Park City and Utah locals are regularly asked: “What’s your favorite mountain bike trail?”

Seasoned riders’ responses range from, “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you,” to, “Oh, they’re like my children: They’re all different, and I prefer one over another depending on conditions.” But one definitive answer is universally met with gleeful giggles and hearty applause.

But First, Why Ride Dirt Trails?

When the snow melts in Park City, residents and visitors watch the area’s singletrack trails emerge from their winter rest. The weight and moisture of The Greatest Snow on Earth^® fill and resurface each path with rich, brown pow, the tacky dirt that allows bikers to climb up mountains and carve around berms with greater ease. 

One of Utah’s most popular activities, mountain biking is suitable for people of all ages and skill levels. If you can ride a bike, you can mountain bike through Park City’s aspens or over Moab’s slickrock. 

What distinguishes a mountain bike from the coasters and Schwinn’s boomers and millennials grew up with are the wheels (wider) and suspensions (squishier), designed to make travelling on dirt trails smoother and easier. However, it’s not the feeling underfoot; the swelling in smiling cheeks draws people to mountain biking trails. 
Set in a giant, outdoor playground, mountain biking allows riders to move higher through forests, meadows, or deserts (in Southern Utah) more quickly without distractions or drivers. Senses are engaged and heightened as well, and adrenaline levels rise at any speed.

Slate Creek Gets the Likes

Visitors to Park City and the Wasatch Back are attracted to the alpine trails traversing the nearby resorts and valley roads but venture a bit further and you’ll discover why locals keep talking about Slate Creek. The Slate Creek Trail System is one of the region’s best and most accessible places to mountain bike in Northern Utah. It’s highly rated but not overrun. 

The reasons lie in its unique location and design. “It’s a mountain bike ride that gives you the deep woods feel,” muses Adam Brown, South Summit Trails Foundation (SSTF) board member. The collection of trails begins and ends at the Yellow Pine Trailhead, located approximately six miles east of Kamas, along the stunning, two-lane Mirror Lake Scenic Byway/Hwy. 150 in the Uinta Mountains. 

Uinta is derived from the Ute words meaning “pine tree” or “pine forest,” immediately providing a visual and olfactory picture. This east-west range runs perpendicular to the Wasatch, stretches through Wyoming and into northwest Colorado, and features more Utah peaks topping 11,000’ and all of the state’s 13,000′ + summits. (Translation: In addition to its natural beauty, the temperature will be even cooler than Park City’s moderate summer climate.) As part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Forest, these public lands are managed by the U.S. Forest Service, but the trails were built and are maintained through a public-private partnership with SSTF. 

There is ample free parking at the trailhead and, most importantly, a toilet!

The Slate Creek Trail System consists of four well-designed and specifically engineered mountain bike trails of varying lengths that can be combined to create an entire day of play. They range from green (easy) to blue (more difficult) and include a few technical features that will satisfy any rowdy dirt cowboys in the group. 

But can you climb it? Climbing requires cardiovascular stamina, especially at 7000’-8500’ above sea level, but it doesn’t require an oxygen mask. Most experienced mountain bikers will reach maximum heart rates toward the summit of the Left Hand Loop. Those rolling trails for the first time can give it a whirl or two around Ponderosa Loop before venturing higher and farther. Regardless, take a respite and enjoy the view. 

Federal law prohibits motorized vehicles, including e-bikes, on public trails. There are also no cell towers along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway. So, although a map is posted at the trailhead, consider downloading or printing one before heading out. Then, unplug and enjoy the sound of silence. 

“This is my new favorite trail!” says just about everyone who sets foot, pedal, or hoof on Slate Creek.

From the Yellow Pine Trailhead, follow the signs heading north toward the mountains and the cows, not east toward the footbridge. The Slate Creek trails are directional, keeping everyone venturing the same way to reduce sneaking up quickly on a downhill cyclist, hiker, horse, or cow on a blind curve. Because the cows ignore the signage, caution is always advised.

After cutting a narrow path 100 yards through the meadow, you’ll reach a gate. Cows often linger here but are welcoming. Open the gate, push the bike over the ramp, and CLOSE THE GATE because cows will shimmy through and block that two-lane byway for hours.

