In Wile E Canyon near the southern apex of the loop. Photos and trail review by ...
In Wile E Canyon near the southern apex of the loop. Photos and trail review by Bruce on June 7, 2022.
Looney Tunes and Wile E Canyon
Plus What's Up Doc and Sufferin Succotash

The Cutthroat riding area lies south of Jordanelle and Highway 32, at the northern end of the Jordanelle Ridge riding area. Wile E Canyon is a popular stand-alone loop ride, and has two ways of connecting uphill to the Coyote Loop -- Sufferin Succotash and What's Up Doc. The Looney Tunes trail joins two limbs of the Coyote Loop, and can be used for a shorter version of Coyote, or as a destination trail by looping two sections of the Coyote Loop.

Newer trails in the northern Jordanelle Ridge area -- Beep Beep, Road Runner, Puddy Tat, and Tweety Bird -- are discussed on the north Jordanelle Ridge trail page.

The Wile E Canyon trailhead is located 4 miles east of US 40 on SR 32. Go through the deep rock road-cut, then pass the road to the golf course -- where the old Cutthroat trailhead was located. (There's still an access trail there, but no cyclist parking as of summer 2025.) One-tenth mile later, watch for a strip of gravel parking along the fence with room for 8 to 10 cars. An access trail takes you to the Wile E Canyon loop.

You can also ride into the area from other trailheads. See the trailhead information at the bottom of the page.

Parking near the northeastern corner of the Wile E Canyon loop.
Parking near the northeastern corner of the Wile E Canyon loop.
Looking north toward the Jordanelle Reservoir.
Looking north toward the Jordanelle Reservoir.
The riding starts at 6600 feet elevation. The top of Looney Tunes is at 7350, and the Coyote Loop tops out at 7600. Because this area lies on a north-facing slope, the riding season at this elevation will be June through October.

Wile E Canyon is groomed for fat biking during the winter. It may be closed during the early spring from the time the snow begins melting until the riding surface is dry.

The terrain is dirt with an occasional outcrop of igneous rock. On the lower slopes, sage brush is punctuated by groves of gambel oak. As you pedal higher in elevation, this gives way to maple forest, then aspens. In this area, much of your ride will be in the shade.
Climbing up to Looney Tunes on Coyote.
Climbing up to Looney Tunes on Coyote.
Wile E Canyon
Cruising through the aspen and maple forest on the eastern side of the Wile E Ca...
Cruising through the aspen and maple forest on the eastern side of the Wile E Canyon loop.
Wile E Canyon is a lariat loop ride that starts on the Cutthroat connector trail just uphill from the trailhead. It has a cutoff trail that can be used to bypass much of the climbing when doing the ride clockwise. Wile E Canyon is 3.7 miles with 400 vertical feet of overall climbing. It can be done in either direction, and there seems to be an equal number of riders each way. It's quick enough that you can do the loop twice, once each way, and decide for yourself.

The Wile E Canyon loop has two connector trails: one goes to the Wile E Canyon trailhead, and the other goes to the old Cutthroat access trail, Beep Beep, and the Coyote Loop (Cutthroat Switchbacks and westbound East Riverview). If you stay downhill and westbound near Highway 32, you'll arrive at the Cutthroat connector trail 1/10th mile later. Turn left to stay on the connector to Beep Beep and the Cutthroat Switchbacks.

Arriving at the trail fork to Wile E Canyon when coming uphill from the Cutthroa...
Arriving at the trail fork to Wile E Canyon when coming uphill from the Cutthroat trailhead.
Traversing around the hill, heading for Wile E Canyon on a clockwise ride.
Traversing around the hill, heading for Wile E Canyon on a clockwise ride.
If you're a beginning rider and intend to skip the tougher climbing, go to the left at this trail fork rather than starting uphill. You'll traverse around the hill.
When done clockwise, you'll enter the canyon heading gently downhill. You'll cross some areas of open rock, which provides the only roughness on this ride. The rock appears to be an igneous breccia composed of ash and broken granite. You'll then drop through the bottom of the canyon and begin climbing south uphill.
Cruising into the area of open rock.
Cruising into the area of open rock.
Looking downhill at a table jump on the eastern side of the loop. To hit this, y...
Looking downhill at a table jump on the eastern side of the loop. To hit this, you'd be riding the loop counterclockwise.
There really aren't any technical areas on the trail. The volcanic rock is a bit bumpy if you're determined to keep your butt on the saddle. There are a couple of optional stunts. But overall, the trail is simply smooth XC riding.
You'll now cross the bottom of the canyon and begin climbing uphill.
Theres a bit of sage and grass meadow on the eastern side of the loop.
There's a bit of sage and grass meadow on the eastern side of the loop.
Shady forest near the southern tip of the loop.
Shady forest near the southern tip of the loop.
At mile 1.1 of the clockwise loop, keep left as you pass the Leghorn (as in, Foghorn Leghorn) bypass trail.

