Location
Crystal Lake Also know as A-51 is located in Summit County, Utah and is part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Crystal Lake lies within the Provo River drainage of the Uinta Mountains. From the Mirror Lake Highway take the Trial Lake exit, then travel 0.7 miles to Forest Road 038. Follow FR-038 a half mile, just past the Washington Lake Campground. There will be a large parking lot and the trailhead will start at the north end. This is a very popular area and the parking lot will fill to capacity quickly. If it is a holiday or weekend you need to arrive early to find a parking spot.
The Trail
From the Crystal Lake Trailhead it's only about 200 yards to the lake. This is an easy hike and great for children or those that have consumed too much Taco Bell. The hike is flat with no hills and much of it has a boardwalk to make travel even easier.
Fish Species
Crystal Lake is generally stocked yearly with an average of about 1,000 Brook Trout.
Historical DWR Info
1999
Crystal, A-51. Crystal is a productive reservoired lake surrounded by coniferous forests and small, wet meadows. The lake is 9.8 acres, 10,020 feet in elevation, with 7 feet maximum depth. Several good campsites are available with a piped water source and abundant horse pasture in large, dry parks to the south and southwest. The lake lies 200 yards west of the Crystal Lake-Trailhead on the North Fork Trail. Crystal receives heavy fishing pressure from day and overnight groups. The lake is stocked with brook trout on an annual basis.
1964
CRYSTAL, A-22. Just north of Washington Lake and 14 mile west of Trial Lake. 9.8 acres, elevation 10,200 feet, maximum depth 9 feet. A pretty lake sitting in open country surrounded by high stands of timber. Small Eastern brook 8 to 10 inches. Heavily fished. Stocked with brook annually. Camping sites. Rafts.
History
Much of this history was obtained at clegghistory.org.
In 1912, many of the lakes in this area were first planted by George Clegg. The fish were only one inch in size. By 1915 the fish had grown to 20 inches. Crystal Lake was one of the first lakes in the Uintas to have a dam constructed in 1916. Predated only by Wall Lake, Trial, and Washington Lake which were constructed from the 1880's - 1914. In the 1930's the CCC did a lot of roadwork in the area. This allowed for vehicles to more easily access the lake. A new dam was constructed in 1939. As you can see above in the 1964 DWR pamphlet of Lakes of the High Uintas, Crystal was formerly named A-22. I'm not sure when the name changed to A-51 but I believe it was in the 1970's. In 1977, the U.S. Forest Service Soapstone Youth Conservation Corps built a trail from Crystal Lake to Wall Lake.
Summit County Bee July 22nd 1977.
And according to the YCC director Henry Ketchie, there is more to trail building than stripping a straight line through the woods. “We try to make the trail, scenic and interesting.” Says Ketchie. “ At the same time, we try to do as little unnecessary damage to the environment as possible, so that the trail looks natural and appropriate.” Corps-person Lesia Sorenson adds, “that means we go around trees rather than destroy them just to make a straight line.”
In 1982 the headgate on the dam was replaced and the dam was resurfaced with stone riprap. In 1985, a survey stated the dam is presently among the most deteriorated in the unit. It's physical integrity has been compromised somewhat by the installation of a new headgate.
Nearby Places to Fish
A-24 Upper Lily Lake also called Ponds Lake on Google Maps. This lake is less than 200 yards away from crystal to the northeast. A easy hike. Due to acidic water it will not inhabit fish.
A-25 Lower Lily Lake also called Lily Lakes on Google Maps. This lake is just east of A-24 and is also a simple easy hike.
A-23 Washington Lake. Access is somewhat annoying unless you're paying to stay at the campground.
A-61 Trial Lake. You can drive right to it on non busy days. Go south back to Trial Lake Raod (FR-41) then north a few hundred yards.
A-34 Cliff Lake. 1/2 mile north of crystal on the Clyde Lake trail.
A-29 Wall Lake. One mile each way. The trail goes between the two Lily Lakes.
A-58 Lily, A-59 Teapot and A-60 lost. Go past Trial to enter Mirror Lake highway. Travel one mile east on the road.
Were You Looking for? Crystal Lake GR-128 in the Burnt Fork Drainage.