Great Western Trail - Barker Section

The Barker Section (Forest Trail #34001.5) is a stretch of the Great Western Trail in Dixie National Forest that runs past Barker Reservoir before climbing onto the Griffin Top mesa. It's a non-motorized segment, popular with hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders working their way between the Barker Recreation Area and the high plateau country to the north.

Good to know

• Both Upper and Lower Barker Reservoir have trailheads, with the reservoirs themselves offering fishing and small-boat paddling in a forest setting of aspen and spruce
• The area is also the access point for a cluster of nine backcountry fishing lakes, plus connecting hiking, biking, and horse trails
• Camping is available near the reservoirs for anyone stringing this section into a longer multi-day GWT trip

The climb onto Griffin Top is the main event here — open meadows give way to mesa-top views once you're above the reservoir basin.