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Eden Sidewinder
The Eden Sidewinder trail is a loop located on the slopes of the
eastern side of Ogden Valley near the road to Powder Mountain. The trail
is fairly easy to ride, suitable for strong beginners but considered
intermediate overall.
View to the west as we approach the northwest corner
of the loop on a counterclockwise ride. Photos and trail review by Bruce
on June 15, 2022. |
| There isn't a formal trailhead, nor trailhead parking at
this time. Most riders are locals who bike to the trail. For now, you can
park at the homebuilder's office at the intersection of Bailey Lane with
Seven Bridges Road.
The southern limb of the loop trail can be found on the western
(valley) side of Seven Bridges Road, just past the entry bridge to the
subdivision and 100 feet downhill from Bailey Lane. This will give you a
clockwise ride.
View west from Seven Bridges Road. Entering here
would take you clockwise around the loop.
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For a counterclockwise ride, the trail can be found 100
yards uphill from Bailey Lane on the right side of Seven Bridges Road.
There's a gravel doubletrack, with the narrow singletrack forking away
almost immediately after leaving the pavement.
The photos on this page will follow a counterclockwise ride.
View from the curb. The narrow trail by the sign is
the entry to a counterclockwise loop. |
| The loop is 4.1 miles in length, with a bit over 0.1 miles
of pavement linking the north and south sides. There will be 500 vertical
feet of climbing.
When riding counterclockwise, the first 200 feet of climbing will come
in the first 0.4 miles as you angle uphill and north away from the homes.
Cranking uphill heading north through grassy meadows
on the higher hillside.
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The trail has a mix of terrain. There are a few small stands
of maple trees, scrub oak and tall serviceberry, but most of the ride is
exposed. On the upper hillsides there's grass and sage, while on the lower
western side you'll pass through mules ear meadows.
Looking back downhill at the subdivision. |
| The riding surface is mostly smooth dirt. There are
occasional spots with embedded rock. Cattle graze in part of the land
crossed by the trail, and those areas may occasionally be rough from
hoofprints. In lower areas that are wet in the spring, parts of the trail
have been built up to form a boulder "sidewalk." Beginners and
kids with small tires may have to walk these short stretches.
Rolling a turn near the ride's highest point.
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There are a few optional technical features built into the
trail. I lost count of the number of rock roll-overs.
A long rock roll-over offers an optional line. There
are a lot of these, if you're up for a minor challenge. |
| Almost every turn is banked for a swooping downhill or power
climbing.
There's a lot of up-and-down riding. The longest stretch of sustained
slope is on the northern side. When done counterclockwise, you'll drop
through twisty singletrack 250 vertical feet over 0.8 miles.
Heading downhill on the northern side, the trail
makes a banked turn among mules ear blossoms in a small grove of trees.
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On the far western side of the loop, there's a short spur to
a dead-end street off 4150 East. This is an alternate access to the trail.
See below.
There's also a spot on the northern side where the trail crosses
doubletrack as it skirts some construction. I believe this will be the
continuation of Seven Bridges road as the subdivision fills in.
Touching the edge of the subdivision again as we
coast downhill on the northern side. |
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Two ways of handling wetness: There are
multiple wooden
bridges over small seasonal streams, especially on the north
side of the loop. |
On the eastern side of the loop, there are
long stretches where
the trail crosses bog areas. These are built up with rock and
roadbase -- which is a bit bouncy to ride. |
| Views are almost constant. It's a pretty ride.
In June you'll be treated to a riot of Mules Ear and Wasatch Penstemmon.
Looking west as we make yet another climb over a
small knoll on the western side of the loop. The blue flowers are
penstemmon, the yellow is mules ear.
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The southern limb of the loop is a bit straighter with
less-exciting riding. As it approaches the subdivision, it will fall into
a trail corridor between homes.
I should note that Sidewinder is a private trail for the subdivision,
but is open for public riding. Please treat the trail (and the residents)
with respect so that the trail continues to be available for riding by
"outsiders."
Cruising through mules ear and sage -- with
occasional berry bushes -- on the southern side of the loop. |
Bottom Line:
Very nice ride. A bit short to be a destination trail for hard-core
riders, but you can always do the ride in both directions. I combined it
with other riding nearby.
View from the top of a small rise on the western side
of the loop. The notch in the hill is the Ogden Divide.
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Getting there!
On Highway 159 (Powder Mountain Road), turn left into Fairways Drive
around mile 2.4 from the intersection with route 162 and 166 in Eden. Turn
right across the bridge to Seven Bridges Road. Find a parking spot. (For
now, there's parking behind the signs at the builder's office on Bailey
Lane.) The entries to the trail are just past the bridge on the west side,
and around 0.1 mile uphill on the right side.
The west side of the loop can be reached by taking 4100 North eastbound
in Liberty. Go left on 4000 East, then right on 4325 North, which will
veer left to become 4150 East. Turn right at the dead-end street and park
at the end. |
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