John Muir, a wise man, once said, “of all the trails you take in life, make sure a few are dirt”. We couldn’t agree more and we think this guy is onto something. We are lucky that the Heber Valley offers us many dirt paths to explore via mountain biking, hiking or horseback that have astounding views of the Wasatch Mountains and Mount Timpanogos.
Whether you are an experienced mountain biker, trail runner, hiker or simply love to take the “road less traveled” – there is something for everyone in the Heber Valley or right on Red Ledges’ property.
Get your bike tuned and check out some of our favorite places to ride in the Heber Valley:
Coyote Hollow Trail System:
The Coyote Hollow Trail System has a lot of great short and longer loops that dry out sooner than most trails in the area because of the elevation and exposure. All of the trails here are beginner to intermediate and have great views of Mt. Timpanogos and the valley. One of our favorite longer loops in this area begins at the Upper Riverview Trailhead and climbs Upper Riverview and then up Coyote Chopped. From there you can ride onto Coyote and connect with Riverview. We love the views of the Jordanelle from this 16 mile ride!
Views of the Jordanelle from Coyote Loop
Red Ledges Trail:
Red Ledges has their own 5-mile bike trail that starts from the property and connects into the Coyote Hollow Trail system. The views from this trail are stunning (header photo) and you are likely to not see another person. You could ride it as an out-and-back from Red Ledges (a 10-mile ride) or you can make it a longer ride and ride part of the Coyote Hollow trail system, loop around and head back to the Red Ledges trailhead. The Red Ledges trail can be found on Trailforks here.
Red Ledges Trail Map
Mountain Biking slickrock at Red Ledges
Views from the Red Ledges Trail
Dutch Hollow Trails at Wasatch Mountain State Park:
Dutch Hollow is perfect for beginners, families or an experienced rider. There are many trails that lead back to the same general area so you can make a ride as long or short as you would like.
One of our favorite short rides is to head up Dutchman’s, take in the views and climb the switchbacks on Top Notch, head down Sage to Aqueduct and finish on the iconic and bermy Barrell trail. This ride is about 5 miles and gains 900 ft of elevation – check out this easy route on TrailForks.
Views of Timp and Utah Lake from Top Notch
The Wow Trail:
All we have to say is “wow”. The Wasatch Over Wasatch trail (9 miles) is a newer addition to the area and is always leaving us with an adrenaline rush. Many people shuttle this trail by parking one car at the bottom of the road and the other at the top (Boulder Basin Trailhead). You can also ride this trail from Dutch Hollow (take Donkey Ridge) or ride up from the bottom, where the small parking lot is. Even though uphill riders have the right of way, be aware that people rip down at fast speeds when they are shuttling because this trail is more popular ridden down. The views from this trail will wow your socks off. Here it the route on a map.
When you’re over in Midway – don’t forget to stop into the Fill-er-Up Coffee Station and grab a scoop of their homemade ice-cream. You deserve it.
Soldier Hollow:
Known as a XC rider’s meca and renowned for hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics, Soldier Hollow has miles and miles of trails that are less traveled and often used for high-school to pro level mountain bike races. Here is a good 8 mile loop.
Deer Crest:
Technically in Heber, the trailhead at the bottom of Deer Crest by the Jordanelle Gondola allows access some of the best mountain biking in Deer Valley and Park City. We love climbing up Lower Village, Pipeline and Overlook and heading down Spin Cycle for a quick ride on the Jordanelle side – here is the route on TrailForks.
If you want to turn this into a longer ride – you can explore Deer Valley Resort trails or even take the Mid-Mountain Trail over to Park City Resort.
We would recommend downloading the TrailForks app if you don’t already have it (referenced many times in this post). It provides maps and uses your GPS to help you navigate the trails or plan out your rides.
If you need help with a tune or want to rent a mountain bike, head over to Slim and Knobby’s – Heber’s local bike shop.
See you on the trails!
Views at sunset from the Lower Riverview Trail