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Ann's Connector
Elk Glen (Suncrest) to Ann's Trail
This short trail is a two-way connector from Ann's Trail to Elk Glen
trailhead at the top of Suncrest (at the west end of the Eagle Crest
Trail
on the south side of Traverse Mountain). The trail is 1.1 miles in length. View
southwest as we climb uphill. Trail review August 1, 2013 by Bruce. |
| Ann's Connector makes the Elk Glen trailhead useful.
Shuttled DH riders could access the Maple Hollow DH
trail from here, but XC riders didn't have a viable non-pavement option
for getting back uphill. Ann's Connector now allows riders to descend to
Ann's (Draper Rim) Trail, ride a nice loop, then climb back uphill.
From the Elk Glen trailhead looking
west, the left trail is Ann's Connector. The right trail descends to the
Maple Hollow DH. |
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This trail also ties to Eagle Crest
on the south side of Traverse Mountain. As you climb up to the trailhead
from Ann's, just turn left on the broad cinder path, pass under the road,
then continue on the singletrack. (Some riders are doing a loop of Ann's
and Eagle Crest. Don't take the trail right across Suncrest Drive.
Instead, ride a bit further up the road to find one
of three connectors over to the Peak View trailhead. The first starts
when you encounter a white-gravel area on the right side of Suncrest.)
Trail view as we go through some deep
maple forest. |
| The surface is a smooth machine cut with a steady rate of
climb. The altitude change is about 350 feet per mile. As of 2013, there
are no rocks or roots to make things interesting.
Looking northwest over the Salt Lake
Valley from higher on the mountain. |
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So as of 2013, the main use of this trail is an uphill route
for the Maple Hollow DH. From the bottom of Maple Hollow, go downhill a
tad and hop the westbound BST (Bonneville Shoreline Trail) as it emerges
from the underpass on the uphill side of Traverse Mountain Road. Climb
through the gully and fork left on Ann's Trail at the ridge after 1/2
mile.
Looking uphill at the homes in Suncrest. |
| Keep climbing uphill on Ann's. The steepest section are now
behind you. From here, the slope should be tolerable even on a gravity
bike. At mile 2.1 from Traverse Mountain Road, fork hard left onto Ann's
Connector. And at mile 3.2, you're at the trailhead. As you reach the
kiosk, do a 180. Now take the trail to the right. That's the Maple Hollow
DH.
We're approaching Ann's Trail, looking
north over the valley. |
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For those who want to continue over to Eagle Crest, you'll
be rewarded with a 2.8 mile jaunt on narrow singletrack. There are views
of Utah Lake to the south-southwest, and Timpanogos and Cascade Mountain
to the southeast.
Eagle Crest Trail, just after emerging
from the underpass. That's Timpanogos on upper left. |
| Ann's Connector will open up a lot of riding possibilities
"on top of the mountain" once the trails in Draper's newly
purchased land on Traverse Ridge are developed.
Looking south toward Utah Lake from
Eagle Crest. |
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