Ponderosa Loop

Up the doubletrack (a trail wide enough for two bicycles) and around the first switchback, trees emerge: oaks, firs, spruces, and the eponymous pines of the Uintas. Heart rates begin to rise here as you reach the turnoff for Ponderosa, the shortest and easiest loop at Slate Creek. Measuring 1.5 miles total on smooth singletrack, this romp through the woods (187’ elevation gain) takes riders of all abilities back down to the meadow and parking lot. For friends and family who are not mountain biking, this is a nice hiking trail that should get them and those riding the Slate Creek Loop (see below) back to the car about the same time.

Slate Creek Loop

The Slate Creek MTB Trail was the first in the system and remains the most popular. Considered “moderately challenging” by AllTrails (great mobile app with downloadable maps), it is arguably easier — and less crowded — than most Park City mountainside offerings. 

From the cutoff at Ponderosa, this 5.6-mile loop with approximately 770’ of elevation gain continues up the hillside, moving along a wide, buff singletrack. There are very few rocks or roots, allowing riders to look up and ahead to the spectacular views. The route undulates in a moderate climb through thickets of trees and over man-made bridges until reaching a set of quick uphill switchbacks and carry riders to the summit. 
Stop at the Left Hand Loop trail fork. Rest, have a snack, and get your camera ready — or, better yet, your friend’s camera — for the next section, The Creek.

Depending on the water level (it runs higher and faster in June), mountain bikers can ride from the summit of Slate Creek Loop down, into and through the creek. The rocks are small and rideable depending on your bike handling ability and comfort zone. 
If you’re shooting photos or video of others, stand on the opposite side of the creek and capture them entering head-on. If you regret not splashing through after watching your buddy do it, it’s perfectly acceptable to walk the bike back and give it a go!

After exiting this drainage area, the remainder of the loop is a downhill flow trail with a few “features,” including four rock gardens. Two require intermediate technical skills; the others are arguably experts only, but all are easily visible when deciding whether to “hike-a-bike” on the fly. The final feature is a log roll, a set of approximately two dozen logs placed across the trail halfway down the route. Because the trail flows gently downhill here, pedaling continuously without braking carries most right riders over them. 

The Slate Creek Loop continues with a flowy flourish, banking left and right before finishing at the footbridge beside the trailhead parking lot. Most riders complete this ride in approximately an hour.

Left Hand and White Fir Loops

For a longer and even more scenic version, turn left onto Left Hand Loop at the top of Slate Creek MTB Trail. From here, two additional miles of low-angle climbing on very smooth dirt through several copse of aspen make it one of the most scenic parts of the Slate Creek Trail System. The summit then flows across the ridgeline into Left Hand Canyon for approximately one-half mile through dense firs and pines, offering glimpses of Kamas, Heber Valley, and, on a clear day, Mount Timpanogos before intersecting the White Fir MTB Trail. 

This fork provides mountain bikers two great choices: continue on Left Hand Loop MTB Trail to Slate Creek MTB Trail or take White Fir MTB Trail.

The first section of Left Hand Loop MTB Trail from here is dotted with small rocks, but after 100 yards, it opens into a fast, flowy, cross-country return back through the aspens to Slate Creek MTB Trail just before the creek. Adding Left Hand Loop to Slate Creek creates an incredible 10.7-mile, figure-eight ride with approximately 1,270’ of elevation gain.

White Fir MTB Trail takes riders on a well-engineered downhill flow trail following over a dozen bermed switchbacks descending 750’ in just over three miles. At the eventual intersection of Ponderosa and Slate Creek MTB Trail, bikers can point their wheel down the former, returning them to the trailhead making an excellent 8.7-mile route. Those looking for more distance and “vert” can circle back uphill on Slate Creek MTB Trail creating a 15-mile, 2000’ epic adventure.

The Slate Creek Trail System is the uncut gem of Park City mountain biking. Minutes from the bustling resorts, it provides deep forest access via tranquil, smooth, exhilarating routes suitable for riders of all abilities. 

Just don’t tell anyone else about it, OK?

See more in the 2025 Summer Adventure Guide

The post Don’t Tell Anyone about this Mountain Bike Trail appeared first on Park Record.

