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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName WASATCH FUNDS TRUST
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Jan. 31, 2016
Investor Class | Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading WASATCH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND® — SUMMARY
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital.
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 Investor 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 54% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 54.00%
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text] rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent The management fee and total annual fund operating expenses have been restated to reflect the current management fee.
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 Investor Class of the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invested $10,000 in the Investor 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 Investor 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 small and micro cap foreign and domestic companies.
Under normal market conditions, we will invest the Fund’s assets in the equity securities of foreign and domestic companies with market capitalizations of less than US$5 billion at the time of purchase. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock and securities convertible into common stock, warrants and rights, 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 invest a significant portion of its total assets (up to 35% under normal market conditions) in securities of companies with market capitalizations greater than US$5 billion at the time of purchase when the companies meet our investment criteria. The Fund may also invest a significant portion of its total assets in micro cap companies with market capitalizations below US$1 billion (up to 90% under normal market conditions).
The Fund will typically invest in securities issued by companies domiciled in at least three countries, including the United States. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its total assets in companies domiciled in foreign countries (under normal market conditions, at least 40% of its assets outside the United States, or if conditions are not favorable, 30% of its assets outside the United States). Securities issued by foreign companies incorporated outside the United States whose securities are principally traded in the United States are not defined as “foreign companies” and are not subject to this limitation.
The Fund may invest a significant amount of its total assets (5% to 50% under normal market conditions) at the time of purchase in securities issued by companies domiciled in emerging markets. Emerging market countries are those currently included in the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) EFM (Emerging + Frontier Markets) Index. These companies typically are located in the Asia-Pacific region, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.
We use a process of quantitative screening followed by “bottom-up” fundamental analysis to identify individual companies that we believe are the World’s Best Growth Companies. We travel extensively to visit companies and expect to meet with senior management.
We may also invest in growth companies that we believe have had a temporary setback and therefore have appealing valuation relative to their long-term growth potential.
At times, we may invest in early stage companies with limited or no earnings history if we believe they have outstanding long-term growth potential. We may also invest in initial public offerings (IPOs).
We do not use allocation models to restrict the Fund’s investments to certain regions, countries or industries. We may significantly shift Fund assets between asset classes, sectors, and geographic regions based on where we believe the best growth opportunities and valuations currently exist. The Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few regions or sectors, including consumer discretionary, consumer staples, financials, health care, industrials and information technology.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration The Fund may invest a large percentage of its assets in a few regions or sectors, including consumer discretionary, consumer staples, financials, health care, industrials and information technology.
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.
Stock Selection Risk. The Fund’s investments may decline in value even when the overall stock market is not in a general decline.
Country/Region Risk. Social, political and economic conditions and changes in regulatory, tax, or economic policy in a country or region could significantly affect the market in that country or region. In addition, global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibility that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact the issuers of securities in a different country or region. From time to time, a small number of companies and industries may represent a large portion of the market in a particular country or region, and these companies and industries can be sensitive to adverse social, political, economic, or regulatory developments.
Foreign Securities Risk. Foreign securities are generally more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities. Further, foreign securities may be subject to additional risks not associated with investments in U.S. securities. Differences in the economic and political environment, the amount of available public information, the degree of market regulation, and financial reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and, in the case of foreign currency-denominated securities, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, can have a significant effect on the value of a foreign security.
Emerging and Frontier Markets Risk. In addition to the risks of investing in foreign securities in general, the risks of investing in the securities of companies domiciled in emerging and frontier market countries include increased political or social instability, economies based on only a few industries, unstable currencies, runaway inflation, highly volatile securities markets, unpredictable shifts in policies relating to foreign investments, lack of protection for investors against parties that fail to complete transactions, and the potential for government seizure of assets or nationalization of companies.
Micro Cap and Small Company Stock Risk. Micro cap and small company stocks may be very sensitive to changing economic conditions and market downturns because the issuers 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 and micro cap 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.
Growth Stock Risk. Growth stock prices may be more sensitive to changes in companies’ current or expected earnings than the prices of other stocks, and growth stock prices may fall or may not appreciate in step with the broader securities markets.
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.
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.
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 Investor Class of the Fund has performed over time. The past performance, before and after taxes, of the Fund’s Investor 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 Investor 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 Investor Class for the years shown in the bar chart. The average annual total return table below allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to that of a broad-based market index. 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 Investor Class of the Fund. The average annual total return table below allows you to compare the Fund’s performance over the time periods indicated to that of a broad-based market index.
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 Investor Class is not necessarily an indication of how these shares will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading WASATCH GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND — INVESTOR CLASS
Year by Year Total Returns
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock Best and Worst Quarterly Returns
Best — 6/30/2009      32.73%   
Worst — 9/30/2011      -18.94%   
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.
Investor Class | Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund | Investor 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 1.25% [1]
Distribution/Service (12b-1) Fee rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.31%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.56% [2]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 159
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 493
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 851
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,857
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 61.36%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 26.31%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (8.87%)
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 25.50%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 25.27%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 (0.49%)
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 3.32%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 32.73%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (18.94%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.32%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 8.05%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 18.48%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2008
Investor Class | Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Class Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.37%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 5.44%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 16.24%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2008
Investor Class | Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Class Shares  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.26%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.44%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 15.48%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2008
Investor Class | Wasatch Global Opportunities Fund | MSCI AC World Small Cap Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.04%) [3]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.30% [3]
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 15.44% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2008 [3]
[1] Effective January 31, 2016, the management fee was reduced from 1.50% to 1.25%. The management fee and total annual fund operating expenses have been restated to reflect the current management fee.
[2] Wasatch Advisors, Inc. (Advisor), the Fund's investment advisor, has contractually agreed to reimburse the Investor Class shares of the Fund for Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in excess of 1.75% 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.
[3] Source: MSCI. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used to create indices or financial products. This report is not approved or produced by MSCI.