Mill D North Fork
The Mill D North Fork trail is a very pretty singletrack ride. It's a tad on the technical side, with many roots and embedded rocks, so it's best for strong-intermediate or advanced riders. It's a great downhill, but a bit of a beast to climb up. So most riders take the road up to Guardsman, then drop off the Wasatch Crest trail to complete a loop using Mill D as the downhill. But the uphill is nice, too, if you've got the leg for it. Because this trail is very popular with hikers, you'll need to be extra careful and considerate.
Loop 1: Road-Crest-Mill D. Turning left onto the Guardsman Road, they ride to the Wasatch Crest trailhead and climb Puke Hill. Just past the Desolation Lake overlook, the trail forks left to drop down past the lake. Keep left at the Dog Lake trail intersection. This gives 4 miles of kick-butt downhill. Total climbing is 2700 feet. To avoid the road ride and 1700 feet of climbing, you can leave a shuttle at the Mill D trailhead and drive up to the Wasatch Crest trailhead.
Loop 2: Mill D-Crest-Mill Canyon-Dog Lake. See below.
Epic Loop : Road-Crest-Mill Canyon-Dog Lake-Mill D. Pavement to the Wasatch Crest. Descend down Mill Creek Trail, and when you hit the Dog Lake trail, climb 400 feet back up. Ride past Dog Lake, then turn right on Mill D after descending from the lake.
Out-and-back: As an out-and-back to Desolation Lake, the trail is 3.8 miles each way, with a gain of 2000 feet. Starting altitude is 7300 feet. Add in a ride around the lake, and you've got a total of 8 miles.
Riding Notes, Desolation and Dog Lake Loop:
0.0   From parking north up ST Mill D North
N40 38.672 W111 38.412
1.6   Stay R on Mill D North (L = Dog Lake)
N40 39.759 W111 37.791
3.9   Pass Desolation Lake
4.1   L on Wasatch Crest
N40 39.507 W111 35.794
6.5   Keep L, downhill on Mill Creek Trail
N40 41.224 W111 36.087		(R = to Midmountain Trail)
7.6   Keep L N40 40.975 W111 37.177
9.5   L uphill at 4-way (to Dog Lake)
N40 40.694 W111 38.514
10.4 Pass Dog Lake
11.0 R downhill on Mill D North
N40 39.759 W111 37.791
12.5 Back at parking
***NOTE: Upper Mill Creek trails CLOSED to bikes on odd-numbered days!
Getting there: Go to Big Cottonwood Canyon (Wasatch Blvd and 72nd South) and drive 8.8 miles up from the traffic light. Park near the trailhead on your left. GPS N 40° 38.976' W 111° 38.884'.
Guardsman Pass trailhead: Ride up the road past Solitude Resort (about 6.5 miles). Just before you reach Brighton, the road to Guardsman Pass turns off on your left. Exactly one mile later (1.8 miles from the fork in the road), you'll see a dirt road on the left. GPS N 40° 36.817' W 111° 33.532'. Park along the hairpin turn and bike up the road.
Copyright 2002 Mad Scientist Software Inc. Trail conditions change, and the layout of a trail may change without notice. Use this trail guide at your own risk.