Utah is home to adventure. From world-class ski slopes to otherworldly landscapes, those looking for something ‘more’ do not have to venture far. That is especially true for those near Stein Eriksen Lodge, Deer Valley’s premier year-round resort. Tucked beneath its fine linens is a world-class wine cellar that offers private tastings that measure up to the property’s fine-dining options and famed ski runs.

For over a decade, Stein Eriksen’s Jim Dahlgren (Certified Sommelier, CMS) and Eliza Perkins (WSET, Level 3) have led guests into the resort’s vast wine cellar that contains a curated and ever-expanding collection of over 20,000 bottles covering 2,200 selections valued at more than $2.75 million. The inventory represents breadth and depth with old and new world regions, varietals and vintages, as well as more youthful and novel ones. Although the collection is one of Utah’s largest, it is focused on meeting the expectations of guests to the resort, whether sipping a California Chardonnay on the patio or pairing a white Burgundy with Glitretind’s lobster soup, one of Perkins’ favorites. Like skiers venturing into the nearby backcountry, the Cellar Tasting is designed to give guests more — to take them beyond what they understand or imagine wine is about.

“Wine is all-encompassing and represents people, agriculture, history, geography, and geology. If you’re interested in any of those things, wine can interest you, and we will help bring the passion,” explains Dahlgren, echoing instructors of the area’s on-mountain pursuits.

Like skiing or mountain biking tours, the Cellar Tasting is tailored for novices or experts. Dahlgren and Perkins meet everyone where they are in their oenophilic journey, reminding them that, “Tasting (and smelling) is a personal experience and is so closely tied to our memories. If you smell something prominent that transports you to a time and space in your mind, lean into it.”

For more experienced participants, the Cellar Tasting tries to develop participants’ palates by introducing varietals from different regions – or hemispheres – that express what first drew them to their favorite bottle long ago. Perkins explains, “Our palates change over time. If someone is in love with a specific type of wine from a specific place, for example, red blends from the southern Rhone, [they can] try a similar wine from a different place with similar growing conditions, like a red blend from Paso Robles, California.” In skiing terms, those who love skiing laps on Nabob should venture to Hawkeye or Hidden Treasure, not just to expand their carving but their coverage.
If wine tasting feels as daunting as tipping skis over Deer Valley’s famed black diamond run, Stein’s Way, Dahlgren and Perkins offer a quick set of questions to make even a beginner feel like an expert.

1. What type of climate is this wine from, and how does it affect the style?

2. What type of wine pairs with this food, and what characteristics in the wine make it work with that food?

3. I don’t like [Cabernet Sauvignon], but I really like [Pinot Noir]. What are some of the characteristics in each so I can learn to describe what I like and don’t like?

Although guests may learn a thing or two about wine, the Cellar Tasting is designed to be fun. “It’s always memorable when people get competitive with one other while guessing the wines,” says Dalhgren. “[They] get excited about the wine in front of them and want to learn more. We’ve had a lot of great groups over the years with great energy, from bachelorette parties or birthday parties to business outings.”
As Ernest Hemingway declared, “Wine and friends are a good blend.”

The Cellar Tasting is a ‘blind tasting’ — the wines are revealed after each is swirled, smelled, and tasted — consisting of six different wines that are customized by the sommeliers to the participants’ preferences if requested. It is conducted in the intimacy of the climate-controlled cellar in the lower level of the resort. However, particularly in summer, it can be hosted on the deck overlooking the Lodge’s breathtaking mountain views.

Prices for the Cellar Tasting start at $150 per person, depending on the wine choice and group size and include a sharable charcuterie board with meats and cheeses paired with the selected wines.

The Cellar Tasting is not limited to guests of Stein Eriksen but must be reserved at least 48 hours in advance. Tastings are scheduled at 4-5 pm daily and last approximately one hour. The Cellar Tasting table can accommodate individuals or groups of up to twelve people, all of whom must be 21 or older. Those under 21 cannot be present at the tasting or in the cellar at any time. Larger groups can be hosted in banquet spaces on the property. The Cellar Tasting is ADA-accessible. For reservations or inquiries, contact the hotel at 435-645-6455.

