Curley Springs mini-loop mountain bike ride

Squeezing through the oak brush on the re-route singletrack. Video, trail pics, and review by Bruce on May 2, 2022.

Curley Springs mini-loop

The Curley Springs mini-loop can be considered an adventurous add-on to the Crop Circles ride above Lindon. The singletrack is narrow and twisting, with unforgiving clearances with the oak brush on either side. The loop itself is 1.4 miles with around 350 feet of overall climbing. I recommend it for upper-intermediates or better.

The top elevation of the ride is 6250 feet for an expected riding season of late April through October.

If you come up through the Crop Circles to reach this loop, expect a minimum ride of around 7 miles and 1000 vertical feet of climbing.
If you decide to ride further in this area, note that the Curley Springs main trail north of this loop is tough to ride. The surface is torn up by horses riding wet. There are very steep pitches. An out-and-back from Dry Canyon to Battle Creek would be around 1500 vertical feet of climbing just on Curley Springs alone.

The connector singletrack from the Upper Crop Circle reaches the chunky and steep Sumac Hollow doubletrack.

Here is why more riders don't add this little loop to their Crop Circles outing.

The upper part of the Sumac Hollow trail #310 that you'll use to reach Curley Springs is steep and chunky. Not hike-a-bike steep for most of us, but still, not a cruiser.

Trail fork. From Sumac Hollow, left is the northbound Curley Springs trail, which you'd take for a clockwise ride of the little loop.

The loop starts at the trail fork where the top of the Sumac Hollow doubletrack (trail #310) meets a right-angle turn of the Curley Springs trail #51. If you're doing a clockwise ride from the top of Sumac Hollow, turn to the left. Then after 100 yards, turn hard right uphill on a faint singletrack (unmarked in May 2022).

This trail is the Upper Curley Springs trail. It's a narrow and tight traversing trail with a fair amount of quick ups an downs. While you'll be heading generally in a downhill direction as you proceed east, you'll do around 50 feet of climbing as you lose 50 feet in elevation overall.

Typical terrain on the upper trail heading east. That's Box Elder Peak on the skyline.

Another quick uphill, then down again.

The terrain is mostly scrub oak with just enough handlebar clearance to get through. There are occasional tiny meadows of grass.
After a bit of sustained downhill as you reach mile 0.5 of the loop, you'll join the Dry Canyon trail #49. Turn to the right.

Dry Canyon is steep and loose, which is why I recommend doing the loop clockwise. You'll lose 150 feet of elevation over the 0.2 miles of this trail segment.
If your ride plan will take you further uphill in Dry Canyon, be aware that the Dry Canyon trail uphill from this loop becomes hike-a-bike steep in an unpleasant erosion trench.

Descending Dry Canyon. Steeper than it looks.

Heading toward the Curley Springs trail fork after joining trail #51.

As Lament (trail #51) joins Dry Canyon on your left, the trail flattens out. Take a minute for the nice view. Now go 100 yards west downhill. At the trail fork, the trail drops to the left is the continuation of Dry Canyon. The flat trail straight ahead is Curley Springs.

Immediately after starting on the Curley Springs trail, fork right and uphill on a very small singletrack. This is the Curley Springs Alternate. After climbing steadily for 1/10th mile, it will descend gently, then turn and climb back up again before traversing over to the main Curley Springs trail at mile 0.4 from Dry Canyon.

Typical trail segment.

Climbing away from the cross-over of the Curley Springs main trail.

Veer uphill and right to join Curley Springs, then after 30 feet, leave on the left on the small singletrack. This is the Curley Springs re-route trail. This segment of the trail is only about 1/4 mile long.

Follow this trail uphill and around the ridge until it rejoins the Curley Springs trail. You're now at mile 1.2 of the loop. Keep left and in 100 yards you'll reach the trail fork with Sumac Hollow. Now decide how you'll descend back to civilization.
Bottom Line!
Short adventure for those who want to go off the grid.

View south as the trail turns to attack the final section up to the ridgeline.

Loop clockwise from the Upper Crop Circle

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Map of the Crop Circles area.

Getting there, Dry Canyon Trailhead:
Turn east off State Street (Highway 89) at 200 South in Lindon, which also happens to be 2000 North for Orem. Keep straight as you approach the mountains. When the road begins to turn right (south), turn left onto Dry Canyon Drive heading northeast. Now keep straight uphill until the road turns into the trailhead. The parking area is at N 40° 20.52' W 111° 40.62'.

Bathroom at trailhead.
No camping nearby.

GPX Track Files (right-click and "Save as..."):
    Area multi-track master file
    Tour of Crop Circles above BST (5.7 miles)
Large-format map for printing:   View map
Lodging, camping, shops:   Links to Provo area resources