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Holman Canyon Trail
Holman Canyon, at the top of Payson Canyon, is a beautiful
forested area with some great views. Altitude is 8400 feet. Holman offers
two ride possibilities, both reserved for the stronger, more confident
rider.
Note Sept 2015: The trails in Payson Canyon
can become overgrown. You might want to check conditions
with a Payson bike shop before committing to this ride.
View back down Holman Canyon, near the
top of the Holman Trail. Photos by Bruce,
September 30, 2002.
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| One type of ride in Holman is a loop ride, following the Blackhawk Trail from the Nebo Loop
down into Holman Canyon, then back up (crossing the road) and looping
around the frontside by Lizard Lake. This ride is 8 miles, and involves
some pretty tough climbing, including an 800-vertical grunt over 1.5
miles. |
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A second option is a downhill flight from the top of the
Nebo Loop road via the Blackhawk Trail. Reconnecting to the road is done
at Trail 107 (6 miles downhill) or via Black Canyon (10 miles, one-way).
Either ride will feature narrow singletrack with a few
slightly hairy spots. Expect some loose steeps, encroaching brush, and
some navigation challenges. (The GPS file may keep you from getting lost
on cow-trails.) Holman is one of the rougher rides in Payson Canyon.
The Nebo Loop area is famed for its varied forest
and fantastic views. In the fall, the flaming leaves bring gawkers from
around the state.
Much of the trail is pretty buff, but
quite narrow. The trail winds through groves of aspen and maple, with some
stands of fir. There are some steep parts, and a few tricky spots. |
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You won't see a lot of other bikers on this trail. The
Payson Canyon area trails are largely unknown, and are used mostly by
horses. This is one of the most remote. If you're riding solo in Holman
Canyon and mess yourself up, don't expect anyone to pick up your bones
before the coyotes are finished with them.
Dropping into Holman Canyon from the
Blackhawk Trail, we see Mount Nebo peaking up above the skyline. |
Riding notes, Holman-to-Lizard Loop:
0.0 Start down the DT, R on ST
N 39° 53.824' W 111°
39.324'
0.6 Trail takes a hard R; don't follow faint fork L
N 39° 53.458' W 111° 39.513'
2.2 In meadow, fork R uphill N 39° 53.443' W 111° 40.595'
Pass old steam engine
2.4 Caution! trail forks R - don't follow creekbed!
3.8 Top of ridge after difficult climb N 39° 54.070' W 111° 40.743'
Cross road to Lizard Lake Trail
4.8 Fork R on Rock Springs Trail
5.1 Keep R (L = Schram Creek Trail)
6.0 Fork R at Tie Fork (Frank Young Canyon)
7.7 Road, left over cattle guard, then to car!
Here Jackie plays
on the old steam boiler. I'm guessing it powered a sawmill. |
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On the Rock Springs side of the loop, cattle
graze. |
Downhill notes (still working on this
one!):
0.0 Start down the DT, R on ST N 39° 53.824' W 111°
39.324'
0.6 Trail takes a hard R; don't follow faint fork L
N 39° 53.458' W 111° 39.513'
2.2 In meadow, keep straight at fork (R=uphill)
N 39° 53.443' W 111° 40.743'
(Go visit the steam engine
uphill if you want)
Approx mile 6, trail forks N 39° 51.62' W 111° 40.69'
R 0.5 to Loop road N 39°
51.95' W 111° 41.10'
L to continue down
Approx mile 9, fork R up Black Canyon
N 39° 50.64' W 111° 40.70'
2.5 mi to Loop Rd N 39° 50.57' W 111°
43.144'
(L = to Nebo Creek Road)
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| More information will be coming on the downhill
routes. So many trails, so little time...
This is Lizard Lake. Actually, it's a
pond. And, in this photo from late October 1999, it's dry.
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Getting there: Going south, take the Payson exit
250 from
I-15 and turn left. Head into Payson on U-115 to the traffic light, then turn left (100
North, U-198). About 1/3 mile later, at the top of a small hill, turn right at 600 East.
Set your odometer now! Keep going up Payson Canyon. At mile 14, keep
straight past the fork to Blackhawk Campground. About two miles later,
watch for a pullout on your left, just before a cattleguard. The
doubletrack heading south (perpendicular to the road) is the beginning of
the trail. GPS N 39° 53.860' W 111° 39.324'. (The return trail from the
loop is on the right side of the road, just past the cattleguard.)
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