View from pipeline section of the trail, looking towards the mouth of Provo Canyon. The cliffs are formed of conglomerate deposited during the early days of Lake Bonneville. September 6, 2000.
Bonneville Shoreline Trail - Provo Canyon Section
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The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a series of trails along the slope of
the Wasatch Mountains where the old shoreline of Lake Bonneville met the hills. Sections
of trail are found from Ogden to Payson. The Provo Canyon section of the Bonneville
Shoreline Trail is an advanced-intermediate singletrack hill climb, followed by a fairly
flat cruise out to a view over Utah Valley. Altitude gain is 500 feet, but feels like
more. Out-and-back to the viewpoint is 6 miles. View from pipeline section of the trail, looking towards the mouth of Provo Canyon. The cliffs are formed of conglomerate deposited during the early days of Lake Bonneville. September 6, 2000. |
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The ride follows a slight bench left by ancient shoreline, where rivers from the Uinta Mountains brought sand and rock down to form an alluvial fan under the waters of Lake Bonneville. The initial climb takes you from the trough carved by the Provo River up onto the top of this fan. Lake Bonneville covered the Wasatch Front valleys and western desert for 1 million years, until around the end of the Ice Age 12,000 years ago.
| Despite the low beginning altitude of 4850 feet, this is not an all-season
trail. Because it hugs a steep northern slope, snow closes the trail by late October and
remains until late April. During the summer, mid-day riding is blistering hot, so plan an
early morning ride. The trail starts on the Provo River Parkway, between the Bridal Veil Park parking lot and Bridal Veil Falls. About 0.1 mile up the paved path, look for the Bonneville Shoreline sign and a singletrack on your right. It's a fairly steady climb, gaining about 500 feet over the first mile. Looking down the trail. Photos by Bruce Argyle |
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After the initial climb, the trail intersects the southern pipeline. Here,
the trail flattens and winds around the hillside, generally staying over or near the
pipeline. Some short sections will be doubletrack. The trail is intersected by multiple
ATV and doubletracks. When in doubt, look around for the most flat trail -- if you're
making a stiff climb or descent at this point, you're off the pipeline trail. Looking across Provo Canyon, Mount Timpanogos dominates the skyline. |
| The sideslope is quite steep, and there are occasional rough sections that
might make beginners nervous. During the climb, you'll be riding through gamble oak,
maple, currant, oregon grape, and an occasional pine. As you come around the mountain onto the old Lake Bonneville gravel deposits, the scenery turns to dry grass, brush, and short scrub oak. Now you can look down towards Utah Valley, and up Provo Canyon. Oregon Grape ripens in the shadows below the oak and maple. The juice from these berries makes dandy lemonade.
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At around 2.5 miles (GPS N 40° 18.771' W 111° 38.355'), the new singletrack climbs up over the ridge to your left. Note the spot, but continue on the pipeline trail out to the viewpoint 1/2 mile later. Say "Oooh, Awww." Then if you want more riding, come back to the singletrack and climb. After crossing the ridge, the singletrack dumps onto an ATV trail with multiple branches. If you continue to select the most flat trail, you'll arrive on top of a buried water tank overlooking northern Provo's homes, stables, and corrals. Looking up Provo Canyon, September 6, 2000 |
| Getting there: The trail is accessed from the Provo Canyon Parkway, a paved recreation trail. The closest trailhead is at the Bridal Veil Park parking lot. Pull off US-189 two miles up Provo Canyon at the Bridal Veil Park - Nunns Park exit, then turn right into the parking lot. The trail on the right side, just where the road turns into the parking lot at GPS N 40° 20.249' W 111° 36.578'. Many riders park at the mouth of Provo Canyon on Orem's 800 North Street (parking is left just past the gas station as you reach the canyon, before you enter the overpass). GPS N 40° 18.840' W 111° 39.472'. |
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For a condensed, one-page, printable guide to this trail, click here! |
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For lodging in the northern Utah Valley area, as well as travel guides and information on other activities, may we
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