As the loop hits its apex on the southern end and heads back downhill, the Sufferin Succotash trail forks to your left uphill (mile 1.6). You'll reach the western side of the Leghorn bypass at mile 2.2. If your plan is to bypass the harder climbing, you can fork to the right and take the bypass for 0.1 mile and return to the eastern side of the loop for the return back to the trailhead.

On the western side of the loop at mile 2.4, you'll stop descending to cross the ravine and climb through a series of turns. You'll gain 100 feet in 0.2 mile. The trail levels out between the turns, so it's an easier uphill than you'd think when you look at the topo map.
Rolling a turn on the slope of the western side of the loop.
Rolling a turn on the slope of the western side of the loop.
Looking downhill through a turn on this wiggles section.
Looking downhill through a turn on this "wiggles" section.
(When riding counterclockwise and using these turns as a downhill, it's a fairly controlled descent. The tightness of the turns, with flatter sections between the turns, forces you to keep your speed in check. It's not a "bomber downhill.")
After climbing through the wiggles, you'll reach a traverse near the top of the ridge. The trail will head back to the north, with some nice views over Jordanelle and the valley below you to the right.

At mile 2.9, the What's Up Doc trail is on your left. Many riders turn here to head further uphill to the Coyote Loop. Keep straight if you're going back to the trailhead.

Looking north toweard Highway 32 and Jordanelle.
Looking north toweard Highway 32 and Jordanelle.
Descending through the swoops toward the loop fork on the clockwise ride.
Descending through the swoops toward the loop fork on the clockwise ride.
At mile 3.1 you'll drop through a series of swooping turns to arrive back at the loop fork. Now turn around and do the loop in reverse!

 Some point-of-view footage of Wile E Canyon on a counterclockwise ride...

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What's Up Doc
Looking south from the Wile E Canyon trail. The trail on the left is Wile E Cany...
Looking south from the Wile E Canyon trail. The trail on the left is Wile E Canyon, and the right trail is What's Up Doc.
The What's Up Doc trail connects the highest elevation on the eastern side of the Wile E Canyon Loop to the Coyote Loop. The combination of Wile E Canyon and What's Up Doc offers an alternative route for the first part of the climb when doing the Coyote Loop clockwise from the Cutthroat area.
The trail is 0.8 miles long with a bit over 150 feet of climbing when done from east to west -- Wile E Canyon to Coyote.
Climbing uphill through gambel oak forest.
Climbing uphill through gambel oak forest.
After crossing the ridgeline on the climb from Wile E Canyon, were heading south...
After crossing the ridgeline on the climb from Wile E Canyon, we're heading south. To the west is the Jordanelle Reservoir.
The trail is a bench cut with a generous riding surface, new in 2022. The terrain is scrub oak, sage brush and maple.
The What's Up Doc trail opens up additional loop ride opportunities. My favorite is Wile E Canyon clockwise, then What's Up Doc to Coyote, uphill to the top of Looney Tunes, downhill to Coyote and back to the Cutthroat trailhead.
Almost to the Coyote Loop.
Almost to the Coyote Loop.
Sufferin Succotash
Looking down the slope toward Jordanelle Reservoir. Were still a mile away from ...
Looking down the slope toward Jordanelle Reservoir. We're still a mile away from the Wile E Canyon loop.
The Sufferin Succotash trail joins the southern tip of the Wile E Canyon loop trail to the Coyote Loop on the ridgeline above. The trail was finished in fall 2022.
Sufferin Succotash is 1.4 miles long, with 500 feet of elevation change. It lies on a north-facing slope, so it's shaded by a forest of aspen, maple, and oak. The trail is an engineered bench cut with rollers and banked turns.

The pitch is OK for early-intermediate riders. Sufferin Succotash makes a fine climber, and is great fun to descend.

