Maple Hollow South Mountain Bike Trails

View southeast on upper South Maple Hollow back in 2013. This review, new photos, and ride description by Bruce on September 20, 2016 with update November 12, 2016.

South Maple Hollow

The South Maple Hollow trail lies on the southern side of Traverse Mountain in Draper. This trail is usually done as part of a larger ride, rather than being a destination trail in its own right.

The trail is easier-intermediate in technical requirement. As a climbing route, the pitch will be somewhat strenuous for newer riders but easy for conditioned climbers. As a downhill route, it's easily done by experienced beginning bikers.

The riding season for South Maple Hollow is May through November. The south-facing slope means there may be opportunities to ride during winter. The location and terrain may allow the trail to be packed down by fat bikes in winter, and an early-morning "suncrust" ride should be possible during February. Check the Draper trail website for up-to-date closure information.

2019 trailhead in Maple Hollow on Brookside Drive. Running water, bathroom, shaded picnic pavilion.

On newly widened trail descending through the oak brush on the eastern side of the Hollow.

South Maple Hollow is 1.7 miles long. From the lower trailhead on Brookside Drive it climbs 550 vertical feet, reaching a top altitude of 6100 feet at the Maple Hollow trailhead on Traverse Mountain in Suncrest. Most riders will be using this trail as a climbing route, either to the Eagle Crest trail (connecting to Vertigo and Levitate , Woods Hollow and Rattle and Hum or Mercer Hollow to the east), or to Ann's Connector or the Maple Hollow DH at the ridgeline trailhead.

As you might guess from the name, South Maple Hollow is forested with a mix of oak brush and maple. Often the gambel oak is short enough to see over, so there are nice views of Utah Valley to the south. Utah Lake is to the southwest, and the multiple mountains of the Wasatch form a line along the entire eastern side of the valley.

For clarity...

The little canyon called Maple Hollow is found on both sides of Traverse Mountain in Draper. To prevent confusion I will refer to the part in Utah County as South Maple Hollow. The area on the north side of Traverse Mountain, home of the Maple Hollow DH trail, I will call simply Maple Hollow.

The trail system was re-worked in 2016. The upper 0.5 miles of South Maple Hollow, and the 0.3 miles of the connector (see map), were formerly part of Eagle Crest but were bypassed by the 2016 new Eagle Crest trail-cut. Those former Eagle Crest pieces have been smoothed and widened. The western side is now part of South Maple Hollow, and the eastern side is the Eagle Crest to South Maple Hollow Connector Trail.

In the lower half of South Maple Hollow, new trail was cut down the eastern side of the hollow. This replaces the old creekside South Maple Hollow trail for cyclists -- with the old route being designated a hiking route -- and replaces the old doubletrack from the catch-basin down to the subdivision. If you're a rider who's done this area in the past, don't sweat the changes. Navigation is simple once your tires are on the dirt.

Ride recommendations!

South Maple Hollow is the climbing route for a short loop that descends the new Vertigo or Levitate trails. Take the Connector (see below) to eastbound Eagle Crest, then drop down Vertigo or Levitate to the trailhead. The Vertigo loop is 3.7 miles, with most riders doing multiple laps.

Another option that climbs South Maple Hollow is the Traverse Mountain south-side loop. This loop traverses Eagle Crest eastbound, descends Mercer Hollow , then uses one mile of road (Suncrest and Brookside Drives) to connect to the South Maple Hollow lower trailhead.

Pedaling through stout maples. The gambel oak remains green for about a month after the maples turn red, creating a pretty contrast for early-fall rides.

A portion of the new lower trail hangs on the side of a mean side-slope, but the excavation base is broad, so no worries. Heading south-southwest down to Brookside.

At the top of South Maple Hollow (at the Maple Hollow trailhead) there are connections to the Maple Hollow DH and to Ann's Connector down to Ann's Trail . A great ride for strong cyclists is to make a big loop of Ann's Trail and the Bonneville Shoreline trail (BST), with Canyon Hollow linking the BST to Ann's at the eastern end. ( Clark's , Rush , or Ghost Falls / Rattler can be substituted at the east end depending on which direction you're riding the loop.)

Uphill navigation!

Start from the end of Brookside Drive (about 0.4 miles from Suncrest Drive, the main road over Traverse Ridge on the south side of the mountain). You can park at roadside, or you may have pedaled here on pavement from the bottom of Mercer Hollow The singletrack is on the left side of the road as you face uphill. To your right is the return path of the combined Vertigo and Levitate trails, which are one-way downhill-only

Heading uphill on brand new trail.

Looking north uphill at the mountaintop homes of Suncrest near the Maple Hollow trailhead.

