The White Rock trail can be an alternate climbing or descending route on the way to Grizzly Peak. This is a monster climb of 4300 vertical feet -- from 4500 base to 8700 at the top -- and will be just over 9 miles each way if you turn around at the peak itself.

For those who don't have the time or the leg to get all the way uphill, may I recommend a lariat loop with the climb up White Rock and descent down Perry Canyon This ride stops at an altitude of 6500 feet, but total climbing will be 2200 vertical feet because you'll lose some elevation as you traverse south from Perry Canyon on White Rock.

I recommend the counter-clockwise direction. I thought it was more fun. It's also easier to navigate the trail fork from the White Rock trail as it approaches the Grizzly Peak trail.

Which brings me to Stan Thompson. I met Stan and his four excited dogs as he was hard at work at his hobby -- building trail. With his mountain bike at trailside, Stan was digging out the last 1/10 mile of the White Rock trail in his late 70's. He's the force behind the Grizzly Peak and White Rock trails, building many miles of these terrific trails.

The ride starts just off US-89 about two miles south of Brigham City in Perry. As you approach the gate of the Geneva Rock quarry, turn right through a gate in a high chain-link fence. Immediately park on the edge of the catch basin. Spot the trail heading east past the grizzly statue, towards the mountains.

At the first opportunity, turn right and go across the creek. Then stay on the south (right) side of the creek. At mile 0.4, fork right uphill. As the trail hits doubletrack, spot the trail across the gravel road continuing up the canyon. If you cross the creek again, or if you descend a significant amount, you're lost. In general, say right and uphill.

At mile 1.4, the White Rock trail forks off the Grizzly Peak trail at the apex of a left turn. You'll see a large limb looming above the turn, with arrows pointing left to Grizzly Peak and right to White Rock. Take the less-traveled trail to the right.

You'll lose a bit of that hard-won altitude as the trail drops back to the level of the old Lake Bonneville shoreline. The trail will head west out to the face of the mountain, then traverse south to the next canyon.

Follow the trail east into the flat canyon mouth. Ignore any trails heading south. (These join the dirt road lower on the mountain.) Hope you enjoyed your restful cruise. It's time to get serious about climbing.

As it reaches the slope at around mile 3.1, the trail will begin to zigzag uphill, crossing a tiny creek a dozen times. There was one bog area of about 100 feet where the trail had captured the water flow.

The trail will continue its zigzag course uphill through 44 switchbacks. Many of the turns are tight and steep, so get forward, spin up your speed, and hit them like you mean it. You'll gain 1300 vertical feet in the next 2.4 miles. (According to my GPS, if not my legs, the climb is equally steep whether you go uphill on Grizzly or White Rock. You simply get a little rest before resuming the climb if you take the White Rock route.)

The trail follows a broad ridge uphill. It breaks in and out of little groves of maple, but overall spends little time in deep forest. So unlike the climb across the hill in Perry Canyon, the views just keep coming.

The trail finishes with a long northbound traverse to the ridgeline above Perry Canyon, where it will join the Grizzly Peak trail. You should be at exactly mile 6.0 of the ride. From here, go right uphill to hit the peak, or left downhill for the loop ride.

Navigation note 2011: After you leave the well-dug trail, your path will join a steep and straight trail that goes east-west along the ridge. This is a horse route. If you're planning to head uphill, DON'T fork to the right here. Keep straight another 60 feet. The trail will turn a bit left toward the rock outcrop down the ridge to the west, which is also NOT where you want to go. Watch the open area to your right. When you spot a trail parallel to the one you're riding on, about 20 feet away, cross over to it. You're now on the Grizzly Peak trail.

If you turn right to go uphill, the Grizzly Peak trail will enter deep forest. If you're on a grunt-steep straight climb on open ridgeline, you're on the horse trail! It will be 4.2 miles and 2100 vertical to Grizzly Peak; 5.7 miles to the Inspiration Basin gravel road.

The climb via White Rock to the Inspiration Basin road (from which you can head to Ben Lomond Peak or down to Mantua) is 10.2 miles with 4400 vertical feet of climbing. That's another 4 miles and 2100 vertical from your current spot. It's a monster ride that requires fresh legs.The loop ride is only 2200 feet of climbing on a total ride of 9.7 miles.

If you turn left downhill for the loop ride, you'll zoom through lots of tight turns, dropping 1300 vertical feet over 2.3 miles before reaching the first trail fork. There are tight turns, a few duck-unders and tight squeezes between trees. From the Grizzly-White Rock trail fork, it will be another 1.4 miles back to the car.

Getting there:  From I-15, take exit 357 (Perry-Willard) and turn right toward the mountains. Drive 0.6 miles and turn left (north) on US-89. 2.2 miles later, turn right on 3000 South. Drive 0.2 miles and turn right through the big chain-link gate to a small gravel parking area on the edge of a catch basin. (Don't go straight into Geneva Rock!) The trailhead is on the left (east) side of the small parking area, at the bear statue. N41 27.346 W112 01.940
From Brigham City: At the intersection of 1100 South (heading east from the freeway exit) and US-89, turn right (south) and drive 2.3 miles, turning left on 3000 South.