The East Mountain Wilderness Park (EMWP) in Kaysville has a system of
singletrack trails surrounding the Bonneville
Shoreline Trail (BST). The trails are relatively easy to ride, with only a
few very short spots that beginners might need to hike. The area is at
4900 feet elevation, with an expected riding season of mid-April through
November. The trails are almost completely shaded by old-growth trees.
Looking north from the parking lot entry. The
singletrack to the right of the smaller sign is the official entry. GPS tracks, photos, and ride review by Bruce on April 8,
2019.
The trails are popular with local hikers as well as bikers,
with the preferred riding direction being counterclockwise. The trail
system has over 4 miles of trails within an area that's merely 1/2 mile by
1/3 mile. There are also campsite trails, some of which are being used by
cyclists shortcutting between routes. So things can get a bit entangled.
"Howard Campsite." There are many picnic
tables and rest areas, as well as camping spots that have major trails
serving them.
The 3 major trails are Kays Crest, Graveyard, and Bamberger.
Most intersections above the Bonneville Shoreline (BST) doubletrack trail
are fully marked with carsonite posts. The lower trails have fewer signs
and might be somewhat more confusing. The trails are well-designed,
well-built and fun to ride.
Post on Kays Crest indicating the preferred riding
direction and helping with navigation.
Kays Crest
Most riders will start with the upper side of Kays Crest. You'll find
it on your right shortly after you enter the park on the doubletrack. If
you start on the singletrack connector on the north side of parking, it
will take you to Bamberger. If you follow this trail uphill, it will
deliver you to the Kays Crest loop connector on the opposite side of the
broad BST.
Looking uphill from EMWP at Thurston Peak.
If you follow the signs for Kays Crest, you'll eventually
cross the doubletrack again, then loop around back uphill. Note that in
2019 there's an unmarked intersection at the loop's northwest corner where
you need to turn right to climb back. (The left fork takes you past
Johnson Campsite over to the Bamberger trail. Go ahead and take the wrong
turn. It will only take 100 yards for you to figure it out.)
A mini-loop extends from Kays Crest to the Connector
Trail (which takes you to the BST and Graveyard).
Most of Kays Crest is smooth easy riding. There are some
modestly-tight bermed turns that will challenge true beginners, and a couple of spots
where you need to bang over some roots. There are a couple of wooden stunts
that are fun
to hit, but beginners can simply ride past.
Avoid the BST connector trail on Kays Crest (see topo map). The trail
seems prominent, because a lot of riders have turned uphill here before
turning back. The connectors are very steep, and the official BST is just
a little bit further north.
A wall turn on lower Kays Crest.
Graveyard
The Graveyard trail can be reached via a marked "Connector"
trail from the northeast corner of the Kays Crest loop. The first portion
of Connector is also the return from the Kays Crest loop. Keep level and
northbound until you join doubletrack, then pass the BST and find
Graveyard on your right.
Entry to the Graveyard trail from the doubletrack BST.
You can also get there by riding the BST doubletrack, but
continuing another 100 feet on DT after the singletrack BST forks uphill.
Graveyard is signed as an expert-level trail, but 95% of the riding
surface is easy. The areas of rock garden stunts are short and easily
walked by beginning riders.
Northbound during the first portion of Graveyard.
Gneiss rock.
Graveyard initially heads northbound on smooth riding
surface. Then it turns west and starts to descend. Here it gets a little
tougher. Finally, Graveyard turns back to the south and ends on the main
doubletrack. The trail that continues straight across is Bamberger.
A very roll-able boulder bile.
Bamberger
The Bamberger trail runs north-south on the lower side of the park.
It's rated "easy" and for the most part it is. But the final
climb will be difficult for true beginners. And there are a couple of
short rocky spots where beginners and kids will get off and walk.
Looking south on Bamberger.
At the south end, Bamberger climbs uphill to the BST
doubletrack at the Kays Crest loop connector. There are two routes. Most
riders will fork left uphill at exactly mile 0.5 of the trail and climb
through a series of turns.
An alternative is to keep straight and downhill, then take a sharp left
turn at the next intersection. (If you reach the fence and road, you
missed it.) This route will join the other trail just before it reaches
the doubletrack.
There are a few unmarked trail forks on the lower
trails.
A lariat loop ride
around Kay's Crest...
If the above video does not appear on your
browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking
here.
Ride recommendatons: Start out northbound on the Kays Crest loop connector, but then just
explore everything. The park is not that big. Pay no attention to the
"Expert," "Intermediate," "Easy"
designations. The spots you'll walk are very short, and easily spotted
before you can get in trouble.
Getting there:
Exit I-15
onto US-89. Zero your odometer as you go under the first overpass on the
exit. Drive north 3.3 miles to a stoplight at 200 North in Kaysville.
There's a small "Kaysville" sign on the right side of US-89.
Turn right, then immediately left. Follow the road as it turns uphill and
drive to "East
Mountain Wilderness Park," parking in the gravel area just before the
sign. The doubletrack just past the
sign is the main doubletrack trail. There's a connector trail on the north
side of the parking lot that will take you over to Bamberger.
Facilities: bathroom at trailhead
See the topo map (link below) for higher detail on these trails.