Bruce rolls through a turn on Sufferin Succotash.
Bruce rolls through a turn on Sufferin Succotash.
A sample turn as seen over the handlebars.
A sample turn as seen over the handlebars.
Sufferin Succotash's upper end is on the Coyote Loop, just 100 yards north from the junction of Chop'd Coyote with the loop. A left turn takes you to Chop'd Coyote and the southern side of the Coyote Loop. Right will take you towards the top of Looney Tunes and the descent back to the Cutthroat trailhead.
If you're descending Sufferin Succotash, make a left turn at the bottom if your goal is to climb to What's Up Doc or to hit Wile E Canyon in the clockwise direction. To get to the Cutthroat trailhead, the easiest route is to turn right.
Flying through an aspen grove as we approach the Wile E Canyon loop.
Flying through an aspen grove as we approach the Wile E Canyon loop.
Were now on Wile E Canyon, headed for Whats Up Doc. The trail will descend, then...
We're now on Wile E Canyon, headed for What's Up Doc. The trail will descend, then climb back uphill through a series of climbing turns.
As a variation on the counterclockwise Coyote Loop -- with more climbing -- consider dropping down Sufferin Succotash to Wile E Canyon, taking a left turn, then taking What's Up Doc to Coyote and climbing back almost to the ridgeline. Drop off Coyote to descend Looney Tunes, then turn left to resume riding Coyote counterclockwise.

 A descent from Coyote on Sufferin Succotash...

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Looney Tunes
Rolling through a banked turn as Looney Tunes breaks out of the forest.
Rolling through a banked turn as Looney Tunes breaks out of the forest.
Looney Tunes is 1.7 miles long. It's a two-way trail but most riders will prefer to ride it downhill. There is a bit more than 350 feet of elevation change over the course of Looney Tunes. Of course, there's additional climbing required for any ride that includes this trail.

The photos will follow a clockwise loop from the Cutthroat trailhead up eastern Coyote southbound to Looney Tunes, then returning east on northern Coyote. Note that in 2023, upper Looney Tunes has been affected by construction and requires re-routing. You can still ride up-and-back from the bottom.

In the downhill direction, Looney Tunes is used either as a short-cut on the Coyote Loop, or as part of a loop from the Cutthroat trailhead consisting of eastern Coyote uphill, Looney Tunes, then the Riverview section of Coyote back downhill to the trailhead.

As an uphill, Looney Tunes "short-circuits" a bit of the climbing on the clockwise Coyote Loop, bypassing the descent down to the Cutthroat trailhead and the climb back up. You'll skip around 500 vertical feet of climbing.

Climbing a zigzag course uphill on Coyote.
Climbing a zigzag course uphill on Coyote.
Getting close to the top of Coyote as the slope mellows.
Getting close to the top of Coyote as the slope mellows.
When riding the Coyote Loop counterclockwise, the top of Looney Tunes is 14.3 miles from the UVU trailhead, 10.4 miles from the junction of southern Riverview with Coyote. You'll find Looney Tunes shortly after the loop reaches the north slope of the mountain above Jordanelle. It will be on your right. If you're using Looney Tunes to bypass part of the Coyote Loop -- see the map -- you save a couple of miles (3.6 on Coyote vs 1.7 on Looney Tunes). You'll also skip around 250 vertical feet of climbing and descending.
When riding the Coyote Loop clockwise, the bottom of Looney Tunes is at mile 3.5 from the Riverview trailhead. The junction with the Cutthroat connector trail comes 1.1 miles later (keep straight). The top of Looney Tunes is 2.4 miles uphill from here, at mile 6.9 from the Riverview trailhead.
Trail fork to Looney Tunes, seen as though climbing up Coyote.
Trail fork to Looney Tunes, seen as though climbing up Coyote.
Swooshing downhill through tall trees.
Swooshing downhill through tall trees.
To reach the top of Looney Tunes from Cutthroat, pedal up the connector trail to mile 0.4 then turn to the left at the T trail fork to begin climbing Coyote southbound. At 2.8 miles from the trailhead, Looney Tunes will be on your right heading downhill.
As a lariat loop from the Cutthroat trailhead, it's 5.3 miles with 650 vertical feet of climbing. The trail is non-technical, but recommended for intermediates (or better) due to the amount of climbing and the nature of the many turns.
A section of traversing trail with gentle uphill takes us across a ridge into an...
A section of traversing trail with gentle uphill takes us across a ridge into another canyon before resuming the descent.
An S turn in the aspens.
An S turn in the aspens.
Looney Tunes is a machine-cut trail, engineered with swooping banked turns that ride well either direction. When riding downhill, there will be short sections of gentle climbing or traversing. The trail is well-built and a blast to ride.
View to the west as the trail breaks onto a ridge.
View to the west as the trail breaks onto a ridge.
View north as we swoop down toward Coyote's north side.
View north as we swoop down toward Coyote's north side.
The bottom can be found 1.1 miles from the junction of the trailhead connector with the Coyote Loop if you're going to do the little loop counterclockwise. The bottom of Looney Tunes is on a wide ridgeline, so this northern side of the Coyote Loop is downhill in both directions.
Bottom of Looney Tunes on the right, looking west as if wed climbed the Rivervie...
Bottom of Looney Tunes on the right, looking west as if we'd climbed the Riverview section of Coyote from Cutthroat.
And after many miles of sheep tracks on the trail, here they are.
And after many miles of sheep tracks on the trail, here they are.
This area is a grazing area for sheep during late spring and summer. The herd is moved daily, so you never know where you'll encounter them. Slow down to walking speed as you pass through. Sheep are not known for their intelligence, and they'll bolt from 40 feet off the trail to directly in front of your tires in a second.
When completing a loop ride from Cutthroat it's 0.4 miles from trailhead to Coyote Loop (turn left), then 2.4 on eastern Coyote (with 650 feet of climbing), then 1.7 miles on Looney Tunes downhill, then 1.1 miles downhill on Coyote back to the Cutthroat connector trail fork.

