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Parley's Pointe
Bonneville Shoreline Trail
Parley's Pointe is a section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST), new in
2021. It runs north from the mouth of Parley's Canyon to end on a
subdivision street just outside the East Bench
Preserve in Carrigon Canyon. The trail is easy technically, but
has stiff climbing and some tight turns, earning it an intermediate
overall rating.
Heading steadily uphill from the southern side. The higher switchback
in mid-photo is part of our route uphill. Photos and ride description by Bruce
on November 22, 2021.
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| The trail itself is 3.7 miles in length, but it must be
combined with a piece of the paved BST and the Old Parley's Road trail.
The distance between the Wasatch Blvd BST trailhead and the northern end
is 5 miles. On the southern end in
Parley's Canyon, it starts at 4900 feet elevation and climbs at
granny-gear pace. The top elevation comes at 5600 just before the descent
back to city streets. The northern end on Lakeline Drive is 250 feet
higher than the south end at 5150 feet elevation.
A connector trail at the end of Benchmark Drive lets you cut off some
of the southern side of the trail and eliminates around 200 feet of
climbing (see below). This creates a shorter loop ride option.
View north to downtown SLC from Parley's Pointe
trail. |
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The southern end of Parley's Pointe must be reached by other
trails, including the paved lower Bonneville Shoreline route and the Old
Parley's Road trail. How you reach the trail, and whether you plan to do
out-and-back or a loop using city streets, determines the length of your
ride and the amount of total climbing.
There's still a bit of pavement clinging to the
hillside here and there on the Old Parley's Road trail. You'll use 0.3
miles of this trail between the paved lower BST and the southern end of
Parley's Pointe.
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Getting to Parley's Pointe
Trailhead options and connecting trails |
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Wasatch Boulevard Trailhead and Paved BST
The Wasatch Boulevard Grandeur Peak trailhead lets you take the paved lower BST
(Bonneville Shoreline Trail) from the southern side of Parley's Canyon
mouth. You'll cross the I-80 on-ramp road and I-80 itself on bridges, then
connect to the Old Parley's Road trail which takes you to the southern end
of Parley's Pointe. The trailhead has room for around 15 cars including
roadside parking.
Looking north toward the Wasatch Blvd trailhead from
the street. There are also a few parallel parking spots to our left
outside the gates.
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| Exit from the trailhead back to Wasatch Blvd for about 100
feet then turn right onto the paved trail. Cross over the I-80 connecting
road. At the trail fork 0.2 miles from the trailhead, go left. (The bridge
on the right is the Parley's Sugarhouse trail.) The paved trail then
follows the east side of I-215 northwest, then hooks back southeast to
cross over I-80 and resume its northwest orientation. After 100 yards
(mile 0.9 from the trailhead), turn hard right onto the Old Parley's Road
trail. After 0.3 miles, turn left onto Parley's Pointe.
Critical fork on the paved BST. Go to the left here.
The overpass crosses I-215 and continues west as Parley's Sugarhouse
trail.
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Parley's Sugarhouse Paved Trail
Parley's Sugarhouse trail starts at 1700 East, just south of I-80. As
it heads eastbound, you can join the trail at 2000 East and 2300 East.
When it reaches the covered bridge across I-215 (mile 3 from 17th East),
turn hard right and descend to follow I-215 northwest. After 0.7 miles,
turn hard right onto Old Parley's Road trail, then left after 0.3 miles
onto Parley's Pointe.
A protected elevated crossing over the connector road
joining I-215 to I-80. Things are mighty noisy here, but it will get
better once you've climbed up the hillside a bit.
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| From Foothill Blvd via paved BST
On the east side of Foothill Boulevard near Parley's Canyon, the
"paved Bonneville Shoreline Trail" is actually a wide sidewalk.
It turns to asphalt after about 1/3 mile and becomes a more obvious trail.
As you approach the overpass across I-80, around 1/2 mile from where the
trail turned to asphalt, spot the dirt route on your left. This is Old
Parley's Road. Follow it 0.3 miles to Parley's Pointe on your left.
This is the entry to the Old Parley's Canyon trail,
seen riding southbound on the paved BST.
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Benchmark Trailhead
The Benchmark trailhead is at the end of the extension of Benchmark
Drive. It has room only for 5 vehicles, but there's gravel roadside
parking on the downhill side of the road near the trailhead. From the
trailhead, go southeast 0.3 miles to join Parley's Pointe. Keep left to
climb, or right to descend into Parley's Canyon.
NOTE: A trailhead and connector are being developed at the southern end
of Scenic Drive lower on the hill. The connecting trail is flagged but in
November 2021 construction has not yet begun. It will tie into the
Benchmark connecting trail.
Looking down at the Benchmark trailhead from Parley's
Pointe.
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| Lakeline Drive Trail Entry / East Bench Preserve
trailhead
To reach the trail's northern end, climb subdivision streets to
Lakeline Drive. There's a small trailhead for the East Bench Preserve at
the end of the road. The entry to Parley's Pointe is on the uphill side of
the road, 1/10th mile downhill from the trailhead. Most hikers and riders
are parking along the road at this time.
East Bench Preserve entry. The Parley's Pointe trail
is behind my back, 1/10th mile down the road.
