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Deer Creek Parkway
(North section, Provo/Jordan River Parkway)
This broad gravel path is part of the Provo River Parkway - Jordan
River Parkway system. It runs the hillside above the northern shore of
Deer Creek Reservoir. Length is 7.5 miles, with about 400 feet of total
climbing. While mostly straight, there are occasional sharp turns during
descents into small canyons.
View of southwest, about 1 mile from
the northern trailhead, overlooking the eastern end of Deer Creek
reservoir. Photos May 12, 2007.
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| The trail is about 10 feet wide, consisting of roadbed-type
crushed rock overtop of a plastic liner. While it might seem the ideal
family ride, the gravel surface makes it harder work for tiny tires and
little legs. There are some slightly-steep sections that require good
braking control and balance, to avoid dumping in the gravel. Looking
across toward Island Beach State Park. |
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| While it has
potential as a family ride, I can only recommend it for more-skilled
strong youngsters. Tiny guys should go in the bike trailer or a
trail-a-bike until the surface is paved or worked-in better. As an out-and-back, the distance of 15 miles
might be a little much for children. In that case, consider a drop-off
ride, meeting the auto at the other end for a picnic. |
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Also
to consider: From 11 am to 4 pm on sunny days, there's a vicious
"thermal" wind blowing northeast up-canyon. The best riding time
is early morning or later afternoon -- or plan on riding from the dam to
the northern trailhead so the wind is at your back.
The Heber Valley Historic Railroad,
aka the "Heber Creeper," passes under the peaks of Mount
Timpanogos. |
| Utah has an abundance of gravel and dirt roads that you
probably don't want to ride. What makes this trail special is its location
along the shores of the reservoir. You can combine a ride with a day of
boating. |
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The horse corral at the northern trailhead assures that you'll be
dodging road apples. But I wasn't bitten by any horse flies during my
ride, so I'm OK with that. No ATVs or motorcycles -- the trail is
non-motorized travel only.
We're looking toward Provo Peak. The
terrain here has juniper, bitterbrush, and sage. |
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If you're a sandstone and singletrack junkie, you won't
find much here to like. The views are nice, but I found the constant
crunch of gravel annoying. Most of the turns are off-camber, and many are
relatively tight. Hammerheads may quickly find themselves picking rocks
out of their bloody skin. For some, riding here barely beats sitting on the
exer-cycle in the basement watching infomercials on TV. But you might like
it.
Three miles into the ride, the brush is
being replaced by rolling hills of cheat grass. That's Timpanogos on the
skyline. |
| Getting there: From US-40, turn north on U-113.
Zero your odometer. Drive 2 miles, then turn left immediately after
crossing the railroad tracks. Turn left at the stop sign 1/2 mile later.
As the road curves to the right about 0.2 miles later, spot a horse hitch
area on your left then a railroad stop with parking. Immediately after,
there's a road on the left with a small sign indicating it's the
Provo/Jordan River Parkway Deer Creek Northern Trailhead. After turning
left into the road, keep straight, to the left of the horse corral, and
park at the end. The trailhead is the small metal gate at the right.
2007 note: The southern end is effectively hidden within a mess
of construction for the new highway. You'll need to ride from the northern
trailhead.
Copyright 2007 Mad Scientist Software Inc.
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