Eagle Mountain Treadstone-area trails

View north. Initial photos and ride review by Bruce on July 9, 2016. Periodically updated for new trails with most recent update June 22, 2022.

Eagle Mountain - Middle Trails
"Prayer Flag" area: Treadstone, Supersonic, Cracker Jack, Backspacer, Space Dust, Given to Fly, Nirvana, Deer Tracks

The knoll in the Treadstone area sits in the middle of the main Eagle Mountain riding area. Many other trails connect to Treadstone, making it a main access route into the heart of Eagle Mountain. For a quick description of all Eagle Mountain trails, see the Eagle Mountain Overview Page . Other area trails are described in detail on pages for the northern Eagle Mountain trails , southern Eagle Mountain trails , and the Lake Mountain slope trails , the Eagle Mountain Race Loop , and the Mountain Ranch Bike Park .

The Treadstone trail is 2.1 miles long and is a must-ride for Eagle Mountain. Individual section have their own names, which may be confusing to you. The Lake Mountain Trails Association struggles to keep trail signs at intersections in this complex area. So if you're lost, get out your cell phone's navigation app and figure out where you really are.

Southbound on the former Behind the Boathouse section of Treadstone. This bit of trail is now a paved bike path behind building lots in a subdivision.

Looking north toward Eagle Mountain itself. That's actually the Bingham Canyon copper mine tailings you can see on the ridgeline.

Treadstone delivers you to many key trails around the Prayer Flags hill. You can connect to Given to Fly and the south end of Creed as well as Cracker Jack. At the prayer flags, Nirvana heads westbound from Treadstone, offering connections to the top of Given to Fly and Backspacer. As you descend Treadstone southbound, Deer Tracks connects down to the Race Loop staging area, Cow Tracks, and the doubletrack access to Jackrabbit. On the far south, Treadstone ends at the north end of Deadwood.

Deer Tracks Trail - access from the "Rockpile" parking area

Treadstone can be reached quickly from the Race Loop 's trailhead via Deer Tracks. The Deer Tracks trail starts westbound away from the dirt road just where you enter the parking area. It climbs gently 0.2 miles to intercept Treadstone at mile 0.75 from Deadwood. Like Treadstone, it's narrow singletrack.

Just uphill from the trailhead, we're heading southwest.

Almost to the connection spot, heading west, with miles of Great Basin in view.

Deer Tracks can also be considered a continuation of the Cow Tracks trail when riding into the area from the north. From Cow Tracks, veer a bit to the right as you roll downhill toward the parking zone and hold straight as you cross the branching doubletracks at the eastern side of the race parking zone. As you reach the westernmost doubletrack on the far side of the parking zone (heading south-southwest) look for the singletrack starting uphill on your right.
To make the connection in reverse rom Treadstone, descend Deer Tracks then cross the open area veering slightly left toward an ATV track. Just uphill on the ATV track, Cow Tracks is on your left.

Cracker Jack

Cracker Jack runs through a grassy area that burned a few years ago. Few live trees remain.

Cracker Jack forks away from the Deer Tracks trail just uphill from the "Rockpile" parking zone. It extends north to Hidden Canyon. It runs in a north-south direction along the lower slope of the "Prayer Flag" hill. The trail is easy to ride both uphill and down.

Cracker Jack is 0.7 miles in length with 150 vertical feet elevation loss from Deer Tracks to Hidden Canyon.

Descending Cracker Jack toward Hidden Canyon.

Looking uphill on the 2022 re-route of Cracker Jack as we climb up from Given to Fly. Just ahead is the merger with Supersonic.

Near its northern end, Cracker Jack joins Supersonic for 1/10th mile. Keep left and downhill at the merger, then fork downhill to the right at the trail split. Cracker Jack ends on Given to Fly. To the right is the path toward the trailhead (affected by construction in 2022), and to the left is the Given to Fly trail westbound.

Treadstone Trail

In 2016 the Treadstone Trail was added to the Eagle Mountain trails in the Hidden Canyon area. In 2022 Treadstone is 2.1 miles long with an elevation gain of 350 feet.
Treadstone offers both new loop ride options and an extension or variation of pre-existing loops. The riding season is March through December, weather permitting. The riding is suitable for intermediates, but will be satisfying cranking for hammerheads.

