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The Farm
This small trail system is located on Farmington City land in the
foothills at the mouth of Farmington Canyon. It's designed to be done as
clockwise loops, with two climbing options and five downhill trails
varying from "skilled beginner" to full-expert. These are fun
trails for a quick ride.
Rolling trail through oak brush in the Farmington
foothills, heading north. Photos and trail review by Bruce
on June 1, 2021.
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| There's actually less than 5 miles of total trail here,
including connectors. Each loop around the trail system will be just under
1.5 miles. But to ride all the downhill options, you're going to do 5
laps, putting your miles at around 8 and your vertical feet of climbing
about 1200. That's not counting your "scouting runs" which I
highly recommend for first-timers.
Looking southwest during the last bit of climbing on
Rise Up.
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At the bottom, all the loops go through a single point just
above the crosswalk over Farmington Canyon Road. The roll-over on the
uphill side of the road serves as the main entry to the trail system. Turn
left after climbing over the roll-over to get on Rise Up for your first
lap.
At this time (June 2021) trail markings are temporary, showing only
trail difficulty. You'll need to refer to a map or Trailforks to figure
out where you are. See below for driving directions and alternate
trailheads.
View from the lower parking lot connector trail as we
reach The Farm. |
| At the top, the two climbing routes join into a single trail
before the rollover which marks the division between climbing and
descending trails. (The trail forking uphill just before the roll-over
goes up to the Firebreak Road. Ignore it unless you parked along the
gravel road above the trail system and are headed back to your car.)
At the rollover on Rise Up, the first trail to the right is to Rusty
Rotor, which loops around to the middle of Lowe Gear. Just a few feet past the
roll-over is the right turn to the easy trail Kings Flow. The harder
downhill options are reached by keeping to the left on the intermediate-level Dirt Coaster
trail.
The roll-over at the top. It's all downhill from
here!
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Rise Up climbing trail
Both climbing routes start on Rise Up. It begins with a left turn after
the roll-over entry on Farmington Canyon Road. Rise Up climbs 200 vertical
feet over 0.7 miles, ending at the roll-over that marks the start of the
downhill routes.
The steeper climbing route Lowe Gear forks off Rise Up at the second
turn and rejoins at the top.
Looking northeast just after the 2nd turn of Rise Up. |
| Rise Up is an easy trail, suitable for experienced
beginners. But I don't recommend this system for true beginners nor for
young children. To do even the easiest loop in The Farm, beginning riders should already have enough strength and
skill to handle the uphill turns and the downhill rollers.
Climbing parallel to the Farmington Canyon Road
heading northeast.
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The first trail fork comes at 0.1 miles. Turn hard left
(straight ahead takes you onto Lowe Gear). The next fork also comes in the
middle of a turn at mile 0.5. Turn hard right (straight ahead takes you to
the Firebreak Road parking area).
Approaching a turn on Rise Up. They take a little bit
more leg and are tighter than most beginners would like. |
| Just before the roll-over at the top, Lowe Gear rejoins on
your right. Ignore the trail forking uphill here! It goes up to the
Firebreak Road, whereas all the trails you want are located across
that roll-over.
Looking west over Farmington from Rise Up.
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Lowe Gear climbing trail
Lowe Gear is significantly steeper than Rise Up, with more-difficult
turns during the climb. It's for solid intermediates or better. You'll be
doing the same 200 vertical feet of climbing, but over 0.5 miles rather
than 0.7 miles.
The entry to Lowe Gear from Rise Up. |
| Start the climb by pedaling 0.1 miles on Rise Up. As Rise Up
turns 180 degrees left, keep straight to enter Lowe Gear. Grunt up 0.4
miles of Lowe Gear then keep right (straight) to join Rise Up just before
you cross the roll-over. (Again, don't go up the trail that forks left
uphill. It goes to the Firebreak Road.)
Lagoon and the Farmington Pond are seen from Lowe
Gear as we approach a tight and steepish turn.
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Kings Flow and Rusty Rotor
easier downhill trails
Kings Flow is the easiest descending route, running from the roll-over
at the top down to the roll-over at the bottom. It's 0.6 miles with 200
vertical feet of descent.
