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Robs to Hollys Loop Includes portion of Midmountain Trail The loop ride described here is 13 miles long, with 2000 vertical feet of climbing. There are two shorter options using alternate trails. It's a strenuous climb, and the top altitude of 8400 feet will bother some riders. There's a section with tricky rocks on the descent via Hollys, but otherwise it's easily done by an intermediate rider. View up Robs Trail as we begin our climb. Photos by Bruce, September 29, 2010. |
| The riding options from Robs trailhead are: Out-and-back: Robs to Ambush, 4.4 miles, 800 vertical. Robs up, Ambush down loop: 8.7 miles, 1200 vertical. Robs up, Hollys down, ST return: 9.7 miles,1300 vertical. Robs-Hollys, pavement, Sunpeak up: 12.6 miles, 2000 vertical. And of course, you can add miles with out-and-backs on Hunter toward Pinebrook, up to the top of Millcreek via the Crest Connector, or on the southbound Midmountain Trail. Or you can climb Ambush to return from the bottom of Hollys. Just getting started. We're about a half mile up Robs Trail, looking northeast over Bear Hollow. |
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If you want "downhill and done", loading all your climbing into the front of the ride, start at The Canyons. Ride your "return" route up to Robs first. I'd discourage you from parking in the residential areas (such as the recreation center where the DuBois trail starts) unless you're riding with a resident. Starting at Robs trailhead puts 600 vertical into two miles of climbing right at the end. I like one last grunt to finish off a ride, but many don't. View uphill on Robs as we near the fork with the return singletrack. |
| Starting from Robs trailhead, climb a couple of switchbacks,
then pass Collin's Trail, which is the return route for the big loop.
About 1/3 mile later, turn right to continue on Robs westbound as you
reach the fork for the alternate ST return route.
At mile 2, the forest will open up on a ridge, with views to the south as you head west. At 2.2, you'll reach the junction with Ambush. For a shorter loop, fork left here. (To continue on to Hollys, keep left and climb uphill.) View to the south as we approach the junction with the Ambush Trail. |
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For the shorter Ambush loop option, turn left. Keep left at the
next trail fork. When you hit the dirt road, turn R downhill for a short
distance, then catch the ST again on your left. As the ST hits a
switchback turn of another trail, go uphill and climb back to Robs.
On to Hollys. From the Ambush junction, it's about 1/2 mile to the Midmountain Trail. Fork left. The Hunter Trail, on your right, can be ridden as an out-and-back (it goes mildly downhill, so you'll have to climb back). The trail goes to Pinebrook, but there's no public easement, so don't use this as a return from Midmountain unless you're riding with a Pinebrook resident. View through the fall colors between the Ambush junction and the Midmountain Trail. |
| The Midmountain Trail will give you a couple of switchbacks
worth of climbing at first. After a short traverse in gambel oak and
maple, you'll be in deep fir and aspen forest, breaking out onto an
occasional ski slope.
At mile 3.7 of your ride, pass the Crest Connector. If you want, it's 1.3 miles (and 450 vertical) from here to the junction at upper Mill Creek. We'll be climbing through the dense fir forest in mid-right of this photo. |
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The Midmountain Trail is pretty smooth here. The climbing is
sustained, but not hard. You'll spend three miles and gain 500 feet on the
Midmountain.
Typical view on the Midmountain Trail. |
| At mile 4.4, the trail breaks onto a gravel road on a
ridgeline. This is
the junction with Hollys.
It you want to add some miles, you can keep going south on Midmountain, then return later. It will be mildly uphill coming back. Red Pine Lodge is about a mile south. View of the Midmountain after the junction with Hollys. |
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To find Hollys Trail, turn left on the gravel road where the
Midmountain crosses. Go about 150 feet and turn left downhill. Watch for a
singletrack on your left, going slightly uphill, about 100 feet after the
turn. This is Hollys Trail. There was no trail sign on the day of my ride
(September 2010), and the trail is easy to miss.
Hollys starts out smooth, but there are some technical sections in the middle. You'll need to deal with big rocks and roots. It's all fun. If you don't think so, walk your bike for a few feet, then get back on. Early on Hollys Trail. |
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As Hollys nears pavement at The Canyons, find your return route: pavement to Collins for the bigger loop, or ST via Rosebud. For the ST loop option, find a trail heading northwest along the edge of the construction site (2010). Depending on which of two trails is open -- above or below the construction fence -- when you hit a dirt road in the bottom of the canyon, you may be either above or below the return singletrack. Use the GPS track, or scout around. I can't get more specific, because the trail bypass has changed in the past month, and will certainly change again. Climb Rosebud to Robs, then descend. View on Hollys as the afternoon shadows deepen. |
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For the big loop, take the paved road, down almost to Highway 224. The route can be confusing. Bring our one-page guide, and bring your Google road map or ride with the GPS track loaded on your display. Find the Sunpeak trail on the left about 50 yards before the end of Sunpeak Drive. (2010: no trailhead parking, not even a sign!) Alternate: The DuBois trail starts at the north end of the parking for the recreation center on Bear Hollow Drive 1/3 mile away. For either trail, just keep heading uphill. When you hit Robs, head R downhill 0.6 miles to parking. View through the Aspens as we climb back toward Robs Trail. |
| Robs Trail to Hollys, counterclockwise loop: 0.0 Begin climb on Robs N40 41.952 W111 33.963 0.6 Keep R and uphill on Robs N40 41.824 W111 34.005 0.9 R on Robs (L=ST return) N40 41.810 W111 33.693 2.2 Keep R (L=Ambush, short loop) N40 41.857 W111 35.050 2.6 L on Midmountain N40 41.729 W111 35.345 3.7 Keep straight (hard R = to Wasatch Crest) N40 41.483 W111 35.135 5.5 L on DT, sharp L downhill, find ST on L Hollys N40 40.969 W111 34.721 7.2 Keep R as two ST's join near ski lift N40 41.213 W111 34.690 8.7 For ST return (shorter) L on ST For big loop, downhill on paved road N40 41.142 W111 33.495 |
9.1 Main road, L (north)
at stop sign. |
| Getting there: Take I-80 eastbound out of Salt
Lake City and cross Parley's Summit. Take the Park City exit and turn
right. For Robs Trailhead, drive 2 miles on 224 toward Park City. Turn
right on Bear Hollow Drive. Head uphill 1.2 miles. The trailhead parking
is on the left, just before a hairpin turn in the road.
Bathroom: At The Canyons. None at Robs. |
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| Canyons trailhead: Exit I-80 onto 224 as above. Pass Bear Hollow drive, then turn R into The Canyons at mile 2.8 from the freeway. Follow the main resort drive uphill. It will veer left (south). Turn R uphill just past the big buildings. Look for a gravel parking area on your right, just before the road turns north again. Park here. Then hop on the road and pedal uphill. As of 2010, the trail you want is on the other side of that big construction zone. Find a way around it, to the dirt road in the canyon bottom. |
| Riding resources for this trail: Single-page riding guide: View to print GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."): GPX course for loop GPX tracks area trails Park City area multi-track file (>140 trails) Large-format area topo map (600K): View Lodging, camping, shops: Links to area resources |
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