It's a gentle rolling 0.7 miles of singletrack from Brookside Drive to the first trail fork. Here the left fork descends to the doubletrack at the catch-basin dam. (Remember that the old trail, heading uphill from the west side of the pond, is now hiking-only. So there's no real reason to take the left fork.) Stay to the right and uphill.

At the next fork 0.4 miles later, make a hard right turn. (Left is the old descending trail down to the catch-basin pond. Again, this old trail is now signed as a hiking trail.)

A bit over 0.1 miles further uphill is the fork with the Eagle Crest Connector trail. There are two reasons to take the Connector. (1) If you're looking for the shortest route to eastbound Eagle Crest to reach Zooropa, Vertigo or Levitate or Woods Hollow and Rattle and Hum , you'll save 0.7 miles and avoid a bit of redundant extra climbing. (2) If you want the mellowest climbing route to the Maple Hollow trailhead, the combination of the connector and westbound Eagle Crest is 0.2 miles longer than staying on South Maple Hollow -- 0.7 miles vs 0.5 miles for the same 200 vertical feet of climbing. So it's not quite as hard of a grunt for less-conditioned climbers.

And here's the other way down into South Maple Hollow. This is the Connector, located 1/2 mile east of the Maple Hollow trailhead on Eagle Crest.

The trail makes multiple meanders in deep forest of large maples. Well, big by Utah "scrub maple" standards.

Assuming you forked to the left to stay on South Maple Hollow, you'll arrive at the next trail fork in another 0.3 miles. The left fork is a hiking-only trail, so veer to the right and keep climbing. In another 0.2 miles, you'll arrive at the base of the big overpass. To your right is the eastbound Eagle Crest trail. This is your route to the Connector, to Vertigo or Levitate, to Mercer Hollow , or to the Peak View Trailhead at the top of Canyon Hollow and Rush . (Note fall 2016! Construction has temporarily interrupted passage to Peak View through the area east of Suncrest Drive!)

Straight ahead (through the tunnel) the trail climbs another 0.1 mile to the Maple Hollow Trailhead. At the trailhead, you can connect to Ann's Connector (and on to Ann's Trail for a big ride) or to the Maple Hollow DH route.

Downhill navigation!

You'll arrive at the Maple Hollow trailhead either by car on Deer Ridge Drive, or by pedaling uphill from Ann's Trail via the Ann's Connector South Maple Hollow starts as a broad cindered path heading southbound toward the road overpass.

Go through the tunnel under the road. At the trail fork immediately after exiting the tunnel, the trail to the left is Eagle Crest . Keep straight and southbound for South Maple Hollow.

My Rocky Mountain Element is waiting at the trail sign, ready for some nice downhill. That's Timpanogos behind the forest-fire haze.

Flying south. The old trail has been widened and smoothed on this upper section.

After 0.2 miles, veer left as the hiking trail forks away uphill to the right. (When heading downhill you may not notice the hiking trail.) Descend another 0.3 miles and fork hard right downhill as the Connector trail joins from Eagle Crest uphill.

Descend another 0.1 mile to the next trail fork. Make a hard left turn -- the trail straight ahead is the old route, which is now a hiking trail.

After 0.4 miles, pass the connector to the doubletrack and catch-basin dam by staying straight and left. Now roll 0.7 miles down to the trailhead at Brookside Drive.

Curving east as we approach Brookside Drive, with Timpanogos on the right.

Looking south downhill on the new lower trail.

Bottom Line!

A former short "MEH" route, now made worthy by re-routes and new trail construction. Within weeks of completion, the new South Maple Hollow is already one of the more popular trails in Draper's system. As the climbing route for the 7.5 mile south side loop ride (see the Mercer Hollow page for the ride description) or the Vertigo/Levitate trail loop, South Maple Hollow is definitely worth your attention.

Sample 12-mile figure-eight ride from the lower South Maple Hollow trailhead
Here's a two-hour ride for experienced and strong intermediate riders. It makes a figure eight with one loop on each side of Traverse Mountain. Start at the Brookside Drive trailhead at the bottom of South Maple Hollow. Climb to the Maple Hollow trailhead, then take Ann's Connector to Ann's Trail. Turn right and pedal down to the underpass by Potato Hill. As you exit the tunnel, turn left toward the trailhead. Pass the Potato Hill trailhead to take Red Potato down to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Turn left (west) on the BST. At the tunnel go left under Traverse Ridge Road and head uphill on Ann's back to the Connector. Back at the Maple Hollow trailhead, take Eagle Crest east to Vertigo and drop back to your car.