Rusty Rotor is a shorter route that starts near the beginning of Kings
Flow and runs around the reservoir to tie back to the middle of the Lowe
Gear climbing trail. It's 0.4 miles long with 120 feet of descent.
A look at Kings Flow from just above it on Dirt
Coaster. |
| Neither trail is a perfect option for true beginners. There are
frequent rollers that require standing on the pedals. If your friend or
child isn't able to get off their bike seat, they may not enjoy the trip.
Fun gentle rollers. But you can't keep your butt
planted on the bike seat and ride them safely.
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Turns have high banks that invite some speed. The downside
is that timid riders will drop into the churn and sand at the bottom of
the turn and may fishtail out of control. The banked turns and bumps are
why I recommend even these easier trails only for "experienced
beginners."
Typical banked turn on Kings Flow.
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| The only trail fork on Kings Flow comes at 0.4 miles
downhill. As you approach a tight banked turn to the right, you'll see a
second trail that begins on the edge of the berm and goes straight. This
is Hay Day, an intermediate-level trail.
Kings Flow joins the Collector trail at the bottom, just before the
roll-over at the crosswalk.
Nice views and fun riding. We're about half-way down
Kings Flow now.
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Dirt Coaster intermediate downhill trail
This route will be 0.8 miles. Dirt Coaster itself is 0.6 miles long. It
descends at around the same rate as the easier Kings Flow, then adds a
short return on the Collector trail. Again your total descent will be 200
vertical feet.
Entry to Dirt Coaster from Kings Flow. |
| At the top, Dirt Coaster forks uphill (straight and left)
off Kings Flow about 50 feet after the rollover. Compared to Kings Flow,
Dirt Coaster has bigger bumps and tighter turns. There are some
"plunge-downs" and "rocket-back-ups" that require at
least intermediate skills.
Much of Dirt Coaster is fairly tame, but some
individual stunts simply require more experience.
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Dirt Coaster also has lips at the top of some bumps that
invite you to jump. If you want to keep your wheels on the ground you'll
need to keep your speed controlled to avoid spontaneous flight.
A plunge followed by a flight up onto a table.
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| 0.6 miles down Dirt Coaster, it ends on Collector. If you
keep straight and right, it will be 0.2 miles to the entry crosswalk.
Heading back for another go, as we join Collector.
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Hay Day intermediate downhill trail
Hay Day is a short intermediate trail that runs 0.3 miles between the
middle of Kings Flow and the Collector trail at the bottom.
Here's the entry to Hay Day. Just keep left as Kings
Flow veers around this banked turn. |
| This descending route is 0.9 miles. To reach Hay Day, roll
0.4 miles down Kings Flow, then keep left (up and over the berm) as Kings
Flow makes a banked turn downhill to the right. See the photo above.
As an intermediate route, Hay Day has steeper and
tighter turns. Looking south here.
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As an intermediate trail, Hay Day has lips on the bumps that
invite jumping. Turns are tighter, and there are some plunges.
A nice ramp and jump on Hay Day, as seen from Dirt
Coaster just below it.
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| After 0.3 miles, Hay Day ends on the Collector trail. Turn
right and go 0.2 miles to the crosswalk entry.
Rolling northeast down toward the Collector trail.
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Fly N Low expert downhill trail
Fly N Low is only 0.2 miles long. It's reached via Dirt Coaster. This
descending route is 0.8 miles. There will be 0.4 miles of Dirt Coaster to
start, Fly N Low, then 0.2 miles of Collector to finish up.
This is the entry to Fly N Low. That's Dirt Coaster
continuing straight on the far right. |
| Go to the top to Kings Flow then immediately keep left on
Dirt Coaster and descend 0.4 miles. Keep to the left and enter the banked
left turn where Dirt Coaster keeps straight. After the quick 0.2 miles on
Fly N Low, keep right as it touches the Collector trail and climb 50 yards
to join Collector right at the bottom of Dirt Coaster. Go 0.2 on Collector
back to the entry crosswalk.
As an expert trail, Fly N Low has even steeper and
tighter turns, plus steeper plunges and trickier jumps.
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Powerline high-expert downhill trail
Powerline is 0.5 miles long. The trail is a double-black with some
serious plunges and opportunities for big air. Many of the bumps require a
"double" jump if hit with speed, so it's not a trail for an
oblivious intermediate.
