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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName WASATCH FUNDS TRUST
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 31, 2016
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading WASATCH LONG/SHORT FUND® — SUMMARY
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, sell or hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption SHAREHOLDER FEES (FEES PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (EXPENSES THAT YOU PAY EACH YEAR AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE VALUE OF YOUR INVESTMENT)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination January 31, 2017
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). Higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 44% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 44.00%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading EXAMPLE
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Institutional Class of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 in the Institutional Class of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeemed all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that operating expenses (as a percentage of net assets) of the Fund’s Institutional Class remained the same. This example reflects contractual fee waivers and reimbursements through January 31, 2017. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock The Fund invests primarily in equity securities by maintaining long equity positions and short equity positions.
We seek to achieve higher risk-adjusted returns with lower volatility compared to the equity markets in general (as represented by the S&P 500 Index). Under normal market conditions, we will invest the Fund’s assets in the equity securities of companies with market capitalizations of at least $100 million at the time of purchase that we have identified as being undervalued (long equity positions) and we will sell short those securities (short equity positions) that we have identified as being overvalued. The equity securities in which the Fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks, warrants and any rights to purchase common stocks and other securities with equity characteristics (for example, participatory notes or derivatives linked to a basket of underlying equity securities, certain options on common stock, and exchange-traded funds).
The Fund may at any time have either a net long exposure or a net short exposure to the equity markets. The Fund will not be managed to maintain either net long or net short market exposure.
The Fund may invest in early stage companies and initial public offerings (IPOs).
We believe that the best opportunities to make both short and long equity investments are when the market’s perception of the values of individual companies (measured by the stock price) differs widely from our assessment of the intrinsic values of such companies. When evaluating a potential long or short investment for the Fund, we employ a comprehensive valuation analysis intended to establish a range for fair valuation or intrinsic company value, with a particular emphasis on company fundamentals. We believe opportunities to buy stocks or sell stocks short arise due to a variety of market inefficiencies, including:
  • Changes in market participant psychology and circumstances.
  • Imperfect information.
  • Forecasts and projections by Wall Street analysts and company representatives that differ from experienced reality.
When evaluating long investments, we typically look for stocks that are appropriately valued or undervalued based on our analysis.
When evaluating a short investment, we typically look for signs of current overvaluation. For example, we look for companies that we believe:
  • Have earnings that appear to be reflected in the current stock price.
  • Are likely to fall short of market expectations.
  • Are in industries that exhibit weakness.
  • Have poor management.
  • Are likely to suffer an event affecting long-term earnings.
The Fund may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity consisting of corporate notes, bonds and debentures, including those that are rated less than investment grade at the time of purchase.
The Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few sectors, including consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology and materials.
The Fund is expected to have a high portfolio turnover rate.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration The Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few sectors, including consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology and materials.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock All investments carry some degree of risk that will affect the value of the Fund, its investment performance and the price of its shares. As a result, you may lose money if you invest in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
The Fund is subject to the following principal investment risks:
Stock Market Risk. The Fund’s investments may decline in value due to movements in the overall stock market.
Market Direction Risk. Since the Fund has both a “long” and a “short” portfolio, an investment in the Fund will involve market risks associated with different investment decisions than those made for a typical “long only” stock fund. The Fund’s results will suffer both when there is a general stock market advance and the Fund holds significant “short” equity positions, or when there is a general stock market decline and the Fund holds significant “long” equity positions.
Stock Selection Risk. The Fund’s investments may decline in value even when the overall stock market is not in a general decline.
Short Sales Risk. The Fund can make short sales of securities, which means it may experience a loss if the market price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date the security is replaced. Short sales may reduce a Fund’s returns or increase volatility.
Smaller Company Stock Risk. Small- and mid-cap stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns. In particular, the issuers of small company stocks have more narrow markets for their products and services, fewer product lines, and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger issuers. The stocks of small companies may therefore be more volatile and the ability to sell these stocks at a desirable time or price may be more limited.
