The best trails and rides for expert mountain bikers in Park City, UT!
The trail system in Park City was built by riders for riders. What started as pirate trails crossing a few select hillsides has become a vast network of singletrack winding across valleys and meadows and reaching the highest peaks and our neighboring communities. The groms who grew up with this trail system have gone on to win Olympic medals and other titles in mountain biking and gravel racing. And Deer Valley's bike park has hosted athletes from around the world.
But maybe the best testament to the variety and depth of Park City's trail network is the Park City Point-to-Point, or better known as the P2P. This races is 75 miles, includes 12,000 feet of climbing, and is raced on 90% singletrack where riders never touch the same trail twice. Park City has a ton of expert-level riding, proven by the depth of talent and technical racing. Below are just a handful of expert mountain bike rides. We routed these rides as long loops with big climbs. And for the shuttle crowd, we noted where you could hop the bus or arrange a ride to the top of the trail!
The Black Forest loop combines a bevy of technical trails into one ride that starts and ends in right in town. First up is a nice tech climb on Sweeney's Switchbacks, John's, and Steps. These three trails feature rocky technical bits, endless roots, and punchy fall line climbs. Next up is a break as you pedal the tamer Three Candles and Keystone before getting right back into it on Fat Lip and Stiff Upper Lip all the way to Charlie's 9k. A breezy pedal on 9k leads you into a fast traverse on the beginning of the Black Forest trail before dropping you into one of the most fun technical descents in Park City. And what follows is a smattering of original trails leading into Daly Canyon and down to Main Street.
If you want to skip the climb, take the Crescent chairlift at Park City Mountain to reach the bottom of Three Candles. Or, take the purple bus route to Empire Pass and hop on 9k from there!
The Wasatch Crest (Crest) trail is a classic high alpine ride. If you're up to it, you could link a ride starting in Midway, UT to the south of Park City, climb the W.O.W. trail, ride the Crest, and descend into Salt Lake City via Millcreek Canyon, linking the Wasatch Back to the Front in one mega-ride. The Crest isn't the most difficult trail on the map. What makes it an expert-level ride is the elevation (9,000+ feet) and exposure, especially on a thin outcrop of rock affectionately know as The Spine. If you need help up there it could take over an hour! But the views in the Wasatch Back, Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Millcreek Canyon make this one of the most stunning rides you might ever have the opportunity to go on.
The route from town (there are several) takes you on a mix of old school singletrack and modern machine-built trails for diversity and fun. And at 20 miles long (it could be longer) you're going to want to start early and bring plenty of snacks and water. After a 3,000+ foot descent through ripping singletrack and some purpose-built downhill trails, our Crest loop ends in Canyons Village. Here you can hop the bus back or ride a paved bike path back into town. The shuttle crowd can arrange a ride to the top of Guardsmans Pass (there is no parking up here) and access the Crest via Scott's Bypass.
If you're looking for some air time then consider a rip on Dead Reckoning. This black diamond jump trail features 15-20 foot gaps and 6-8 foot tall lips with more pop than your conventional flow line and high speed step downs and berms for added flavor. Sorry, no shuttles. You have to pedal to the top of this one via and short and mellow climb-only trail. If you're new to the area, take a warm up lap on Arcylon, Dead Reckoning's blue square little brother.
Change Reaction is one of the newer descending-only trails to be added to the Park City trail map. What's unique about it is where it is: really high up there! Change Reaction starts off one of the highest points of Charlie's 9k (9k), a six mile bi-directional traverse beginning at Empire Pass and ending at the junction of Blazing Saddles and the Wasatch Crest trail. Our route has you climb through classic trails in Daly Canyon above Historic Old Town all the way to the top of Empire Pass before setting out west on 9k a couple of miles to Change Reaction. Under the shadow of Jupiter Peak, this trail has you ripping down huge berms, braided flow lines, 15 foot gaps, and navigating a healthy mix of loose rock and dusty roots. The end is a sort of choose-your-own-adventure where you can take three separate trails. Let's just say the Strava segments are endless. And from here, you're only halfway down.
Our route takes the rest of the way via mix of old school and contemporary machine-built trails. But Change Reaction is fun enough that you might take the return climb back up for another lap! For shuttles, hop the purple bus to Empire Pass where you can hop on 9k and save most of the climbing.
High Star Ranch is one of the most underrated riding areas in Summit County. To the east of Park City and over the hill is a small town at the foothill of the Uinta Mountains called Kamas. High Star Ranch is a small neighborhood with 14 miles of directional trails. The 1500 foot climb to the top of Short Fuse, the highest trail in this loop, involves a lot of steep switchbacks and the climb gets progressively more technical the higher you pedal. However, the reward is worth it. At the top is one of the best views of the Kamas Valley, a ranching and agricultural hub in Summit County. And the descent is a fast-paced rip with tons of technical corners, rock features, and jumps. The Radke trail comprises the last half of the descent and might be one of the best descents around Park City. Hidden line choices make this trail worth lapping a couple of times and the berms at the bottom are a riot!
Did we confuse you enough listing out all these trails and junctions? A great way to explore a new riding area is with a guide, and even the best riders need a little coaching from time to time. Many of the loops and trails we mention above are in a dense trail aread—affectionately known around town as the "Noodle Bowl." Making a wrong turn is not guaranteed but very likely. Mountain bike guide services offer a range of options and will build a ride around your skill, fitness, and comfort levels and help you navigate a tricky trail system. Check out some mountain bike guides services below, and let a seasoned local show you where to go!
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Visit Park City
Who is Visit Park City? It's all of us. All of us who love the mountains, their grandeur, and living an alpine lifestyle. It's an essence or a feeling. Maybe it's comradery. Regardless, Visit Park City are real people who live, work, and play in Park City, UT. Our blogs cover a wide range of topics, offering tips and advice on how to make the most of your trip to our mountain enclave!
