Basics
- Length:
- 13 miles oneway
- Difficulty:
- Advanced
- Time To Allow:
- 2 - 4 hours
- Season:
- Late June through October
Description
The Wasatch Crest Trail is a great single track route along the spine of the Wasatch Mountains. The trail rolls up and down, with fabulous views of the granite peaks southward in Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood canyons.
The trail runs along the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Park City area, then descends towards the Salt Lake valley via Mill Creek Canyon. This is a popular, well-maintained, and well-travelled trail. It forms part of the Great Western Trail.
The trail runs along the ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and the Park City area, then descends towards the Salt Lake valley via Mill Creek Canyon. This is a popular, well-maintained, and well-travelled trail. It forms part of the Great Western Trail.
Details
Length:
13 miles oneway
with shuttle; several other variations are possible
with shuttle; several other variations are possible
Difficulty:
Advanced
Time To Allow:
2 - 4 hours
Season:
Late June through October
Additional Details:
Most riders begin at Guardsman Pass and ride towards Salt Lake, using a shuttle car to return to Guardsman Pass. Hardbodies will climb from Mill Creek Canyon''s Big Water trail, then turn around at the radio shacks where the single-track ends and run back for a 20-mile out-and-back.
The trail is mostly hardpacked dirt. Starting just below Guardsman''s Pass, it climbs two miles up a dirt road through pines and aspens to reach the crest. This brutal climb is called "Puke Hill," and is the only prolonged climb. Altitude at the top is 9900 feet. After the second transmission shack, it converts to single track.
After the trail drops into Mill Creek Canyon, you''ll follow the trail signs to the Lower Big Water Trail. The trail ends in the parking lot in upper Mill Creek Canyon. This section of the trail (Mill Creek Canyon) is open to mountain bikers on even days only (i.e. you can bike the 28th, but not the 29th).
The entire trip from Guardsman Pass to the Big Water Trail parking area is around 13 miles. Most bikers do it as a one-way, with a shuttle car in Mill Creek. Another option is to ride the Crest to the Mill Creek Canyon parking lot, run 4 miles down the Mill Creek Canyon road, ride the Pipeline Trail to Rattlesnake Gulch, then run out the bottom of the canyon. It''s 26 miles in total.
The trail clears of snow in late June to early July.
The trail is mostly hardpacked dirt. Starting just below Guardsman''s Pass, it climbs two miles up a dirt road through pines and aspens to reach the crest. This brutal climb is called "Puke Hill," and is the only prolonged climb. Altitude at the top is 9900 feet. After the second transmission shack, it converts to single track.
After the trail drops into Mill Creek Canyon, you''ll follow the trail signs to the Lower Big Water Trail. The trail ends in the parking lot in upper Mill Creek Canyon. This section of the trail (Mill Creek Canyon) is open to mountain bikers on even days only (i.e. you can bike the 28th, but not the 29th).
The entire trip from Guardsman Pass to the Big Water Trail parking area is around 13 miles. Most bikers do it as a one-way, with a shuttle car in Mill Creek. Another option is to ride the Crest to the Mill Creek Canyon parking lot, run 4 miles down the Mill Creek Canyon road, ride the Pipeline Trail to Rattlesnake Gulch, then run out the bottom of the canyon. It''s 26 miles in total.
The trail clears of snow in late June to early July.
Information provided by utahmountainbiking.com