Early Stage Companies Risk. Early stage companies may never obtain necessary financing, may rely on untested business plans, may not be successful in developing markets for their products or services, and may remain an insignificant part of their industry, and as such may never be profitable. Stocks of early stage companies may be illiquid, privately traded, and more volatile and speculative than the securities of larger companies.
Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) Risk. IPOs involve a higher degree of risk because companies involved in IPOs generally have limited operating histories and their prospects for future profitability are uncertain. Prices of IPOs may also be unstable due to the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available for trading and limited investor information.
Value Investing Risk. A value investing strategy attempts to identify strong companies with stocks selling at a discount from their perceived true worth. It is subject to the risk that the stocks’ intrinsic values may never be fully recognized or realized by the market, their prices may go down, or that stocks judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced.
Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that a debt security's value will decline due to changes in market interest rates. Even though some interest-bearing securities offer a stable stream of income, their prices will still fluctuate with changes in interest rates. The Fund may be subject to greater risk of rising interest rates than would normally be the case due to the current period of historically low rates and the effect of potential government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. When interest rates change, the values of longer duration debt securities usually change more than the values of shorter-duration debt securities.
Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt security will fail to repay principal and interest on the security when due. Credit risk is affected by the issuer’s credit status, and is generally higher for non-investment grade securities.
Non-Investment Grade Securities Risk. Non-investment grade securities (also known as “high yield” or “junk bonds”), those rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (e.g., below BB/Ba by S&P/Moody’s) tend to have more volatile prices and increased price sensitivity to changing interest rates and adverse economic and business developments than investment grade securities. In addition, compared to investments in investment grade securities, investments in non-investment grade securities are subject to greater risk of loss due to default by the issuer or decline in the issuer’s credit quality. There is a greater likelihood that adverse economic or company-specific events will make the issuer unable to make interest and/or principal payments, and more susceptible to negative market sentiment, leading to depressed prices and decreased liquidity for the non-investment grade securities.
Sector Weightings Risk. To the extent the Fund emphasizes, from time to time, investments in a particular sector, the Fund will be subject to a greater degree to the risks particular to that sector, including the sectors described below. Market conditions, interest rates, and economic, regulatory, or financial developments could significantly affect all the securities in a single sector. If the Fund invests in a few sectors, it may have increased exposure to the price movements of those sectors.
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. Industries in the consumer discretionary sector, such as consumer durables, hotels, restaurants, media, retailing, and automobiles, may be significantly impacted by the performance of the overall economy, interest rates, competition, consumer confidence and spending, and changes in demographics and consumer tastes.
Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector may be affected by marketing campaigns, changes in consumer demands, government regulations and changes in commodity prices.
Energy Sector Risk. The value of energy companies is particularly vulnerable to developments in the energy sector, fluctuations in the price and supply of energy fuels, energy conservation, the supply of and demand for specific energy-related products or services, and tax policy and other government regulation.
Financials Sector Risk. The financials sector is subject to extensive government regulation, can be subject to relatively rapid change due to increasingly blurred distinctions between service segments, and can be significantly affected by the availability and cost of capital funds, changes in interest rates, the rate of corporate and consumer debt defaults, and price competition.
Health Care Sector Risk. Health care companies are strongly affected by worldwide scientific or technological developments. Their products may rapidly become obsolete. Many health care companies are also subject to significant government regulation and may be affected by changes in government policies.
Industrials Sector Risk. Industries in the industrials sector include companies engaged in the production, distribution or service of products or equipment for manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, mining, and construction, and can be significantly affected by general economic trends, including such factors as employment and economic growth, interest rate changes, changes in consumer spending, legislative and government regulation and spending, import controls, commodity prices, and worldwide competition.
Information Technology Sector Risk. Stocks of information technology companies may be volatile because issuers are sensitive to rapid obsolescence of existing technology, short product cycles, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants, and general economic conditions. Information technology stocks, especially those of smaller, less-seasoned companies, tend to be more volatile than the overall market.
Materials Sector Risk. Changes in world events, political, environmental and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, and labor relations may adversely affect companies engaged in the production and distribution of materials.
