Provo North Fork Trail

The Provo North Fork Trail is a double-track that rolls up and down through ponderosa and lodgepole pines on its way to the North Fork of the Provo River. Altitude is 7,500 feet. There's about 200 feet of elevation gain over the two miles of this trail. The trail can be ridden as a four-mile out-and-back, or as a loop -- if you're lucky enough to find your way to the forest road on the other side of the creek for the return trip.

View of the north fork at the trail's end. September 7, 1999 by Bruce Argyle

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Across the road from this trail is the trailhead for the North Fork Scenic Byway Trail. It's a beginning-level trail.

We'd call this an early-intermediate trail. The road isn't as easy to ride as you might think. There are steep rocky sections to test your climbing power and bike handling ability. And sandy sections to test your thigh and side-slipping control. And even in the middle of summer, we found deep mud pockets to maneuver around (or through).

A smooth section of the road between small rocky hills. September 7, 1999

Across the river, you may find a faint trail, which you can follow around to a forest access road that will take you back to the Mirror Lake Highway about 1/4 mile downhill from your starting point. Or you can head back the way you came.

One of the trail's tastiest treats. Sometimes called a thimbleberry, the fruits are exactly like raspberry

The reddish rock along the streams is Precambrian quartzite, formed from sandstone deposited over 500 million years ago. The Uinta Mountains formed as an up-warp between 40 and 80 million years ago. The overlying layers -- hundreds of millions of years of sediments hardened into rock -- eroded away as the area rose higher.

Remnants of old logging activity. Some stumps in the Uintas are over 100 years old. September 7, 1999

Hawberries, delicious when eaten right off the bush or tree. September 7, 1999 by Bruce Argyle

For a printable, one-page riding guide to this trail, click here.

For additional information, including nearby lodging, rentals, camping, and current conditions, may we suggest:
Park City area info and lodging:  http://www.parkcityinfo.com/ 
Mirror Lake Highway - recreation info:  http://www.utah.com/byways/mirror_lake.htm 
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/wcnf/unit/kamas/mirror_lake_scenic_byway.shtml
Utah outdoor activities:  http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/ 
Camping:  http://www.outdoorsinutah.com/mirrorlakehighway-camping.htm 
Utah website:  http://www.utah.com/ 
FAQ, National Forest:  http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/wcnf/unit/slrd/questions.shtml 
Ranger District, Wasatch-Cache National Forest:  http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/wcnf/