Area Overview
On the southwest slope of Mount Timpanogos is a bench area at around 6000 feet elevation. Through the years, horsemen and trail hikers have created many "social trails" winding between the groves of oak and maple. Local mountain bikers discovered these trails and began riding them, although trail runners are the most frequent users. This page is a general description of the area. To find individual trail pages for this area, scroll down to the page-listing below.
1. Do not ride these trails during the winter. Deer will not survive the winter if frequently disturbed.
2. Unauthorized trail-building is strictly prohibited!
3. To reduce erosion and prevent "trenching" of trails, do not ride trails when muddy.
4. Avoid disturbing wildlife, and do not allow your dog to chase animals.
The slopes face south. In summer, these trails will be quite hot in the afternoon.
Most of the trails are intermediate in technical requirement. But there can be some sustained steepish climbing that taxes your leg stamina.
With Mouse and lower Gopher Snake.
The ride on this page uses Canyon View as the entry to the trail system. It climbs up through the Race Loop and continues uphill on Rattlesnake. The descending route uses Mouse and lower Gopher Snake.
upper Gopher Snake to Cottontail Loop
Ride introduces you to the north-south trails on the Orem Bench (Timpanogos Foothills). The featured ride climbs Lazuli, traverses east on Gopher Snake, then descends Cottontail back to the bench road.
includes Black Bear, Mouse, Cottontail
From the BST Orem trailhead, climb via Swift Ridge. Pick a level at which to connect to trails to the east. This page has information to help you plan a custom loop route with your desired amount of climbing. Featured ride climbs to Black Bear, descends Mouse and Cottontail.
with Aquila (Cliff) and Zorro Trail access information
The race loop lies between Canyon View Park and the Orem Bench Road (BST). Short but fun. Also provides a route from the park to the upper mountain via the access trails.
Rattlesnake, Lament, Trail 51, Dry Canyon and the BST
This page describes a loop ride climbing Rattlesnake and Lament to Trail 51, then descending the nicer lower portion of Dry Canyon and returning via the Bonneville Shoreline.
Orem Bench Road and Dragon's Back Trail
The Orem Bench Road is the BST route for three miles, then it descends the Great Western Trail on the Dragon's Back area to Canyon Glen Park.
Getting there, Orem Bench BST Trailhead:
Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North
and drive straight towards the mountains. At 800 East, turn left and drive north about 1
mile. Immediately past the fence at the uphill end of the cemetery, turn right (east) on Cascade Drive.
Drive 1/2 mile then fork uphill before you approach the water treatment plant.
Take two switchbacks up, passing the lower overflow parking, to the paved
parking area with the bathroom. Your trail is right across from where the
road entered the parking lot.
Timpanogos Park: Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North and drive straight towards the mountains.
Keep left to enter Provo Canyon. After 1 mile, you'll pass the entrance to
Canyon View Park on your left. About 100 yards later, there's a diversion
dam, then a bridge over the river. Drive over the bridge to Timpanogos
Park and park in the
lot. Ride to the northwest corner of the parking area. Begin your ride by pedaling up the gravel
road. Keep straight at the road fork at mile 0.3 if you're heading
for the Bottom Access trail (recommended), or fork R uphill for the Ravine
or East Access trails. Ride through the race loop and take the Upper
Access trail to the BST to connect to uphill trails.
Bathroom: Orem BST TH, Dry Canyon TH, Canyon View
Park, Canyon Glen Park, Nunn's Park
Water: Canyon View Park, Canyon Glen Park, Nunn's Park
Camping: Nunn's Park
Canyon Glen: Use this trailhead if you plan to ride counter-clockwise or out-and-back. Note that if you ride this direction there are some granny-gear climbs that are a bit loose. Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North and drive straight towards the mountains. Keep left to enter Provo Canyon. About 3 miles later, you'll see the parking area for Canyon Glen on your left. Go across the bridge to the Parkway. Turn right, and find the GWT on your left about 200 feet later, forking uphill just before the paved parkway curves around a rock outcrop.
Nunn's Park: This makes the ride about a mile longer, but at the expense of a rather ugly short section of trail from Nunn's park up to the aqueduct. Going up-canyon, turn right 4 miles up the canyon, then left under 89. Go into Nunn's Park. On your bike, come back through the park entrance, then turn left on a broken-up roadway just before the road goes under 89. Turn left at the fence and follow the fence uphill. This section is a hike-a-bike uphill. As the singletrack reaches the top, go left (west).
Zorro (1560 East Trailhead): Take 800 North in Orem toward the mountains. Just as the road starts to descend into the canyon, turn left on 1560 East. Go to the end of the pavement and park on the right. The ugly jeep road switchbacks east of the trailhead take you uphill -- 0.4 miles with 200 vertical -- to the Zorro singletrack. Zorro will add another 300 vertical and 0.6 miles. (Don't fork onto the steeper Bramber DH. You'll know it as you pass it.) When Zorro hits doubletrack, head a bit further uphill to the Bench Road for uphill connections.
Canyon Mouth Provo River Parkway: There's a parking area on Orem's 800 North Street just before you enter Provo canyon. It's just east of the gas station. GPS N 40° 18.840' W 111° 39.472'. To get to the parkway, go east over the river and through the fence. Go uphill to the Canyon View Park, Canyon Glen, or Nunn's park for uphill singletrack connections to the Bench Road.