Portfolio Turnover Rate. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is expected to exceed 200%. This type of fund generally has high portfolio turnover that necessarily results in greater transaction costs and causes more short-term capital gains (or losses) to be realized. Distributions to shareholders of short-term capital gains are taxed as ordinary income under federal income tax laws.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney All investments carry some degree of risk that will affect the value of the Fund, its investment performance and the price of its shares. As a result, you may lose money if you invest in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The following tables provide information on how the Institutional Class of the Fund has performed over time. The past performance, before and after taxes, of the Fund’s Institutional Class is not necessarily an indication of how these shares will perform in the future. The bar chart below is intended to provide you with an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year, as represented by the Institutional Class of the Fund. The table below is designed to help you evaluate your risk tolerance by showing the best and worst quarterly performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class for the years shown in the bar chart. The average annual total returns table allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to the primary benchmark (the S&P 500 Index), which reflects the effects of general stock market risk, and to a secondary benchmark (the Citigroup U.S. Domestic 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bills Index), which reflects short-term interest rates and is usually free from the risk of principal fluctuation. Performance information is updated regularly and is available on the Fund’s website www.WasatchFunds.com.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart below is intended to provide you with an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year to year, as represented by the Institutional Class of the Fund. The average annual total returns table allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to the primary benchmark (the S&P 500 Index), which reflects the effects of general stock market risk,
Performance Additional Market Index [Text] rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex The average annual total returns table allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to the primary benchmark (the S&P 500 Index), which reflects the effects of general stock market risk, and to a secondary benchmark (the Citigroup U.S. Domestic 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bills Index), which reflects short-term interest rates and is usually free from the risk of principal fluctuation.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.WasatchFunds.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The past performance, before and after taxes, of the Fund’s Institutional Class is not necessarily an indication of how these shares will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading WASATCH LONG/SHORT FUND — INSTITUTIONAL CLASS
Year by Year Total Returns
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock Best and Worst Quarterly Returns
Best — 3/31/2013      9.27%   
Worst — 9/30/2015      -12.20%   
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns — (as of 12/31/15)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred The after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher The Fund’s returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than returns before taxes and after taxes on distributions because they include the effect of a tax benefit an investor may receive from the capital losses that would have been incurred.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

The Fund’s returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares may be higher than returns before taxes and after taxes on distributions because they include the effect of a tax benefit an investor may receive from the capital losses that would have been incurred.
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund | Institutional Class Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a % of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed on shares held 60 days or less) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption 2.00%
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Maximum Account Fee rr_MaximumAccountFeeOverAssets none
Management Fee rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 1.10%
Distribution/Service (12b-1) Fee rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Dividend Expense on Short Sales/Interest Expense rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.31% [1]
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.06%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.47%
Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.01%) [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.46%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 149
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 464
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 802
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,756
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 19.12%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 (2.14%)
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (16.09%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 9.27%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2015
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (12.20%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (16.09%)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (0.50%)
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Dec. 13, 2012
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Institutional Class Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (18.09%)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (1.93%)
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Dec. 13, 2012
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Institutional Class Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (7.44%)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (0.26%)
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Dec. 13, 2012
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.38%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 14.84%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Dec. 13, 2012
Institutional Class | Wasatch Long/Short Fund | Citigroup U.S. Domestic 3-Month Treasury Bills Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.03%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 0.04%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Dec. 13, 2012
[1] Dividends on short sales are the dividends paid to the lenders of borrowed securities. The expenses related to dividends on short sales are estimated and will vary depending on whether the securities the Fund sells short pay dividends and on the amount of any such dividends. Expenses also include borrowing costs paid to the broker in connection with borrowing the security to be sold short. The rate paid to brokers varies by security.
[2] Wasatch Advisors, Inc. (Advisor), the Fund’s investment advisor, has contractually agreed to reimburse the Institutional Class shares of the Fund for Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in excess of 1.15% of average daily net assets until at least January 31, 2017 (excluding interest, dividend expense on short sales/interest expense, taxes, brokerage commissions, other investment related costs, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business). The Board of Trustees is the only party that can terminate the contractual limitation prior to the contract’s expiration. The Advisor can rescind the contractual limitation on expenses at any time after its expiration date.