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H Trail (East Bench Preserve)
Some riders climb singletrack from the north end of Scenic Drive. About
100 yards uphill, keep right onto the smaller trail. You'll climb through
switchbacks 1/2 mile up to the main preserve trail. Turn right and keep
level for 0.3 miles, then join the wide water-line trail and pedal out
through the reserve gate. Go downhill on Lakeline Drive for 0.1 miles and
turn left to the trail. I DO NOT recommend this route for most riders, as
the climbing singletrack is expert-level riding. See the H
Trail page.
You can also park at the Devonshire Drive preserve trailhead and take
the main preserve trail 1/2 mile across the hillside to Lakeline Drive.
Riding the H Trail's narrow singletrack up through
the East Bench Preserve. |
Riding Parley's Pointe
South to North |
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From the paved lower Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) find
the Old Parley's Road trail on the uphill side, as described above. Pedal
0.3 miles into Parley's Canyon. The trail is flat and easy. Some parts are
old broken pavement, while in other areas erosion has completely removed
the old asphalt. (The Old Parley's Road trail dead-ends where the old road
hits the new I-80, about 1/2 mile up-canyon from the entry to Parley's
Pointe BST.)
We're on the Old Parley's Road trail heading into the
canyon. |
| When you come to a flat area on your left at mile 0.3 from
the paved BST, turn left onto the Parley's Pointe BST trail. (In November 2021, trail signs
have not yet been completed.) When the trail hits the hill, it turns onto
the slope and begins some serious climbing.
Looking left from Old Parley's Road. This is the
Parley's Pointe BST.
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On its southern end, Parley's Pointe is a steady climb
through a series of turns. For me, the pitch meant granny gear. You'll
gain 250 feet of elevation in just the first half mile. This steady 8 to
10% climbing pitch will continue for the next mile as well. The trail
surface on
this southern end contains a lot of rock, with both rounded river rocks and
chips of limestone. This means this southern side of the trail should hold
up well in wet weather.
Looking ahead to the next hairpin turn as we climb.
View is southeast. |
| Enjoy an occasional view into Parley's Canyon as you climb.
At mile 0.6, you'll reach the Benchmark Drive access trail. The trail
straight ahead traverses the slope 0.3 miles north to a small trailhead.
Turn hard right uphill to continue on Parley's Pointe.
Looking east from the trail into Parley's Canyon.
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The trail will continue to wind back and forth across the
hillside as it gains elevation. Just when you think you're through
climbing, you'll turn a corner and see more zigzag trail high on the hill
ahead of you. The terrain here is mostly open grassland with an occasional
tiny stand of scrub oak.
The trail winds up the hillside. The streak near the
top is also our trail.
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| Beginning at mile 1.7 with a ridgeline viewpoint, the trail
traverses the slope as it works its way north.
Climbing past a limestone outcrop on a steep
side-slope. Heading north.
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| View west. We're right at the top of the
inversion layer. |
Looking south down the length of Salt Lake Valley. |
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There will be two more ridgeline viewpoints over the valley.
The final viewpoint is also the ride's highest elevation at 5600 feet, at
mile 2.6 from Old Parley's Road. At this spot, you've climbed a total of
900 feet.
Another limestone rock outcrop, and still climbing.
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| The trail now descends quickly through a series of turns.
Some of them are rather tight. This northern side of the trail is also easier for
hikers to reach, so it will be more populated with people and dogs. On my
weekday ride, it seemed I was constantly pulling over to let dog-walkers
bring their pack of canines past.
Looking at the descending trail from the last
ridgeline viewpoint.
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Here the trail has more dirt and less rock. There's also a
bit more shade with larger groves of oak. I rode while the ground was
frozen solid, but during the off-season this stretch of the trail may be
muddy in the afternoon.
A sun-exposed turn. Those in the shade were black
frozen mud.
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| The trail ends on the uphill side of Lakeline Drive, about
1/10th mile downhill from the East Bench Preserve trailhead. At this time
(November 2021) there are no marking signs. But you'll probably see the
cars parked in the middle of nowhere, which will be your tip-off that the
trail is nearby.
The clear strip between the cars is the trail on
Lakeline Drive.
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Getting there:
(see descriptions near top of page for further information)
Wasatch Blvd TH (via paved BST): From I-215, take the 39th South
exit. Turn left onto Wasatch Boulevard and go north to 33rd South. Turn
right, then follow the road left to go north again. The trailhead is at
the end of the Wasatch Blvd. Begin on the paved bike trail 100 feet south
of the parking lot. Navigate as described above to the Old Parley's Road
trail.
Benchmark TH: From southern Foothill Drive, turn east onto 21st
South. At Scenic Drive, turn right. Turn hard left at Lakeline Drive, then
right on Benchmark Drive. The Benchmark connecting trail begins at the
south end of the small parking area.
East Bench Preserve TH: As above, turn off Foothill Drive onto 21st
South. Turn right on Scenic Drive. Turn hard left to Lakeline Drive and
continue uphill to the end of the road to park. Coast back down the road
1/10th mile and find the singletrack trail on the uphill side of the road.
Paved BST from the north: While pedaling, go to the intersection of
Foothhill Drive with Stringham Ave on the west and Thunderbird Drive on
the east. Get onto the wide sidewalk on the east (mountain) side of
Foothill Drive and pedal southeast. The path will turn to paved bike
trail. Find the Old Parley's Road trail as described above.
Bathrooms: none at any trailhead
Water: none
Repair kiosks: none |
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