The best trails and rides for intermediate mountain bikers in Park City, UT!
Park City has a thorough mix of singletrack—400+ miles worth of trails winding throughout the hills surrounding town. A big part of that network are intermediate trails: purpose-built, directional, and connections that let you link up some fantastic loops and rides. If you're in need of a classic blue flow trail or a winding climb through a magnificent aspen forest, Park City has the trail for you. Below are some of our favorite intermediate rides and trails in town and one in the neighboring Uinta Mountains! These intermediate rides are great for families with older kids that can climb and ride most intermediate trails.
Round Valley has a very special place in the hearts of Parkites. There are many many trails and tons of connections. We tried to link up the best descents in the area in one continuous ride. However, this lap does omit the Trailside Bike Park which features even more intermediate flow trails, jump lines, and skills sections. It's not to be missed. But, the trails to look out for on this Round Valley ride bring their own distinct flavor and fun. Check them out:
North facing Rambler
Pulp Friction directional flow trail
West facing Rademan Ridge after a steep (!) but short climb
Mojave and Seldom Seen are two machine-built flow trails on Park City Mountain descending Crescent Ridge on the west and east faces. Both of these killer trails feature all the hits: big berms, moderate jumps with go-arounds, smooth dirt, and limited tech features so you can keep your pace. Seldom Seen was built as an accessible trail, and the National Ability Center regularly takes adaptive athletes here to ride and train. This ride does require a big climb, about 1800 feet, the to "yurt," a popular stopover in Park City's trail network. While the climb is long, coming in north of 6 miles, Mother Urban is fantastic trail, offering views of Old Town and Daly Canyon and running right along historic mine structures. If you don't want to take Mother Urban, you can take Jenni's for a slightly mellower climb to Tommy Two Steps.
Family Truckster is one of our favorite new intermediate trails in Park City. It's part of the Clark's Ranch network and one of three directional trails varying in difficulty. It's beginner little brother, Sparky's, was featured in our beginner mountain bike rides blog. The climb is mellow and short with just a few steep corners. But Family Truckster, named for the Griswold family station wagon, features a ton of awesome flowy berms and jumps with added b-lines and other flavor like berm-to-berm jumps and a fun and very doable on-off table jump. The trail ends at halfway point on the climb, letting you shoot back up for another lap!
This is by far the most scenic ride in our list. This loop climbs and descends the south side of Sky Ridge overlooking the Jordanelle reservoir—making for stunning views of the reservoir and Deer Valley's Expanded Excellence terrain! The climb is mellow and winds around the mountain, but it doesn't end quite at the top of the peak. So, put in the extra effort for a couple more switchbacks and get a mountain top view and finish. The descent switchbacks back down the hill on a directional flow trail that includes intermediate features and rocky technical bits for extra flavor.
Slate Creek is a new riding area on the Mirror Lake Highway. You'll need a car or shuttle to reach this spot but the drive (~25 minutes) is well worth it. You'll cross through the beautiful Kamas Valley and go up into the foothills of the Uinta Mountains to the east of Park City. Left Hand Loop is the longer of two routes. The ride starts very mellow and traverses across a stunning alpine valley. The wild flowers are beautiful in July and the mountain breeze cools you on a hot afternoon. The climb trail forks at mile three and (you guessed it) take the left hand option. Up, up, up, the trail wraps around the north side of the mountain where you ride through a beautiful old growth forest. After the climb, you're rewarded with a long flowy descent to the car. If you're up for it, take the climb back and ride the loop on the lookers-right side of the valley for a more technical, but shorter, descent. When the ride is done, make a stopover at the Notch Pub in Samak for beers, burgers, and other pub fare.
A great way to explore a new riding area is with a guide. Round Valley in particular can be a bit confusing if you don't know where you are going. Guide services offer a range of options and will build a ride around your skill, fitness, and comfort levels. So check out some mountain bike guides services below, and let a seasoned local show you where to go!
Flying is liberating. Wind on the skin while floating through the high desert is a cornerstone of…
Author
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!
