The Wasatch Crest Trail runs along the high ridge between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City, then descends via Mill Creek Canyon. This is a very popular and well-traveled trail. Because it's at high altitude, the riding season starts in July. There are many ways to enjoy this great trail.View from Scott's Bypass trail as you begin the ride at the top of Guardsman Pass. Original review written in 1998, with periodic updates.

Most riders do the Wasatch Crest as a shuttled ride from the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. There are two popular starting points from Guardsman Road. (See below for more detrails.) The lower trail, the Wasatch Crest Connector doubletrack, climbs to Scott's Pass. The higher Scott's Bypass singletrack trail descends from higher on the mountain. The two options converge at Scott's Pass below Puke Hill. The shuttled ride ends with a pavement rush down Mill Creek Canyon (or more dirt Mill Creek Upper Pipeline and classic lower Pipeline plus Rattlesnake BST on the way down).

Scott's Bypass trail has varied scenery, ranging from open meadows to aspen groves to deep fir forest.

There are other ways to ride the Crest. Hardbodies can climb from Mill Creek Canyon's Big Water trail and ride the Wasatch Crest as a 20-mile out-and-back or as a loop with Midmountain (Upper Mill Creek trails are open to bikes only on even-numbered days!) You can also reach the Crest by climbing Mill D North Fork , which hooks in above Desolation Lake.

You can also get there from Park City for an out-and-back or loop. Any climbing route to Midmountain can get you to the Wasatch Crest. Pine Cone Ridge connects directly to Puke Hill at the south end of the Crest. You can reach Scott's Pass via the Shadow Lake Trail or connect to Scott's Bypass via Dead Tree (see the Scott's Bypass Loop page). You can also reach Guardsman Road from Deer Valley .

Hardcore riders combine the Wasatch Crest with the Midmountain trail for a long loop. There are many variations ! Most riders do a clockwise loop, descending the Crest. At the northern (lower) end of the Crest, the Crest Connector connects to the Midmountain Trail just north of Red Pine Lodge of The Canyons. At the southern end of the Crest, there are several connection routes from Midmountain of varying difficulty and complexity. The most direct route is Pine Cone Ridge .

You can do a loop on the Cottonwood side. This is a good option on odd-numbered days, when Mill Creek is closed to bikes. Park at Reynolds Flat and bike uphill on the Big Cottonwood Road, then Guardsman Road. Hit the Crest, then after The Spine drop down the trail to Desolation Lake Trail to the Mill D North Fork. (Intersection of the Crest with the Desolation Lake trail is GPS N 40° 39.508' W 111° 35.756'.)Looking toward the mouth of Big Cottonwood.

The classic Wasatch Crest ride is a 13-mile shuttled ride from Guardsman Road to the Big Water trailhead in Mill Creek Canyon. (Even-numbered days only!) But there are two favorite "classic" starting points.You either need a drop-off -- such as a commercial shuttle service -- or you must pedal from the Bonanza Flat parking about a mile away.(1)Go all the way to the Guardsman Pass parking lot and take Scott's Bypass trail. Scott's Bypass is 1.4 miles, descending 200 vertical feet (with a bit of climbing in the middle). The singletrack ends at Scott's Pass above Shadow Lake. Because there's room to unload and turn around, this is the starting point for the commercial shuttles.

(2)There's a doubletrack located at a turn in the Guardsman road. The DT climbs uphill 0.8 miles to Scott's Pass. It's a stiff climb, covering about 450 vertical feet. Note that there is NO parking allowed here -- drop-off only.

At Scott's Pass, take the doubletrack on your left heading uphill. You're now on the way to Puke Hill, the final brute climb to the Crest. It's 350 vertical feet in 1/2 mile, with the steepest part at the highest altitude. The name Puke Hill was not chosen arbitrarily. Take a break at 9900 feet to enjoy the views.

On the ridge there will be singletrack to your right. That's Pine Cone Ridge. To continue on the Crest, veer left along the ridge on doubletrack trail. After the second transmission shack, it converts to single track.

The trail rolls up and down, with fabulous views of the granite peaks southward in Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood canyons on your left. Occasionally, you'll see a bit of the Park City area to your right.

Into late summer, the trail is surrounded by sticky geranium, wild flax, paintbrush, daisy, wild rose, and arnica. Later in the season, currants, rose hips, and elderberry provide color as the leaves turn yellow.

Until you drop into north Mill Creek Canyon, every inch of the trail has a fabulous view extending over miles of alpine landscape.

Above Desolation Lake, the sharp fin of rock called The Spine is a challenge for the very best riders. The ridge is a col, a fin left standing between two glaciers as they ate into the mountain towards each other (there's a glacial cirque and lake on either side of the fin).

This is a good spot to take a break. Enjoy the views of Desolation Lake. Hike back uphill and try The Spine again.

Don't be ashamed to walk your bike over this area. Most riders walk -- or stop for on-trail repairs and bandaging. Want to ride? The line to the far left is suitable for confident upper-intermediate riders. The apex of the ridge right on top of the spine looks scary, but it's a pretty good line. The area between them is a trap.

Any way down the spine is scary. Every year it looks gnarlier. The wheel traps and rugged chunk is very intimidating once you get there and see it in person.

Keep right at the trail fork just below The Spine (left goes down to Desolation Lake and Mill D North Fork ). Now motor on toward Mill Creek Canyon, stopping occasionally for the views. This section of the trail (Mill Creek Canyon) is open to mountain bikers on even days only -- you can bike the 28th, but not the 29th.

An optional descent is the Mill Creek Meadows trail, found 0.5 miles from the Mill D North Fork intersection. It's an unmarked trail fork 0.1 miles from the transition between Big Cottonwood and Mill Creek. This trail is 2 miles and shortens the overall ride by about a mile.

Assuming you're still descending the Wasatch Crest above Mill Creek, keep to the left at the intersection with the Crest Connector around 2 miles from the Desolation Lake trail fork. Follow the trail signs down Mill Creek Canyon to the Lower Big Water Trail. (Alternate: shorter steeper descent down Red Pine Road Trail ) The official ride ends in the parking lot in upper Mill Creek Canyon. Coast down the road to your shuttle vehicle.

A popular option (our personal favorite) is to catch the Upper Mill Creek Pipeline at Big Water, then link to the lower Pipeline at Elbow Fork. Ride the Pipeline to Rattlesnake Gulch , then run out the bottom of the canyon.

Mill Creek trailhead: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. Drive all the way to the top of the canyon. The trail begins on the south end of the Big Water Trailhead parking area GPS N 40° 40.922' W 111° 34.199'. (Note: the gate to upper Mill Creek Canyon is open to cars July 1 to November 1. Mountain bikes are only allowed on upper Mill Creek trails on EVEN numbered days!) The fee to enter Mill Creek Canyon is $5 per car (2022), payable by charge card on leaving.

Single-page riding guide GPS track files and route (right-click and "Save as..."): GPX Classic Crest Guardsman Rd GPX Classic via Scott's Scott's plus Pipeline descent Scott's to Red Pine Rd Tr Mill Creek "Reverse Crest" Loop Mill Creek out-and-back Epic Mill-D-Road-Crest-Dog Lake Mill-D-Desolation-Dog Lake Loop Mill-D-Road-Crest-Down Mill D North Tracks ncluding Mill D N, Dog Lake GPX Multi-track Park City loop rides The! GPX Inter-canyon Connections Parleys to Provo Medium-res topo: View High-res topo (900 KB): View Topo maps of loop via Park City: Medium-Res High-Res Lodging, camping, shops: Links to northern SLC resources Links to Cottonwood canyon resources