See more in the 2024/25 Winter Adventure Guide magazine.

The post From Summit to Cellar appeared first on Park Record.

Cycling has evolved over the past century, taking riders from suburban sidewalks to summit trails. On the Wasatch Back, dormant chair lifts criss-crossing area ski resorts create a way to venture further and easier. Lift-served mountain biking opens up alpine terrain to riders of all ages and abilities, reconnecting them with youthful memories or allowing them to make new ones with their children or grandchildren.

Lift-Served Mountain Biking
When the snow melts, people flock to the arid, alpine slopes of Deer Valley, Park City Mountain (PCM), and Sundance Mountain Resort to hike and bike the trails lined with wildflowers. Over 450 miles of bike paths and trails crisscross the valley and slope of this mountain town, beckoning riders to explore the sights, sounds, and scents wafting through the aspens and pines.

Bottom line: If you can ride a bike, you can mountain bike. With wider tires, mountain bikes are designed to provide riders stability and traction over the roots and rocks on unpaved trails. However, at an elevation of over 8000 feet, pedaling uphill at altitude can be challenging even for the fittest. So, enter lift-served mountain biking, whereby ski lifts that cart carvers and shredders to the snow-capped summits are used in the summertime to transport mountain bikes and their riders to the top, where they can saddle up and coast or careen downhill.
Deer Valley, PCM, and Sundance have developed lift-served and singletrack mountain biking trails with the same characteristics and care they’ve put into their award-winning ski runs. They’ve also provided first-class amenities, including premium equipment rentals, instructors, and dining options, making mountain biking in and around Park City a hugely popular summer activity, as well.
Trails are rated like ski runs—green, blue, black, double black—to inform riders of the technical aspects so beginners and experts can enjoy the ride. However, unlike ski runs, there are no boundaries between the resorts (just separate lift tickets); riders can ride a lift at one and descend on another. Mountain Trails Foundation (www.mountaintrails.com) posts an online Summer Interactive Map providing details and conditions of all biking trails at Deer Valley, PCM, and the surrounding area. Plan your route, or not, and ride for as long or little as you want.
Views and characteristics on Wasatch Back trails change with seasonal and daily weather conditions, which might be another reason people enjoy mountain biking here so much. Wildflowers carpet the canyons in mid-summer and breezes through the aspens all season long provide sonorous applause as you wend your way down.

Park City Mountain
PCM operates lift-served mountain biking at its Mountain Village base daily from June 15 to September 2 (10 am-7 pm) and on Thursdays and Sundays from September 3 to October 6 (11 am-6 pm). At Canyons Village, lifts spin every day from June 15 to September 2 (10 am-6 pm).
New to PCM this summer is Seldom Seen, a 2-mile intermediate (blue) trail. A downhill alternative to the lower section of Spiro, it takes riders down to First Time Return. For those looking for white-knuckle adventure, Change Reaction is the new expert (black) downhill-only trail that provides 1.1 miles of drops, rocks, and thrills from Charlie’s 9k towards McConkey’s and Keystone trails. Both trails can be accessed from the Mountain Village base.
PCM also has trails designed to accommodate adaptive equipment, including Silver Queen and Mojave. The new McGrath Mountain Center, operated by the National Ability Center, is located at the Mountain Village base and offers adaptive bikes and programs.
A daily Haul Pass at PCM is $52 (ages 13+) and $37 (ages 5-12). After 5 pm, the price drops to $37 (ages 13+) and $19 (ages 5-12). Remember to swap clear lenses in your sunglasses or goggles, as the runs are shady on the east-facing PCM trails.
If you have an Epic Pass for next season’s skiing, you can take advantage of discounts for seasonal Haul Passes (from $235 down to $185, ages 13+ or from $115 to $90, ages 5-12). Epic Pass holders also receive 20% off daily mountain bike rentals from Legacy Sports at Mountain Village and Canyon Mountain Sports at Canyons Village.

