Ski season is coming to an end and many are starting to replace their skis with tuning their bikes and dusting off their hiking boots. In Park City, Utah has four beautiful seasons which means that outdoor activities happen all year round on our endless mountain playground. So, if you’re a fan of nature and the great outdoors, then you’re in for a big treat when it comes to hiking or biking Park City and our surrounding magical areas.
Promontory residents have over 350 miles of trails to enjoy, ranging from gentle and maintained trails for family hiking, to rapid-descent, white knuckle thrill rides for extreme mountain bikers. All of these trails are in an area covering 7,000 acres, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year. You should know that on some of these trails that are “wild,” so you can expect to encounter wildlife on many of the more remote hiking paths.
For Avid Hikers
Even if you’re an avid hiker, you’ll find there are plenty of challenging trails at Promontory and in Park City for you to try. If you’re just looking for a family day out, then there are lots of more manageable, and dog-friendly, trails for you to enjoy a quick hike and picnic, too!
Guardsman Pass
One of the most well-known trails in the area, Guardsman Pass, lets you also enjoy truly stunning views, thanks to the 8,000+ foot elevation. You can drive along the entire length of the Pass, allowing you to pick and choose where to start your hike, although the more rugged parts of the route are best driven only during the summer months.
Bald Mountain
This is known by locals as “Baldy Mountain” and is extremely popular with both hikers and mountain bikers. The Pass itself is part of the Uinta Mountain range and is also one of the highest points in the area, with a maximum elevation of almost 11,000 feet.
Iron Canyon
This dog-friendly trail is located just outside Park City, and is an ideal walking trail for you and your four-legged friend. The entire trail is about 2 miles in length, so it shouldn’t take any more than 2 hours to walk.
Round Valley
If you want a gentler hike over a longer distance, then we can recommend the 3.75 miles which make up this trail. Round Valley Trail is very popular with locals and tourists though, so you might feel a little bit crowded during peak season.
Desolation Lake Trail
For those of you who enjoy the challenge of a really tough hike, then we suggest you get your hiking boots ready and start moving up the 8+ miles of Desolation Lake Trail. The highest point on this trail is 2,500 feet above sea level, and you’ll feel every single step of your hike.
Mountain bikers use many of the trails near Park City, so you might prefer to get off the beaten track and enjoy uninterrupted hiking.
Now for the Bikers
There are plenty of mountain bike trails in the area to enjoy too, with something to suit every skill level. We’re going to look at our top 3 mountain bike trails, in ascending order of difficulty for the rider.
Beaver Creek Trail
An almost entirely flat trail, this gentle 9 mile cycle is suitable for families wanting a fun day out. It’s also suitable for anyone wanting to get to grips with the basics of riding a mountain bike on an actual trail – it’s a very different experience to urban riding. On Beaver Creek Trail, you get to enjoy mile after mile of beautiful scenery, and there’s also several campgrounds where you can stop to enjoy a picnic. This is an ideal trail for beginners.
Deer Valley Resort
Paying a visit to this trail means you’re taking on a far bigger challenge than riding the Beaver Creek Trail. There’s a lift available to bring you to the summit of the trail, but after that it’s up to you to manage your way down and get back to the bottom. There are plenty of downhill trails here for you to follow, each of them being equally difficult.
Mid-Mountain Trail
At 22 miles long, this is one of the longer trails in the area, and combined with an elevation of 8,000 feet, it really is suitable only for far more experienced mountain bikers. Mid-Mountain itself is made up of several different trails, including the Spiro Trailhead and The Canyons. Unless you’re comfortable with navigating very difficult mountain trails, we suggest passing on this one. It’s not a challenge either – it’s better to play it safe!
We hope that you enjoy Utah’s beautiful and scenic outdoors at Promontory, Park City and the surrounding areas. Remember, always take someone with you when you go hiking and biking in case of an emergency. Enjoy the outdoors and stay safe, folks! For more information about the Promontory lifestyle click here or call us 435-333-CLUB.
