View north from the top of Ben's Switchbacks at mile 3.5. Half a mile and 250 vertical feet ago, we were on the dirt road you see winding around at the base of the mesa. Photos by Bruce, June 30, 2005.
Dead Dog Loop
The Dead Dog Loop is a series of singletracks in the mesa area between Price and the Book Cliffs. Brief sections of dirt road join the singletracks together. It's around 8.5 miles total, but there's only about 400 vertical feet of climbing. Most of the trail is intermediate technical, but there's one short section (Dead Dog Spine) that requires very advanced skills. All but elite riders should walk this 1/4 mile.
The Dead Dog Loop is a series of singletracks in the mesa area between Price and the Book Cliffs. Brief sections of dirt road join the singletracks together. It's around 8.5 miles total, but there's only about 400 vertical feet of climbing. Most of the trail is intermediate technical, but there's one short section (Dead Dog Spine) that requires very advanced skills. All but elite riders should walk this 1/4 mile.
If you start the ride from Pioneer Park in Price, you'll do 16.5 miles. Of the extra 8 miles,
half will be paved city streets and half is dirt road. There won't be
much additional climbing.
Most bikers will want to drive out to the trailhead described below.
Looking down Wild Bunch Wash, a fast and fairly non-technical downhill cruise.
On Dusty's Detour, the terrain is fairly flat. In areas where the dirt might make the trail hard to follow, you'll find the route well-marked.
The riding area is soft dirt with occasional rock, with singletrack trail winding between pinion,
juniper, sage, and bitterbrush. A few prickly pear will keep you on the
trail. You'll see rabbits
and lizards.
The rock is from the Cretaceous, around 80 million years ago, when the seashore was moving back and forth across the eastern half of the Utah.
The rock is from the Cretaceous, around 80 million years ago, when the seashore was moving back and forth across the eastern half of the Utah.
Wild Bunch Wash is a rapid fun downhill cruise, not too technical. From here you link by dirt
road to Ben's Switchbacks, which climb to the top of the mesa. The turns
on the upper portion
will be a bit challenging. At the top, Dusty's Detour is relatively easy
singletrack, with
a few views from the edge of the mesa.
We're on the top of Dead Dog Spine, approaching one of the stunts. Look inviting?
Roll carefully down the plank, pop up onto the rock, then throw your front tire out onto the downhill ramp. It's around 15 feet down from here. High-experts only!
Dead Dog Spine connects to another mesa to the south. This is a narrow rocky spine that's quite
a challenge to ride. The trail uses some narrow bridges and ladders to
span boulders. This
is extreme and dangerous terrain. Sane riders will walk their bikes through
this section.
On the day of my ride, I lost the trail as it approached the north end of the mesa (to the west of where you enter the mesa from Dead Dog). The trail has since been rebuilt through this area. If you're lost, head for the pump pad that lies just below the north end of the mesa. (And from the pump pad, you ride back via dirt roads.) You can also backtrack across Dead Dog Spine and drop down to your left (west) below the power lines, then turn right when you hit the dirt road.
On the day of my ride, I lost the trail as it approached the north end of the mesa (to the west of where you enter the mesa from Dead Dog). The trail has since been rebuilt through this area. If you're lost, head for the pump pad that lies just below the north end of the mesa. (And from the pump pad, you ride back via dirt roads.) You can also backtrack across Dead Dog Spine and drop down to your left (west) below the power lines, then turn right when you hit the dirt road.
Riding directions, Dead Dog Loop:
0.0 N (straight the way you came) on road
N 39° 38.626 W 110° 47.089 alt=6130
0.8 R at "Y" fork in road
N 39° 39.309 W 110° 46.949
1.1 Just after 90° R turn, spot ST on R
N 39° 39.475 W 110° 46.719 alt=6260
ST follows Wild Bunch Wash
2.1 Water trough, go R uphill on DT
N 39° 38.728 W 110° 46.935 alt=6050
2.2 Gate, go across
N 39° 38.710 W 110° 46.978
L on ST on L 50 feet past gate
2.3 ST joins DT, go L on DT
N 39° 38.658 W 110° 46.966
2.8 Fork L on DT
N 39° 38.523 W 110° 46.714
2.9 L uphill on ST (Ben's Switchbacks)
N 39° 38.474 W 110° 46.707 alt=6050
3.5 Top of switchbacks, L on DT
N 39° 38.397 W 110° 46.566 alt=6300
3.6 ST on L (don't go up to pump pad)
N 39° 38.455 W 110° 46.522
(Bruce's Crevase, Dusty's Detour)
0.0 N (straight the way you came) on road
N 39° 38.626 W 110° 47.089 alt=6130
0.8 R at "Y" fork in road
N 39° 39.309 W 110° 46.949
1.1 Just after 90° R turn, spot ST on R
N 39° 39.475 W 110° 46.719 alt=6260
ST follows Wild Bunch Wash
2.1 Water trough, go R uphill on DT
N 39° 38.728 W 110° 46.935 alt=6050
2.2 Gate, go across
N 39° 38.710 W 110° 46.978
L on ST on L 50 feet past gate
2.3 ST joins DT, go L on DT
N 39° 38.658 W 110° 46.966
2.8 Fork L on DT
N 39° 38.523 W 110° 46.714
2.9 L uphill on ST (Ben's Switchbacks)
N 39° 38.474 W 110° 46.707 alt=6050
3.5 Top of switchbacks, L on DT
N 39° 38.397 W 110° 46.566 alt=6300
3.6 ST on L (don't go up to pump pad)
N 39° 38.455 W 110° 46.522
(Bruce's Crevase, Dusty's Detour)