Deer Valley
With its ever-growing collection of machine-cut flow trails, Deer Valley has set a high bar for lift-served mountain biking. Flow trails are downhill trails engineered to allow riders to move across and down the mountain, often without pedaling a stroke. The “flow” describes the surf-like feeling bikers experience and is reflected in trail names at Deer Valley, such as Tidal Wave (blue) and Tsunami (black). Experienced gonzos or cruising newbies will find choices to satisfy their thrill or chill levels.
“We look forward to welcoming bikers of all abilities—first-timers to expert riders—to explore our expanded flow trails, varied terrain, and chances to refine their downhill skills with our bike clinics throughout the summer season,” explains Deer Valley Resort President & Chief Operating Officer Todd Bennett.
While most bikers jump on the lifts and head straight to the summit, wise ones will leave some fuel in the tank for the ride down. As part of the resort’s multi-year trail expansion, Deer Valley is opening Regulator this summer, an intermediate (blue) trail that ties into Ripple (new in 2023), the fun and flowy beginner (green) trail that winds, seemingly forever, from the top of Homestake terminating at Snow Park, bringing the total number of beginner trails to over nine miles from summit to base.
Also new this year, Deer Valley will offer Gravity Bike Clinics, two-day downhill camps scheduled throughout the summer for grommets ages 10-14. The instruction price is $250 per clinic. Lift ticket and equipment purchases and gear rentals are available on-site.
Bikers of all ages and abilities can take advantage of Deer Valley’s private and group mountain bike lessons and participate in its popular Twilight Series, riding on Tuesday nights between 4 and 8 p.m. from June 18 to August 20.
Adding to its Twilight Tuesdays lineup, intermediate and advanced mountain bikers can give e-biking a spin. From 5:15-8:15 pm, explore varied slopeside terrain with a Deer Valley guide. This three-hour tour is $129 per person and includes an e-bike rental and a discounted lift ticket if needed.
Lift service for mountain bikers (and hikers) at Deer Valley is open daily from June 14-September 2 (Labor Day) and Friday-Sunday through September 22 (conditions permitting). Lifties load riders and their steeds onto Silver Lake Express at Snow Park Lodge and Sterling Express to access traditional singletrack or berm, bridge, and jump-filled flow trails off Bald Mountain.
Daily summer lift tickets at Deer Valley are $53 (Monday-Thursday) or $58 (Friday-Sunday) (ages 13+). Kids (5-12) and seniors (65+) run $39 (Monday-Thursday) or $42 (Friday-Sunday). An adult summer season pass is $425 ($375 for 2024-25 Ikon Passholders or military personnel).

Sundance Mountain Resort
The tabletop silhouette of Mt. Timpanogos is visible from much of the Wasatch Back. Snow melts from the summit, splashing into Stewart Falls and flowing to the base of Sundance Mountain Resort, providing some of the region’s most scenic mountain bike trails. Its location, tucked between Provo and American Fork Canyons, also means that sunny skies and lower altitudes quickly dry its “brown pow,” allowing the resort to open much earlier than its Park City neighbors.
However, mountain biking at Sundance provides more than pretty pictures for your social media gallery. This summer, the resort will open all of its recently constructed and refurbished trails. From traditional singletracks cutting through the forest to downhill berms carving down the mountain face, lift-served trails at Sundance provide bikers of varying abilities with a range of terrain features and challenges in addition to jaw-dropping views.
This season, Sundance lifts spin from 10 am-5 pm May 31-October 6.
For those new to mountain biking or the Wasatch Back, one of the area’s best programs and deals is the Mountain Bike Skills Clinic at Sundance. First-time riders can learn to roll confidently and comfortably, while more experienced shredders can improve navigation along bumps, jumps, and berms. These 2.5-hour group clinics led by Sundance guides are held daily at 11 am and 2 pm (24-hour advanced registration required). The price is $100 (1-5 people) and $200 (6-10 people).
Daily summer lift tickets are $50 (ages 13+) and $40 (ages 6-12). Sundance also offers an Afternoon (3 pm-5 pm) Lift Ticket for $37.57 tax incl. (ages 13+). A summer season pass is $300 (ages 13+). Mountain bike rentals are also available for adults and children.
When finished with any of these lift-served adventures at Wasatch Back resorts, reconnect with friends and family, share memories and partake in the most traditional bipedal pastimes: après bike.

See more in the 2024 Summer Adventure Guide

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