The famous Prayer Flags of Eagle Mountain are at the Treadstone Trail's highest point. On a Saturday morning, you'll find plenty of local bikers hitting this trail system.

Climbing along the parched south-facing hillside shortly after leaving Deadwood.

The tread is narrow hand-cut singletrack, with constant wiggles, dips, and turns. If you're looking for a fast emergency route back to town, this is NOT it. This trail goes all over the place, back and forth. It climbs around, then over, a small hill west of the parking area, then descends north on the backside of the hill as Supersonic.

Note that sections of Treadstone are signed with various names (in addition to the main trail name). These include Billy Idol from Treadstone to Deer Tracks, Cougar Tracks up to the hill top, and Prayer Flags for the route on top of the hill before the trail becomes Supersonic at the dirt road).

Treadstone lies at the northwest corner of Eagle Mountain's Race Loop, but isn't actually part of the loop. It's not directly connected to the Mountain Ranch Bike Park trail system. It connects to Nirvana (which is your route to the top of Given to Fly and Backspacer), and Deer Tracks.

The trail winds back and forth constantly. Bruce is eastbound on the southern side of the hill.

We've turned around the mountain, looking down at the parking area for the Race Loop. Plenty of parking, but bring your own shade and water. Also, a potty if you'll need one.

Many riders going clockwise on the Race Loop trails will fork onto the southern portion of Treadstone after they finish Deadwood (instead of turning onto dirt road). After riding 3/4 mile on Treadstone, fork right onto Deer Tracks and drop to the trailhead. This singletrack route is only slightly longer than the 3/4 mile of dirt road on the official race loop. But it's a lot more fun and scenic.

For riders who are looking for just a few miles, consider starting at the Race Loop trailhead. Climb Deer Tracks then take Treadstone and Supersonic to its north end on the Hidden Canyon road. To get back, you'll climb Cracker Jack south uphill.

Eagle Mountain is a great spot for winter riding. Here Bruce hits Treadstone just south of Creed on December 29th. This spot is part of the trail also carries the name "Supersonic."

Supersonic

Eagle Mountain is a great spot for winter riding. Here Bruce rolls uphill on Supersonic during a winter ride.

The top of Supersonic is the continuation of Treadstone across a gravel service road near the top of the Prayer Flags hill. Supersonic runs down to the edge of the subdivision in Hidden Canyon, where you can connect to Given to Fly, Creed, Brass Monkey, and the Hickman hill beginner loops. It rides well in either direction and is a popular route for longer loop rides.
Length 1.1 miles with 300 vertical feet of climbing when done from Hidden Canyon. Surface easier-intermediate, modest aerobic effort.

Near its northern end, Supersonic will merge with Cracker Jack for 1/10th mile. In 2022, these trail forks are not marked for this recent re-route. If descending Supersonic, keep left as the trail makes a hard left turn just above a trail fork. (The trail to the right is Cracker Jack.) Keep left uphill 1/10th mile later as Cracker Jack descends away.
If southbound from Given to Fly -- climbing Supersonic -- keep straight at the first intersection as Cracker Jack joins from downhill left. Next fork right uphill as Cracker Jack continues straight.

Northbound on Supersonic as Cracker Jack splits away on our right.

Nirvana Trail

Little Rocky rests against the flagpole at the top of Nirvana. (The Treadstone trail is just out of sight 10 feet behind my bike.)

Nirvana starts from the highest point of the Treadstone trail and descends to the Pony Express Parkway over 2.2 miles. The elevation loss will be 320 feet (starting from 5300 altitude). Nirvana is also your route to Given to Fly and Backspacer. Although thought of as a descent, Nirvana is also a good climbing route.
The trail starts at the "prayer flag pole." In December 2017, the connection isn't obvious. If you don't see a trail fork, just walk your bike over to the opposite side of the flags and find the trail heading south.