b>Riding notes, 12.6-mile figure-8 to the BST:
0.0   Brookside Dr, L on S Maple Hollow
        N40 27.717 W111 50.209
0.7   Keep R (L = down to DT)
        N40 28.041 W111 50.587
1.1   Hard R (L = foot trail down)
        N40 28.286 W111 50.756
1.2   Hard L (R = to Eagle Crest)
        N40 28.359 W111 50.714
1.6   Straight into tunnel (R = Eagle Crest)
        N40 28.491 W111 50.996
1.7   TH, L on Ann's Connector
        N40 28.536 W111 51.067
2.8   R on Ann's
        N40 28.499 W111 51.579
3.2   Maple Hollow DH crosses, keep level
        N40 28.643 W111 51.342
4.2   Keep R (L=Little Valley)
        N40 29.061 W111 50.916
4.5   Keep R (L=Little Valley)
        N40 29.172 W111 50.814
4.6   Under tunnel, then L (R=Ann's)
        N40 29.273 W111 50.841
        50 ft then keep L (R=Potato Hill)
4.7   Pass Potato Hill TH
        N40 29.311 W111 50.932
        Straight onto Red Potato

5.5   L on BST
        N40 29.341 W111 51.165
5.7   Keep straight past Red Rock TH
        N40 29.296 W111 51.340
6.0   Cross road N40 29.164 W111 51.648
6.9   L under tunnel (R=Oak Hollow)
        N40 29.080 W111 51.988
7.3   L on Ann's (R=BST)
        N40 28.873 W111 52.038
        Uphill and cross road
8.9   R on Ann's Connector
        N40 28.536 W111 51.067
10.0 Maple Hollow TH, R downhill
        N40 28.536 W111 51.067
10.1 After underpass, L on Eagle Crest
        N40 28.491 W111 50.996
10.2 Keep straight (L = to road)
        N40 28.529 W111 50.833
10.5 Keep L (R=connector to SMH)
        N40 28.396 W111 50.720
11.0 DT, trail on R is Vertigo
        N40 28.353 W111 50.250
12.6 Back at parking

Vertigo Loop from the lower South Maple Hollow trailhead This is a 3.7 mile loop that drops down Vertigo. Navigation is pretty simple -- just go right at every trail fork. Four loops would be about a 2-hour ride for a conditioned intermediate, with about 2200 feet of climbing.

Riding notes, Vertigo Loop:
0.0   Brookside Dr, L on S Maple Hollow
        N40 27.717 W111 50.209
0.7   Keep R (L = down to DT)
        N40 28.041 W111 50.587
1.1   Hard R (L = foot trail down)
        N40 28.286 W111 50.756
1.2   Keep R to Connector (L = S Maple)
        N40 28.359 W111 50.714

1.5   Hard R on Eagle Crest
        N40 28.397 W111 50.706
2.0   Doubletrack, take trail on R
        descend Vertigo
        N40 28.353 W111 50.250
3.7   Back at Brookside

Map of the south-side trails

Getting there: From I-15 in Salt Lake City, take the Bluffdale exit and head east on Highland Drive toward the mountains. As you reach the traffic light at the top of the hill, about 3/4 mile after leaving the freeway, turn right on Traverse Ridge Road. Drive about two miles up to the top of the mountain to the stop sign.
From Utah County, get on the Timpanogos Highway. At the Lehi-Highland border, go north on Highland Blvd at the big stop light east of Smiths. This will become Suncrest Drive as it enters Draper. Climb to the stop sign at the top of the hill.
Deer Ridge (Maple Hollow) trailhead: At the stop sign in Suncrest, get on Deer Ridge Drive (right turn from SLC, straight from Utah Co). Go 0.9 miles. Just before the road crosses a bridge, turn right onto Elk Glen Drive and immediately turn left to park at the small picnic area.

Brookside Drive Trailhead (South Maple Hollow): Brookside Drive turns to the west off Suncrest Drive, just uphill from the Maple Hollow subdivision. This is about a mile uphill from Utah Valley. Drive past the homes and uphill to the end of the road to the trailhead parking. The South Maple Hollow trail is on the west side of the road at the turn-around. (To the east of the trailhead is Woods Hollow and the return path from Vertigo and Levitate.) Bathrooms, water, shaded picnic area.
Eagle Crest trailhead: From the hill-top stop sign in Suncrest, go south on Traverse Ridge Road (straight from SLC, left turn from Utah Co). To to the end of the road and park. This is your best spot if you're starting Vertigo or Levitate loops from the top.
Bottom of Mercer Hollow: There's room for 3 or 4 cars at the bottom of the doubletrack portion of Mercer Hollow on Suncrest Drive. Riders park here if they're planning to make a loop of South Maple Hollow, Eagle Crest, and Mercer Hollow.