The Mad Scientist.

Tibble Fork via Pine Hollow Loop
This 11-mile long, 2200-vertical foot loop is for advanced bikers. But the payoff is awesome views and a downhill cruise that rivals anything you've ever done. This loop links a portion of the American Fork Canyon paved road, the Pine Hollow Trail, Great Western Trail, Ridge Trail 157, and the Tibble Fork Trail. For a color-coded map of trails linking to Ridge Trail 157, see the Ridge Trail Page.

Start the ride at Tibble Fork Reservoir, 2 miles up the North Fork of American Fork Canyon. After a high-speed road cruise back down to the junction, turn left and climb up the paved road of the South Fork 2 miles to the Pine Hollow Trailhead.
Alternate: Great Western Trail, see below.
Riding up from Pine Hollow, you'll climb 1.9 miles through the pines and oak of the canyon, then turn left on the Great Western Trail at GPS N 40° 26.775' W 111° 37.501'. About 1/2 mile later, you'll pass a large beautiful meadow, after which the GWT will link up with Ridge Trail 157. Turn left (north). Follow the Ridge Trail for 2 miles. (Be sure to catch the right turn at the Mud Springs fork -- about a mile from the Ridge Trail intersection.) The Tibble Fork Trail turns left downhill at a 4-way trail intersection at GPS N 40° 27.918' W 111° 36.532'.
Payoff time. The Tibble Fork Trail is a 3-mile advanced-technical descent that will leave you grinning. You'll drop around 2000 feet over logs, roots, rocks and twisting turns.
Tibble Fork Trail MapGetting 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, turn left at the North Fork junction and drive 2 miles to Tibble Fork Reservoir. (While riding the loop, you'll ride up the South Fork from this same junction.) Or park at the junction and end your ride with a 2-mile road cruise from the reservoir.

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Trail conditions change, and the layout of a trail may change without notice. Use this trail guide at your own risk.

An alternate route avoids the tougher climb on the Pine Hollow Trail. Instead of leaving the pavement at Pine Hollow, continue up the road another 2 miles or so, then make a right at the Timpooneke Campground. Go 1/2 mile to the parking area for the Timpookeke trail. Catch the Timpooneke (Great Western) Trail, but turn left across the creek. When you reach the 4-way near Salamander Flat, turn left over the creek. Keep straight past the Pine Hollow Trail as it joins on the left, then turn left onto Ridge Trail 157 a bit later.