Once you drop off the top of the hill and cross a jeep road, the trail becomes almost pure dirt. It rode pretty smooth for a brand-new trail. As it heads west, then north, the trail stays in the wild stuff above the dry-farm in the valley. I didn't find anything scary or tricky. Nirvana is a swoop and whoop type of trail.
NOTE! Nirvana has been interrupted by a fence in November 2022. The trail re-route is still pending. When descending, you'll want to fork to the right on Given To Fly.

Dirt ribbon descends through old burned trees. The homogenous-looking area in the valley is the dry farm.

Climbing Nirvana. At the trail fork on the ridge, we'll head left toward the prayer flags.

There will be a little bit of climbing when the trail turns into a little valley. You'll turn to the south and climb about 80 vertical feet to a higher level on the hill before resuming the northward journey. As you reach Pony Express Parkway, turn right and connect to Brass Monkey to continue your ride.

Given to Fly

Given to Fly is two-directional, but you'll like it more as a downhill. As a climber, it's mellow and easy at first, then reaches a steep area with a couple of rock drops that will probably have you pushing your bike. The trail is 1.4 miles with 350 vertical feet of altitude change. The steep spots make Given to Fly an upper-intermediate trail, although most of the trail is quite easy.

The bottom half of Given to Fly is very smooth and easy to ride, with minimal grade. If you're riding it uphill, things will get substantially more difficult on the second half.

Climbing Given to Fly, with a few homes of Eagle Mountain visible behind me.

As an uphill: The north (bottom) end of Given to Fly forks away from Supersonic at the edge of the new subdivision. (This area is changing. Stay tuned.) Keep straight here as Supersonic turns left uphill, then cross over the Creed connector heading southwest.

As a downhill: You can reach the top of Given to Fly via Nirvana. As you approach the prayer flags at the top of Treadstone southbound, veer right (west). After 0.2 miles, keep left as Nirvana forks up and over the ridge northbound.
At mile 0.5 from the prayer flags, fork to the right uphill and over the ridge northbound to stay on Given to Fly. (Downhill and left is Backspacer.)

Westbound while riding Given to Fly downhill. In 0.2 miles from the trail's origin on the ridgeline, keep right to cross over to the north side of the mountain.

Backspacer

Dropping into the first turn on the downhill as Backspacer begins. The trail fork is at the left edge of the photo. Right-hand fork over the ridge if Given to Fly. Downhill and left is Backspacer.

Backspacer is primarily done as a downhill. But it rides well in either direction. It extends from Given to Fly (around 1/4 mile from the trail's origin) down to the bottom of Deadwood. It crosses Treadstone on the way downhill and has a fork to Crop Duster at the wash where Backspacer turns west.

Backspacer is only 0.7 miles long. The vertical drop is around 200 feet. The trail isn't particularly technical. This is an easy descent. There is one dip through the wash that beginning riders will want to walk. Near the bottom of Backspacer is a trail fork for Crop Duster , a popular option.

Rolling into a turn shortly after crossing Treadstone on the way down.

Handlebar view as I drop through the wash near the end of Backspacer.

At the end of Backspacer, you can head south on Deadwood, north and uphill on Treadstone, or east on the race doubletrack. As a climbing route, Backspacer has slow and steady altitude gain, without any particular challenges. It's a great alternative route if you're at the north end of Deadwood and want to take the fastest route up to the prayer flags.

Space Dust

When riding east to west, we're looking up at the first turn since leaving OHV route 1.

Space Dust is a short trail that's a fun ride. But it doesn't connect to the other singletracks in the area. Instead, both ends are found on doubletrack ATV trail. The length of the singletrack is 0.4 miles, or 0.6 if you count the DT and connector down to Crop Duster. There's about 50 vertical feet of overall climbing and the trail is easy-intermediate in tech requirement.

The western end of Space Dust is a doubletrack extending uphill from OHV route 1 about 1/4 mile east of the junction of Deadwood with the west end of Treadstone. After climbing uphill past the end of Backspacer, keep on the doubletrack to mile 0.2 where the singletrack branches to your right.

Looking east while on the traversing section of the ride.

Looking down Space Dust at a nicely banked and reinforced turn on a west-to-east ride.

The trail winds along the hillside a bit before descending through a few swooping banked turns back to OHV route 1.