4.1 Through opening in
fence
N 39° 38.708 W 110° 46.721 alt=6370
4.7 ST ends at pump pad, go straight onto DT
N 39° 38.928 W 110° 46.448 alt=6430
4.8 R on DT at "T" intersection
N 39° 38.852 W 110° 46.396
5.0 Cattle guard, go 20 ft, L on ST (Trent's Rock)
N 39° 38.711 W 110° 46.483
5.6 Join DT, go L downhill.
N 39° 38.358 W 110° 46.577
5.7 Keep L at utility pole, uphill onto ST
N 39° 38.711 W 110° 46.483
Dead Dog Spine. Extreme technical, stunts
5.9 Onto mesa, trail follows edge of mesa clockwise
6.6 Trail becomes hard to follow...
7.0 Continue north to edge of mesa
Find descending trail off northern edge of mesa
7.? Arrive at pump pad, cross to dirt road
7.? At road intersection, continue straight
N 39° 38.523 W 110° 46.714
(Same fork as at mile 2.8, going opposite direction)
8.? Back at original intersection
N 39° 38.708 W 110° 46.721 alt=6370
4.7 ST ends at pump pad, go straight onto DT
N 39° 38.928 W 110° 46.448 alt=6430
4.8 R on DT at "T" intersection
N 39° 38.852 W 110° 46.396
5.0 Cattle guard, go 20 ft, L on ST (Trent's Rock)
N 39° 38.711 W 110° 46.483
5.6 Join DT, go L downhill.
N 39° 38.358 W 110° 46.577
5.7 Keep L at utility pole, uphill onto ST
N 39° 38.711 W 110° 46.483
Dead Dog Spine. Extreme technical, stunts
5.9 Onto mesa, trail follows edge of mesa clockwise
6.6 Trail becomes hard to follow...
7.0 Continue north to edge of mesa
Find descending trail off northern edge of mesa
7.? Arrive at pump pad, cross to dirt road
7.? At road intersection, continue straight
N 39° 38.523 W 110° 46.714
(Same fork as at mile 2.8, going opposite direction)
8.? Back at original intersection
Getting there: Eastbound on US 6, take the
first Price exit. Turn left and enter town on 100 North. About a mile
after leaving the freeway, turn left (north) onto 300 East. Go five city
blocks to 800 North and turn right. Drive 1.5 miles on 800 North to the
end of the pavement, as you pass Cliffview Cemetery. Turn left on the dirt
road. After 1/4 mile, veer L as the road forks just below the hill. Now
keep straight at all intersections. Two miles later, you'll pass a large
building, with a settling pond on the north side. The trailhead is the
intersection where the next dirt road joins on your right (the
intersecting road is the return path). N 39° 38.626 W 110°
47.089 You'll begin riding by continuing up the road in the
direction you were driving.
Map of Dead Dog loop
Alternate trailhead: starting at Pioneer Park
in Price:
About a mile after leaving the freeway, turn left (north) onto 100
East. Go four city blocks to the far end of Pioneer Park, turn right onto
500 North and find a parking place.
Begin your bike ride from heading east (away from water tank).
At 300 E, turn L.
At 800 N, turn R.
Continue on 800 N about 1.5 miles until pavement ends just past Cliffview Cemetery on
your right.
0.0 L on dirt road, ZERO odometer N 39° 36.819 W 110° 46.839
0.2 Veer L towards water tank area, keep straight at intersections
1.9 Pass large building with big fans, pond
2.2 Stop where road joins from R (return path).
(S side: large rock, pipeline
marker. N side: square of pipe.)
ZERO odometer again here! Ride continues straight the
direction you were going.
One-page riding guide to this trail.
GPS track files (right-click link, then save as a file):
DeadDog.gpx
Topographical map for printing Large-format map of area trails, courtesy of Price Area Singletrack Society (PASS)
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Price and San Rafael area resources
GPS track files (right-click link, then save as a file):
DeadDog.gpx
Topographical map for printing Large-format map of area trails, courtesy of Price Area Singletrack Society (PASS)
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Price and San Rafael area resources
