Kings Peak, the highest mountain in Utah at 13,528 feet, rises in the central Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah within Ashley National Forest and the High Uintas Wilderness. Named for surveyor Clarence King, who later became the first director of the United States Geological Survey, it stands in a remote alpine setting south of the range’s main spine. Reaching the summit is a major undertaking rather than an easy roadside climb. Climbers commonly use three routes: an east-slope scramble, a hike along the northern ridge, or a longer but easier southern approach. Even the easiest route is about 29 miles round trip, making the peak a prized wilderness objective.