loop with Spring Canyon trail
The Toehead trail is a four-mile two-way trail that links the Skyline Drive with Huntington Reservoir. Most riders will do it as a loop ride of 12 miles, climbing from the Big Rift trailhead to Skyline Drive, descending Toehead, then climbing via ATV Route 12 and Spring Canyon. The trails are easy technically, but climbs can feel strenuous because of the elevation -- even when the pitch is gentle.
For the eastern side of a loop ride, you have the option of Spring Canyon or the ATV Route 12. At the time of this review, the Spring Canyon connector (see map below) has not been completed. So on weekends you'll need to share the ATV track east of the lake for both upper and lower portions of the loop. The connector may be complete by fall 2024.
This ride is a good choice for combining camping, fishing, boating, and ATV riding with mountain biking.
From the Wasatch Front, take Highway 6 to Spanish Fork Canyon, then turn south on US-89. Turn left in Fairview and climb to the top of Fairview Canyon. Pass the entry to Skyline Drive at mile 14, then turn to the right to park at the Big Rift trailhead and ATV/snowmobile staging area. ATV Route 12 links the two south corners of the parking lot. The uphill side is the path to the Skyline Drive for your counterclockwise loop ride. The uphill end of the Spring Canyon trail is marked by a metal post just west of the toilet, should you want to ride clockwise.
An alternate route to Fairview Canyon is to turn off I-15 in Nephi, take 132 to Moroni then 116 to Mount Pleasant. Turn left on US-89 and drive 5 miles to Fairview.
Drive to Big Rift as above. Continue downhill on SR 31 for 4 miles, then turn right into the parking area on the edge of the dam. Take the ATV route north uphill for a counterclockwise loop, or cross the dam to reach the bottom of Toehead or the Spring Canyon connector (not finished in July 2024).
From Price: Take Highway 10 south to Huntington. Turn right on SR 31 and drive around 30 miles uphill to Huntington Reservoir.
Just a reminder: You're 100% sun-exposed at 10,000 feet elevation. If you forget the sunblock, you'll be toast.
The trail begins by traversing below the lip of a glacial cirque. It then drops into a fir forest.
Another note: In early summer biting flies can be a nuisance at this elevation. Add some bug-repellant to your sunblock.
In July 2024, the sun-exposed areas of the lower trail were often crowded with grass and weeks, making the riding line hard to see. I think uphill navigation could be difficult until the trail is compacted.
As you approach the dam, you may notice a light track on your left going along the western side of the reservoir. I believe this will be a future ATV-free connector to Spring Canyon. But I couldn't find a path through during my ride. Right now, it's a fishing-access path.
As a climbing route, the pitch is fairly easy but there will be occasional steeper spots. All are rideable -- unless the moon dust and loose debris gets you. On weekends, I don't recommend playing with the plentiful ATVs that you'll find on this path. It's dusty and noisy.
At mile 1.3 from the lower trailhead, a couple of parallel doubletracks cross the ATV path. The first is used by primitive campers to turn their trailers around. The second (uphill) path is the dirt road to the Spring Canyon trailhead. About 100 yards downhill on this road, there's a turn-around loop, with the Spring Canyon trail on the far side.
As Spring Canyon arrives at the snowmobile-riding zone south of Big Rift, it passes through a flat area of stunted grass and low shrubs. Here the path of the trail is outlined by rocks stacked alongside. The surface was bumpy with a combination of embedded rock, elk hoof-prints, and squirrel burrows.
From the Wasatch Front, take Highway 6 to Spanish Fork Canyon, then turn south on US-89. Turn left in Fairview and climb to the top of Fairview Canyon.
From Sanpete, drive north on US-89 to Fairview.
From Price, take SR-10 to Huntington, then turn right on SR-31 and drive 30 miles to the Huntington Reservoir trailhead. Continue uphill for the Big Rift parking area.
At the top of Fairview Canyon, pass the entry to Skyline Drive at mile 14, then turn to the right to park at the Big Rift trailhead and ATV/snowmobile staging area. ATV Route 12 links the two south corners of the parking lot. The uphill side is the path to the Skyline Drive for your counterclockwise loop ride. The uphill end of the Spring Canyon trail is marked by a metal post just west of the toilet, should you want to ride clockwise. (The lower trailhead is another 4 miles downhill on SR 31.)
