With the Tushar Mountains literally in Eagle Point’s backyard, there’s an abundance of places to hike right out of the resort. Families with young children will enjoy a walk through the resort property, but if you are looking for more of a trek, you can easily stretch further afield into the Fishlake National Forest. The Tushar Ridgeline is about a 20-minute hike from the resort, and once there, you can continue along the ridge for a few more miles and take in the epic views.
But, the most dramatic vistas are along the Skyline Trail. This moderate, nine-mile hike starts at the Big Flat trailhead, less than a mile from the resort, and travels along the flanks of eight different peaks in the Tushar range. If you are thirsting for a summit, you can bag the nearly 12,000-foot tall Mount Holly, which is about a 3.5-hour hike from the lodge.
There are also two main mountain biking routes at Eagle Point, both of which begin in the center of the resort at the Skyline Lodge. They are both singletrack trails that wind through the meadows and hills of Mount Holly’s flanks. The 3.5-mile Monarch Mountain Loop is a smooth beginner-intermediate ride with 400 vertical feet of elevation change that tops out at 10,500 feet. It can be taken in either direction. The 1.7-mile Eagle Egress Trail, also for beginner-intermediate riders, is meant to be taken downhill. From the lodge you’ll drop down 300 feet to the road, and then have to shuttle your car to get back up (or ride uphill for less than a mile on the road).
If you are more into playing games, Eagle Point’s disc golf course is a lot of fun. Disc golf is similar to golf, but you use Frisbees instead of clubs, tees, and golf balls. The course is located at the top of the Skyline Lift and has stunning mountainscapes for a backdrop. This is a nine-hole course with distances of 300 to 500 yards between holes (play it twice for a full 18-hole game). You’ll get your workout in, too — a full game will require you to hike a couple of miles at an elevation of 10,000 to 10,500 feet.
Adrenaline junkies won’t want to miss out on a game of paintball. There are a couple of different courses: one is a big open field with forests to dart through on either side, and one is a five-acre area equipped with bunkers and perches. Call at least 24 hours ahead to make a reservation for your group; Eagle Point will equip you with the gear and paintballs.
Eagle Point can be a great place to take a tranquil retreat for most of the summer, but if you’re looking for more activity considering coming during one of the festivals the resort hosts (or, if you want to avoid the crowds, note these weekends as ones to avoid). The first Lunar Transit festival brought upwards of 1,000 people to Eagle Point in 2015; the Roots of the Rocks Revival music festival has gained enough popularity to become an annual event, and will be running for the third time in summer 2016.
GPS Coordinates: 38.320733, -112.383713
