 | Windy Pass Trail
(Great Western, South Fork of
Provo Canyon) The Windy Pass Trail climbs from the South Fork of Provo Canyon to a high ridgeline called Windy Pass. It begins smoothly at the Big Spring trail, then becomes steep and rocky. Starting at 5700 feet altitude, you'll climb 3300 vertical feet to the pass. Out-and-back, it's 13 miles round trip. Because of narrow trail, loose rock, and injury potential, I'm rating this trail advanced technical, very strenuous aerobic. |
| If you choose to continue beyond the pass, you'll climb another 200 feet elevation, then begin dropping towards Bald Knoll. The trail links up with Forest Road 121 about 6.5 miles beyond the pass. This road drops into Wallsburg. Most riders who are doing a shuttle ride, however, do the ride in the opposite direction: from Wallsburg to Vivian Park. This saves a few hundred feet of climbing, and is (I'm told) significantly easier. |
| Riding notes: 0.0 Singletrack on far end of parking lot (E 5700) 0.85 Fork L, cross road 1.15 Fork L GPS N 40° 19.192' W 111° 31.874' (E 5900) Go down and through gully (R=Big Spring) 1.6 Keep R (L goes downhill to GW trailhead) 1.9 Great Western comes in on left GPS N 40° 19.369' W 111° 31.391' (E 6300) | 4.6 Fork L (R=Shingle Mill Trail) to go east |
 | Getting there:
In Provo Canyon, turn south (right if
you're going uphill) on the South Fork road at Vivian Park. Drive 3.1
miles and turn right at the National Forest access. Go to the big parking
lot at the end. The singletrack trail starts at the hole in the fence
at
the north end of the parking lot. GPS N 40° 19.952' W 111° 31.487'. Horse trailhead (not as good for bikes): Continue up the South Fork road another 0.9 mile. Pull right into a gravel parking area just before the gate of the Trefoil ranch. The trail starts at the gate with 0.8 miles of doubletrack. GPS N 40° 19.540' W 111° 31.074'. This route saves about a mile of distance but only about 150 ft of climbing. Copyright 2002 Mad Scientist Software Inc |