Bear Canyon Loop
The Bear Canyon Trail is found on the north slope of Mount Timpanogos in American Fork Canyon. This ride is for strong, advanced bikers only. It's a beautiful trail with lots of fun stuff, but it's not for the weak or inexperienced. The short-loop ride is 8.4 miles, with 1700 feet of climbing. Low spot is 6400, peak altitude 7700. You're riding in forest most of the time, with occasional breakouts for views. While much of the ride is only intermediate-technical, the downhill in Bear Canyon is steep and tricky, plunging 1300 feet in two miles. And the stiff 2-mile climb up Pine Hollow is tough for casual riders.
Clockwise short loop from Pine Hollow parking area
0.0  Uphill out of parking lot, left onto ST before gate
N° 40 26.99 W 111° 38.58
1.9  Right on GWT        40° 26.77 W 111° 37.50
2.4  At 4-way, go R uphill.  N° 40 26.43 W° 111 37.62
2.6  On ridge, ignore trail going L downhill
3.2  Cross road        N° 40 26.097 W° 111 37.827
3.3  Keep R
4.0  Cross creek, go R.  N 40° 25.82  W 111° 38.33
4.1  Arrive Timpooneke parking, go L uphill
N 40° 25.89  W 111° 38.40		Keep on main road (ignore campgrounds)
5.4  R on East Fork Bear Canyon ST
N 40° 26.08  W 111° 38.91
5.6  Meet West Fork, go R downhill
N 40° 26.13  W 111° 39.05
7.6  Into Mutual Dell, L downhill
7.7  Cross road, find ST uphill
N° 40 26.90 W° 111 38.68
8.2 Arrive at road, go uphill
N° 40 27.03 W° 111 38.70
8.3 At parking

Longer ride options: (1) at the GWT, go uphill to the Ridge Trail. Go R (south) to the summit parking. Take Horse Flat down to the road. Go 200 feet L downhill and go L on GWT toward Timpooneke. (2) Just before the Timpooneke bathroom, turn L on a smaller trail. Follow the Timpanogos Perimeter uphill a couple of miles, and find the Bear Canyon trail on the right.
Getting there: From I-15, take the Alpine-Highland exit just south of Point-of-the-Mountain. Go east towards the mountains on UT-92 and continue up American Fork Canyon. There's a $6 fee (as of 2009). About 6 miles up the canyon, keep right at the fork and drive up the south fork. Pass Mutual Dell (this is where you'll cross the road on your return). Park at the Pine Hollow trailhead (restroom available).

Copyright 2006 Mad Scientist Software Inc
Trail conditions change. Use this trail guide at your own risk.