Cropduster

Cropduster is mentioned here because the downhill (western) portion of it falls within this riding area. It is discussed in detail on the Eastern Eagle Mountain Area page. The downhill end of Cropduster forks away from Backspacer after southbound Backspacer crosses a dirt road. Veer to the left and turn east along the edge of the ravine. Cropduster will give you a gentle but sustained climb to the top of the ridge on Lake Mountain where you can connect to Gunslinger downhill.

Shortly after forking onto Cropduster from Backspacer, we're heading southeast along the ravine.

Sampler of Eagle Mountain Trails...

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Riding notes, Treadstone Loop from Pony Express:
0.0   Intersection Pony Express Pkwy and Hidden Valley Pkwy
        East on paved trail (south side of Pony Express)
        100 feet, singletrack uphill on the right
        N40 21.344 W111 59.483
0.7   Cross DT N40 21.069 W111 59.065
        100 feet, then fork R (to Cow Tracks)
        N40 21.049 W111 59.032
        50 feet, cross DT N40 21.038 W111 59.036
1.0   Keep R for Cow Tracks (L = Ridgeline ST)
        N40 20.943 W111 58.911
1.6   R on DT N40 20.597 W111 58.592
        100 ft across to far west side

1.6 continued)
       R uphill on ST (Deer Tracks)
        N40 20.563 W111 58.613
1.8   R on Treadstone
        N40 20.486 W111 58.730
4.0   Trail turns N (future ST fork?)
4.2   ST joins dirt road N40 21.001 W111 59.320
4.3   Keep L and join main dirt road
        N40 21.053 W111 59.329
4.5   Straight down pavement
4.7   Back at Pony Express

Map of middle Eagle Mountain area.

Getting there:
Take the I-15 Lehi Main Street exit and turn west. Continue west on SR-73, crossing Redwood Road (11600 West). Continue westbound uphill. Just after climbing the hill, turn left at the stop light onto The Ranches Parkway. At Pony Express Parkway, turn right. The road will veer a bit south (left), then back west (right) as you get one mile from Ranches Parkway. After you pass a large hill on your left, just before Hidden Hollow Elementary, take the next left. (Note: as of 2020, there is no longer primitive parking near the elementary school and construction may block access. See below. You may need to get creative to find a roadside spot.)

Behind the Boathouse (Treadstone) and Hidden Canyon trails: The paved trail eastbound directly along Pony Express will take you to singletrack. Keep right for Treadstone, left uphill for Hidden Canyon.

Creed: Cross the road and go to the sidewalk along the parkway heading west. In 0.25 miles, spot the trail on the hillside to your left and cross the decorative patch of chunk rock to get there.

Race Loop trailhead: After turning off Pony Express Parkway, go uphill to the end of the pavement and it will become Hidden Canyon road. Stay southbound on the dirt road. Keep generally left and heading southeast at all road forks, staying just below the slope of the hill on your left. When you reach the broad valley and see a bunch of competing road forks at mile 1.3 from Pony Express Parkway, you're there. (Note 2020: ongoing construction may often make it impossible to get through to the Race Loop trailhead.)

Mountain Ranch trailhead: You can also pedal to the trail from the Mountain Ranch bike park. Instead of turning onto Pony Express, stay Ranches Parkway as it narrows and begins to wind around. When you come to a T intersection at the end of The Ranches Parkway, turn right on Golden Eagle Road. Drive about 1/3 mile and watch for the trail kiosk on your left. Park by the trail kiosk and begin your ride by climbing up the trail heading south.

Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files and route (right-click and "Save as..."):
     Creed track
     Nirvana track
     Simple Treadstone Loop
     Larger loop from Pony Express
     Biggest Loop w Race Course, from town
     Multi-track GPX area file
High-res area topo map for printing:   View topo
Lodging, camping, shops:    Links to Provo area resources

Bathrooms: None at Hidden Canyon. Porta-Potty at the Mountain Ranch Bike Park.
Water: None.
Camping: No developed or designated campgrounds. Flat spots can be found in the trailhead race-staging area.
Bike services: UtahMountainBiking store in Lehi.
Latest update June 2022