 | Middle Ridge 157 Loop (Mill Canyon Springs Loop) This is a very scenic, pleasant 8-mile loop on the Cascade Springs Road. It's a quick ride -- the typical rider can hammer it out in around an hour. A beginning rider might find the section on Ridge 157 challenging, but otherwise it's a fairly benign intermediate ride. The ride combines 2 miles of paved road, 2.5 miles of dirt road, and 3.5 miles of singletrack. Total climbing is 1400, but 300 feet of this will be on the paved road and 1000 feet is on easy doubletrack. Peak altitude is 8400 feet. |
| Park at the bottom of the Deer Creek South Fork trail, on
the Cascade Springs road. Then bomb down the paved road for
about a mile and a half. Time to climb. Just before the top of the ridge, the dirt road forks
uphill on the left. (An alternate spot to park is on the side of the road
at the top of the climb, about 150 yards uphill from the dirt road.) The climb up the dirt road is mostly
middle-chainring. Just after a short steep section, you'll pass Ridge 157 on your right. A few feet later, turn left on dirt road. (Straight ahead takes you downhill 1/4 mile to Mill Canyon Springs.) After 1/2 mile on doubletrack, Ridge 157 (Great Western Trail) forks off on your right just before a turn-around. After a couple of miles southbound on Ridge 157, mostly downhill, you'll come to the 4-way intersection with the South Fork and Tibble Fork trails. Turn left and begin descending some of the sweetest singletrack in Utah. At the bottom of the trail, cross a wooden bridge and climb uphill a few feet to the paved road. Your parking area is just across the road. |
| Counterclockwise loop, riding notes: 0.0 Right downhill on the paved road N 40° 26.828 W 111° 36.491 2.0 Left on dirt road N 40° 27.219 W 111° 34.854 2.9 Optional ST on left (goes to next switchback) N 40° 27.535 W 111° 34.858 3.4 ST rejoins on L N 40° 27.882 W 111° 34.898 | 4.2 Pass R157 on R, turn L on DT N 40° 28.440 W 111° 35.295 4.8 R on ST (Ridge 157, GWT) N 40° 28.323 W 111° 35.346 5.8 Keep L (Ignore faint trail downhill R) N 40° 27.975 W 111° 36.579 6.4 L at 4-way onto South Fork Trail N 40° 27.544 W 111° 36.861 8.0 Cross road to parking. |
| Alternate ride:
For a longer ride, continue
past South Fork on Ridge 157. Go all the way to the Alpine Loop summit,
and descend via the southern end of South Fork.
Getting there: (Cascade Springs Road trailhead) From I-15, take the Alpine-Highland exit just south of Point-of-the-Mountain. Go east towards the mountains on UT-92 and continue up American Fork Canyon. There's a $6 fee (as of 2009). About 6 miles up the canyon, turn right at the North Fork junction. Drive up to the summit of the Alpine Loop, then turn left on the Cascade Springs Road. About 1.5 miles later, turn right on a gravel road and park. GPS N 40° 26.801' W 111° 36.489 '. Head right downhill on the paved road to start the ride. Copyright 2006 Mad Scientist Software Inc. Trail conditions change. Use this trail guide at your own risk. |
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