit in the summer as well. This quick hike gains a decent amount of elevation on its way up, enjoying wide open views of Guardsmans along the way. After passing through a dense patch of aspens which are especially vibrant in the fall, the trail opens up onto an unshaded dirt road as it climbs up the backside of Deer Valley and PCMR. The top of McConkey's chair is the perfect spot to take a break and admire the view of the ski runs below before heading up the rocky ridge trail to the summit. Beautiful from spring through fall, the 10,000-foot summit has far-reaching views over PCMR, Deer Valley, and Park City. If you have more time and energy to spare, add a few miles to your day by hiking to and from Shadow Lake at the bottom of Jupiter chair for an extra leg burn.
