 | Mill Creek Pipeline Trail In the lower half of Salt Lake City's Mill Creek Canyon is the Mill Creek Pipeline trail, a great lower-altitude alpine bike ride. This narrow single-track is usually open by mid-April and stays clear of snow until November. Several trails connect the Mill Creek road to the trail, allowing riders to pick up the trail and bail out at four locations. Out-and-back, it's 14 miles. Except for a couple of (very short) spots, it's easy-intermediate technical. There's a fee to drive your car into the canyon ($3 in 2009). Dogs are allowed in Mill Creek Canyon. |
| Semi-loopy Out-and-Back ride: Park in the parking area for Upper Mill Creek (3.5 miles past the fee station, 1/4 mile past the Burch Hollow trailhead, N 40° 41.958' W 111° 42.752'). Pedal 1.5 miles up the paved road. Where the road takes a sharp turn to the right at N 40° 42.495' W 111° 41.443', turn hard L onto the trail. (NOTE: the trail you want goes back DOWN the canyon. There's a second trail 100 feet later, heading up a canyon perpendicular to the road, which is NOT the one you want.) You'll descend about 600 vertical feet to a trail intersection near Burch Hollow (keep straight), then the trail stays pretty level for the remaining ride. Ride straight past connecting trails at Church Fork and Rattlesnake Gulch. At the Salt Lake end of the trail, there's a fabulous overlook of the valley. (Trail end GPS N 40° 41.618' W 111° 46.924'.) Watch for Burch Hollow on your way back. 5.5 miles from the overlook you'll see a fork in the trail at N 40° 41.954' W 111° 43.434'. Take the right fork 1/4 mile down to the Burch Hollow trailhead. Turn left uphill on the road and peddle 1/4 mile uphill to the gate, where you parked your car. The trip is 14 miles. Another popular option is to park outside Mill Creek, ride your bike up the road to Burch Hollow or Church Fork, connect to the Pipeline, then drop down Rattlesnake Gulch to return back to the valley. While most of the Pipeline is easy cruising, we wouldn't recommend taking a newbie down Rattlesnake Gulch. This descent is advanced technical. When the dust gets deep and slippery, Rattlesnake can be a white-knuckle slide for the best riders. |
 | Getting there: Get to Foothill Blvd on the east bench of Salt Lake City via I-215. Exit at 39th South. Take 3800 South eastbound into the Canyon. Our favorite strategy is to do the first segment as a road and single-track loop, and the rest of the trail as an out-and-back: Drive 3.5 miles past the fee station. Park near the gate 1/4 mile past the Burch Hollow trailhead, at GPS N 40° 41.958' W 111° 42.752'. (Note: the gate to upper Mill Creek Canyon is open to cars July 1 to November 1, but you can pedal or hike up the road any time.) |
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