 | Sheepherder Hill Trail The Sheepherder Hill trail is a riot to ride. It has 4.8 miles of narrow undulating singletrack that hugs hillsides as the trail snakes between Payson Canyon and Santaquin Canyon. It has steep side-slopes, with a few rocks, lots of roots, several creek crossings. Advanced riders will really enjoy this trail. Season is mid-July through September. It can be done as a 12-mile loop including Shram Creek, or as an 11-mile out-and-back (skip the big hill at the western end). This guide describes a clockwise loop. Peak altitude 8400, 2300 vertical feet climbing. |
| Clockwise Loop with Shram Creek climb: 0.0 From parking just off Nebo Loop N39 56.558 W111 40.564 Drop off parking on DT, L uphill on ST 0.2 Trail from alternate parking joins on R N39 56.403 W111 40.661 0.7 Fork R N39 56.033 W111 40.625 1.1 Fork L (R = to Sheepherder) N39 55.879 W111 40.864 2.4 Lizard Lake DT joins on L, head uphill N39 54.983 W111 40.490 2.6 Fork R (uphill) Rock Springs Trail N39 54.765 W111 40.662 2.9 Pass Lizard Lake Trail, keep R N39 54.629 W111 40.827 3.4 Pass faint DH trail, keep L uphill N39 54.618 W111 41.318 3.8 R on Santaquin gravel road N39 54.420 W111 41.597 | 5.0 Fork R as road splits N39 54.705 W111 42.557 6.0 R on DT N39 55.082 W111 43.130 6.5 Gate, start ST N39 55.457 W111 43.291 6.6 Fork R N39 55.579 W111 43.333 6.9 Critical R fork! N39 55.742 W111 43.218 9.5 Cross creek and fork L N39 55.367 W111 41.815 10.0 Fork R N39 55.791 W111 41.622 10.8 (Connector to Shram on R somewhere here) 11.3 R on gravel road N39 56.077 W111 40.741 12.0 Back at parking |
 | Getting there:
Going south, take
the Payson exit 250 from I-15 and turn left. Head into Payson on U-115 to
the traffic light, then turn left (100 North, U-198). About 1/3 mile
later, at the top of a small hill, turn right at 600 East. Zero your
odometer here. Drive 9.1 miles up the Nebo Loop Road.
(Pass the Grotto Trail and Bennie Creek Cutoff Trail.) As you approach a
cattleguard, there's a dirt road on the right. Parking is at the wide area
on your left. The Shram Creek trail starts about 150 feet down the dirt road, just
across the cattleguard, on the left. The lower trailhead for the
Sheepherder Hill trail is 0.7 miles up the dirt road, on your left just
past a log-fenced parking area. Copyright 2008 Mad Scientist Software Inc. Trail conditions change. Use this trail guide at your own risk. |