Fruit Loops
Fruit Heights Mountain Bike Trail System
The Fruit Heights trail system lies between the homes of Fruit Heights
and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. It consists of an easier loop on the
outside and three downhill flow trails inside that loop. Trail options
range from Beginner to High-Expert. The trails are well-engineered and a
lot of fun.
Looking south as Bruce climbs the Green Loop. Photos
and trail review by Bruce on March 19,
2019.
The trail system lies at 4900 feet elevation on the foothill
slope between Fruit Heights and the steep slopes of Shepherd Peak. In
2019, there are 2.8 miles of trail. The top of the outer loop connects to
the lower Bonneville Shoreline Trail for longer rides.
Depending on snowfall and temperatures, the trails may be ready to ride
in March. The entire trail surface is sun-exposed and dries quickly.
Looking south on the Green Loop. The BST (Bonneville
Shoreline Trail) is seen above.
Green Loop
The Green Loop is a one-way loop 1.7 miles in length with 200 feet of
elevation change. It's an easier ride suitable for experienced beginners.
The Green Loop is the key to the entire trail system. It encloses the downhill
flow trails and provides both access to and return from these trails.
Climbing the Green Loop and almost to the top. At the
far left side of the photo, the trail crosses the doubletrack 1080 East
access trail. The cars at top left are in the BST parking area.
The Green Loop should be ridden clockwise, so you climb the
northern side and descend the southern side. The upper (eastern) side of
the loop traverses the mountain just below the doubletrack BST and is the
access-trail for the downhill flow trails.
Southbound on the Green Loop riding clockwise. A
powerline corridor transects the riding area.
On the top side, the loop will join the BST for a very short distance
as it skirts a ravine. On the bottom side, it will dump onto a doubletrack
for about 150 feet before resuming the singletrack. The navigation for
these spots is obvious.
We've just left the short stretch where the Green
Loop and the BST join. The shrubs downhill from the trail are wild rose.
As you pass the entries to the flow trails from north to
south, the flow trails get more technical. The northernmost Blue trail
would be considered easier-intermediate, while the south Blue trail is
upper-intermediate. The southernmost flow trail, designated Black Flow on
my map is solid expert-level with a couple of double-black high-expert
features.
Rolling a nicely-bermed turn as we reach the bottom
of the descent.
Blue Flow North
The northernmost flow trail is an intermediate-level trail 0.3 miles in
length. It forks to the right from the Green Loop at 0.1 miles from the
doubletrack crossing of the 1080 East access trail.
Approaching the trail fork for the northern Blue
trail.
As you reach the bottom, keep straight as the Green Loop
joins you on your left. Then keep right again as you pass the Eastoaks
access trail. A loop around the northern Blue Trail is 0.7 miles with 170
feet of climbing.
The northern intermediate trail has a lot of rollers
and bumps but can be done by a well-experienced beginner.
Blue Flow South
The southern intermediate trail forks away from the Green Loop 0.2
miles after the temporary merger of the BST and Green Loop. That's 0.4
miles from the 1080 East entry to the loop. It's significantly more
technical than the northern Blue trail.
The southern Blue trail is 0.5 miles long -- but with a shortcut option
that would cut it to 0.4 -- with 200 feet of elevation change.
The drop-in to the southern Blue (upper-intermediate)
trail.
As you approach a big rock on the left side of the trail at
mile 0.35, an alternate line rolls up and over the rock. It's not as hairy
as it looks as long as you keep the bike rolling. This rejoins the main
trail, but then hooks to the right to join the Green Loop. This spot can
be a bit confusing, as there are no signs here in March 2019.
A big rock roll-over near the bottom. The ramp is
about 15 feet. With the right speed, it only LOOKS hard. But definitely
not for newbs.
Meantime, the main Blue trail heads south and dumps onto the
end of the Black trail as it joins the Green Loop. Keep right as it joins
the Black flow trail, and right again as it reaches the Green Loop.
Hitting a fast turn. The berms are nicely done!
A loop around the full Blue trail would be 1.5 miles with
200 feet of climbing.
A minor rock roll-over on the upper part of the
southern Blue trail.
Black Flow Trail
The Black Flow trail forks to the right from the Green Loop about 100
yards past the fork for the southern Blue Trail (0.45 miles from the 1080
East entry). It's 0.4 miles long with 200 feet of elevation change.
The drop-in to the Black trail.
Most of the technical features on this trail can be rolled
by a competent intermediate rider. But (March 2019) there are two
drop-offs that can't be rolled, true do-or-die drops.
The first isn't a big deal. It's about 2 feet and any expert rider
should be able to take this one. The second, at mile 0.2, is preceded by a
trail fork. To the right, you'll rocket off a rock for a vertical drop of
between 8 and 15 feet depending on your speed. The left fork is a
none-too-easy cheater route around the rock.
The smaller rock drop. This one isn't a big deal, as
long as you maintain your speed and keep the bike from nosing down.
A loop using the Black trail would be 1.4 miles with 200
feet of climbing.
Lots of fun stuff here!
Bottom Line:
Very nicely built trails, fun to ride for all ability levels. Not a lot of
mileage, but to hit all the downhill routes, you're looking at around 6
miles and 800 feet of climbing. It could use a few more signs to tell you where
you are on the lower half, for example the spot at the bottom of the
southern Blue Trail with the rock rollover and hook connector.
Highly recommend this trail system.
At the far south end, I'm rolling a downhill turn on
the Green Loop.
Green Loop from EastOaks
If the above video does not appear on your
browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking
here.
Getting there:
From I-15 near Farmington, turn onto US-89 northbound. In 1/2 mile, take
the Main Street Fruit Heights exit. After turning right onto Main Street,
immediately turn left onto Mountain Road. Drive northbound around a mile,
then spot Eastoaks Drive on your right and follow Eastoaks all the way up
to a T intersection with 1080 East. Turn right.
Eastoaks: If you
plan to start at the Eastoaks access trail near the flood basin, after
turning right onto 1080 east, turn
quickly right again as Eastoaks descends to a parking circle. BST/1080 East parking: After turning onto 1080 East, continue
straight to the end of the pavement. You can do a U-turn and park on the uphill
side of the street, then head for the ride-around to the right of the gate.
Or you can head steeply uphill and slightly left to the BST parking area -- and backtrack
downhill to the gate. (There's no direct connector trail from BST parking
in March 2019.)
Alternate (Bella Vista BST) access: When exiting US-89 onto Main
Street, go to the right and drive around 1/3 mile to turn left on 1400
North. At a T intersection, turn right on Compton Road. Take the next
left, which is Grandview Drive. At another T intersection, turn left on
Bella Vista and follow it to the end. Park on the uphill side and begin
riding the doubletrack Bonneville Shoreline trail. You'll reach the Green
loop in 1/3 mile, on your left. Turn 180 degrees onto the trail so you're
riding clockwise.
