At one time, he celebrated Independence Day by taking his scout troop to the summit in the middle of the night. I like to get to the summit and watch the sun rise over the Wasatch. Most hikers start the trek to the peak by driving to the end of South Willow Canyon, parking at a trailhead at the top of Loop Campground. The hike begins in the shade of quaking aspens. A sign marks the start of the trail.
Hikers ford the stream once, using some well-placed rocks to make the crossing.
Right after the crossing, look for a sign marking a crossroads. Left goes to Deseret Peak, right to South Willow Lake. Once you get past the first mile or so and you cross the creek, you get away from all the wood carvings. From there, the trail begins to switchback, continuing uphill into Douglas fir and other conifers. Close to the top of a saddle, trees begin to get more sparse and the view of the Great Salt Lake and the desert which surrounds it begins to open up.