From the Highway 32 trailhead, the Looney Tunes loop will be 5.3 miles with 650 vertical feet of climbing.

Rolling through an igneous boulder field eastbound as we complete the loop ride....
Rolling through an igneous boulder field eastbound as we complete the loop ride.

 Downhill on Looney Tunes...

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Getting there!

UVU Wasatch Campus Trailhead: One mile south of the junction of Highway 40 and 32 (a couple of miles north of Heber), turn east (toward the mountain) at the UVU campus. Go to the uppermost level of parking behind the UVU buildings. Look for the duck-under and kiosk A singletrack trail climbs 1.5 miles to the Riverview Trail.

Wile E Canyon trailhead: The Wile E Canyon trailhead is located on the southern side of Highway 32, just over 4 miles from US-40. It's 1/10th mile east of the old Cutthroat trailhead (see below). There's room for about 8 cars here. From the parking lot, a connector trail takes you 120 yards uphill to the Wile E Canyon loop. To get to Beep Beep (or the Coyote Switchbacks or East Riverview), turn right at the trail fork, keep right at the next fork, then turn left onto the Coyote Riverview Connector trail as you approach the gravel road.

Coyote Riverview Connector trail (old Cutthroat): You can still connect through the old Cutthroat trailhead, although there's no longer a parking area here. For example, if the crowds have forced you to park where construction workers leave their vehicles along Highway 32, you can pedal to the gravel road to the new golf course leaves the highway, four miles east of US-40 and just east of the big rock-wall road-cut.

Puddy Tat parking: On Highway 3 around three miles from US-40, watch for a dirt road turning to the right in a huge sage meadow. There are a couple of buildings across Highway 32 at this spot. The parking spot is just through the fence, with a connection to Puddy Tat on the eastern side of parking. (This spot was still being worked on at the time of my review.)

Riverview trailhead: From US-40 just south of the Jordanelle reservoir, turn east at the traffic light onto Highwat 32 (at mile 14.2 from I-80 if you're coming from the north). On Highway 32, climb 1.1 miles. When you see the second entry into Riverview on your left and a road under construction to your right, the Riverview Connector trail starts on the uphill side of that road just after it leaves Highway 32. (In 2025, there's no longer protected parking here. It's unclear whether the trailhead will be restored when construction is complete.)

Coyote Trailhead: The southern Coyote trailhead has been lost to subdivision construction. Access to the southern side the trail system is in limbo, but some riders find their way through the construction zone by pedaling up the gravel Coyote Canyon road.

Canal DT trailhead: Just uphill from the light on highway 32, watch for the canal crossing. Park along the road. Start riding south on the doubletrack just uphill from the canal.

Riding resources:

GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
    Multi-track GPX area master file
Maps for printing:   Coyote loop area map in new window
Lodging, camping, shops:   Links to area resources
Area trail pages:
    Riverview Trail page
    Coyote Loop page
    Chop'd Coyote page
    Lower Riverview area page
    Isengard/Mordor area page



Bathrooms: No public restrooms nearby.
Water: Gas stations in Heber, campgrounds.
Camping: Hailstone campground at Jordanelle on US-40, about 6 miles away.
Bike services: Slim and Knobby's bike shop, Heber