View of southwest, about 1 mile from the northern trailhead, overlooking the eastern end of Deer Creek reservoir. Photos May 12, 2007.
Deer Creek Parkway
(North section, Provo/Jordan River Parkway)
This broad gravel path is part of the Provo River Parkway - Jordan River Parkway system. It runs the hillside above the northern shore of Deer Creek Reservoir. Length is 7.5 miles, with about 400 feet of total climbing. While mostly straight, there are occasional sharp turns during descents into small canyons.
(North section, Provo/Jordan River Parkway)
This broad gravel path is part of the Provo River Parkway - Jordan River Parkway system. It runs the hillside above the northern shore of Deer Creek Reservoir. Length is 7.5 miles, with about 400 feet of total climbing. While mostly straight, there are occasional sharp turns during descents into small canyons.
The trail is about 10 feet wide, consisting of roadbed-type crushed rock overtop of a plastic
liner. While it might seem the ideal family ride, the gravel surface makes
it harder work for
tiny tires and little legs. There are some slightly-steep sections that
require good braking
control and balance, to avoid dumping in the gravel.
Looking across toward Island Beach State Park.
While it has potential as a family ride, I can only recommend it for more-skilled strong youngsters.
Tiny guys should go in the bike trailer or a trail-a-bike until the surface
is paved or worked-in
better. As an out-and-back, the distance of 15 miles might be a little
much for children. In
that case, consider a drop-off ride, meeting the auto at the other end
for a picnic.
The Heber Valley Historic Railroad, aka the "Heber Creeper," passes under the peaks of Mount Timpanogos.
Also to consider: From 11 am to 4 pm on sunny days, there's a vicious "thermal" wind blowing
northeast up-canyon. The best riding time is early morning or later afternoon
-- or plan on
riding from the dam to the northern trailhead so the wind is at your back.
Utah has an abundance of gravel and dirt roads that you probably don't want to ride. What makes
this trail special is its location along the shores of the reservoir.
You can combine a ride
with a day of boating.
The horse corral at the northern trailhead assures that you'll be dodging road apples. But
I wasn't bitten by any horse flies during my ride, so I'm OK with that.
No ATVs or motorcycles
-- the trail is non-motorized travel only.
We're looking toward Provo Peak. The terrain here has juniper, bitterbrush, and sage.
Three miles into the ride, the brush is being replaced by rolling hills of cheat grass. That's Timpanogos on the skyline.
If you're a sandstone and singletrack junkie, you won't find much here to like. The views are
nice, but I found the constant crunch of gravel annoying. Most of the
turns are off-camber,
and many are relatively tight. Hammerheads may quickly find themselves
picking rocks out of
their bloody skin. For some, riding here barely beats sitting on the exer-cycle
in the basement
watching infomercials on TV. But you might like it.
Getting there:
From US-40, turn north on U-113. Zero your odometer. Drive 2 miles, then turn left immediately after crossing the railroad tracks. Turn left at the stop sign 1/2 mile later. As the road curves to the right about 0.2 miles later, spot a horse hitch area on your left then a railroad stop with parking. Immediately after, there's a road on the left with a small sign indicating it's the Provo/Jordan River Parkway Deer Creek Northern Trailhead. After turning left into the road, keep straight, to the left of the horse corral, and park at the end. The trailhead is the small metal gate at the right.
From US-40, turn north on U-113. Zero your odometer. Drive 2 miles, then turn left immediately after crossing the railroad tracks. Turn left at the stop sign 1/2 mile later. As the road curves to the right about 0.2 miles later, spot a horse hitch area on your left then a railroad stop with parking. Immediately after, there's a road on the left with a small sign indicating it's the Provo/Jordan River Parkway Deer Creek Northern Trailhead. After turning left into the road, keep straight, to the left of the horse corral, and park at the end. The trailhead is the small metal gate at the right.
Deer Creek Parkway trail
Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
GPX
High-res topo (1.1 MB): View (includes waypoints)
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to area resources
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
GPX
High-res topo (1.1 MB): View (includes waypoints)
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to area resources