The entry to Powerline from Dirt Coaster. We're
looking south. |
| This route is 0.8 miles. Go 0.1 miles on Dirt Coaster, then
keep left for the entry to Powerline. At first, it will seem relatively
tame. Rollers, table-tops, the occasional easy double that you can just
slow down and roll.
On upper Powerline, here's a tabletop jump followed
by a quick turn.
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So are we having fun yet?
Looking down Powerline (left) as it bumps shoulders
with Dirt Coaster (right). There are several spots where trails come very
close together. Avoid crossing over! This messes things up and confuses
other riders. |
| If you thought you'd sneak through this trail while riding
like an old man, your rude awakening will come as the trail passes under the
powerline and turns to the left toward a ravine. As your front tire nears
the edge, you'll see nothing but air. Lots of air.
It's 25 feet to the bottom. And the first 10 feet are practically a
cliff. A slippery dusty cliff. There's no hike-around. And the face is way too steep to walk or crawl
or slither down.
So if, like me, you already stopped to take a look over the edge, walk
the bike back up the trail a ways. I needed time and velocity to get my feet situated
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my body and brain comfortable -- as I approached the lip.
There's nothing to do but
drop it. The compression at the bottom sure got my attention.
If you made it this far, you'll do fine for the rest of the trail.
Looking back at the plunge after zooming up the other
side.
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After 0.5 miles from Dirt Coaster, Powerline merges with Fly N Low. Roll
1/10th mile on Fly N Low to join the Collector trail for a return to the crosswalk.
Almost done. Fun stuff here!
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Farmington Creek trailhead (main parking)
I would consider this parking lot as "overflow" for weekends.
As Farmington Canyon Road begins to climb, turn left at the
"parking" sign onto Farmington Pond Road, then in 100 yards
proceed straight into the cindered parking area as the main road veers
left. Find the paved trail east (uphill) of parking, near the parking lot
entry. Quickly do a 180 onto the singletrack and climb 0.2 miles up the
trail. (If you arrive at a bridge over a creek, you took the wrong trail!)
The trail delivers you to the
crosswalk at Farmington Canyon Road. The entry to the trail system is on
the other side. |
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Canyon Entry parking
This is the most popular parking area. But you'll be competing with ATV
and motorcycle unloading, so it will fill quickly on weekends. Stay on
Farmington Canyon Road instead of turning left to the Farmington Pond Road. When you see a
crosswalk and "bicycle" signs, you're there. Find a parking spot
on the left side of the road, then descend back to the crosswalk to enter
the trail system on the uphill side of the road. |
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Firebreak Road parking
This cindered parking spot is on the valley side of the Farmington
Firebreak dirt road, just off the paved Farmington Canyon road. It's
around 1/3 mile uphill from the roadside parking at the canyon entry. As
you drive up the road, turn right at the first gravel road you see, and
the parking area is just uphill. Toward the downhill side of the parking area, find
the singletrack trail and go 0.1 miles to join Rise Up. Keep straight and
uphill. It will be 0.3 miles on Rise Up to reach the roll-over that marks
the start of the downhill options. |
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Collector trail parking
As Farmington Canyon Road (100 East) starts to climb, there's a small
gravel area on the right side of the road (mile 0.8 from State Street). This small parking area has
room for 3 or 4 cars. Don't block the gate! There's a rollover on the
up-canyon side of parking. This trail is Collector. Keep left at any trail
forks, and it will climb up to the crosswalk entry (and the uphill trails)
in 0.3 miles. |
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Getting there:
Exit I-15 at the Farmington (Lagoon) exit. This will become 200 West in
Farmington, heading northbound for 0.8 miles from the freeway. At State
Street, turn right. Drive 0.25 miles east toward the mountains. After the
Main Street stop light take the next left turn. This road will become 100
East. Drive 0.9 miles north on 100 East and it will become Farmington
Canyon Road, also known as Skyline Drive. At the fork, either turn left
toward Farmington Pond for the large main parking area, or continue on
Farmington Canyon Road another 0.2 miles and park on the left side of the
road just after you pass the "bicycle" signs and the crosswalk.
See above for more info on alternate trailheads.
There are no bathrooms or water at the trailheads. |
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