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Mill Creek Pipeline Trail
Upper Pipeline and classic Lower PipelineThe Upper Pipeline and
lower
Pipeline trails extend from the bottom of the Mill
Creek Canyon and Dog Lake trails to a
viewpoint over the Salt Lake valley, with connections downhill through Rattlesnake
Gulch. This route is 10.6 miles in length,
with the lower half flat and easy, and the upper 5 miles intermediate
riding.
Looking west
from the Pipeline trail. The zigzag in mid-photo is the BST Rattlesnake
section, which climbs up to the Pipeline. Original review May 26, 1999 by Bruce,
with latest update July 5, 2022. |
| The Pipeline can be done as a stand-alone out-and-back ride,
either as a whole or in part. For example for beginning riders, starting
at Burch Hollow and riding west to the viewpoint and back is a pleasant
and easy first-timer cruise.
Many riders experience the Pipeline as the final segment of a shuttled
ride of the Wasatch Crest. This can only be done on even-numbered days,
because upper Mill Creek is closed to bikes on odd days. (All of the
Pipeline is open to ride on any day. But if you're doing only the
Pipeline, you might want to consider the downhill traffic on even-numbered
days when you plan your ride.)
A hiker on Upper Pipeline as I climb this two-way
trail.
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The western (lower) half of the Pipeline is a great lower-altitude alpine bike ride for
beginners. Above Burch Hollow, the top 5 miles require intermediate skill
and a bit of climbing muscle if you're doing it out-and-back. The
lower half is usually open by mid-April or early May and stays clear of snow until November.
The portion above Elbow Fork needs until late June to be dry and clear of
snow.
The combination of lower and Upper Pipeline plus the Rattlesnake
BST has around 2500 vertical feet of overall climbing, going from 5300
feet elevation to 7600 at the top.
Cruising through maple forest on the lower Pipeline. |
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Rattlesnake Gulch.
The Rattlesnake trailhead is 1.5 miles up the Mill Creek Canyon road
from Wasatch Blvd. There are bathrooms. The trailhead is located about 3/4
mile uphill from the fee station. (Mill Creek Canyon is a US Forest
Service fee area for vehicles. Bikes are free.) There's room for around 20
cars here, but it will fill up quickly on weekends. Info on the
Rattlesnake connections on the BST-Rattlesnake
trail page.
Church Fork. Small parking area with sometimes-steep trail
leading up to the Pipeline. Located at mile 3.0 from Wasatch Blvd.
Rattlesnake Gulch trailhead. |
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Burch Hollow. Primitive parking strip along the road, with
0.2-mile trail linking to the Pipeline. At mile 4.1 from Wasatch Blvd.
Recommended starting spot for beginners, heading westbound after joining
Pipeline. There are no services at this trailhead.
Burch Hollow trailhead. |
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Elbow Fork. Primitive parking between the top of the
lower Pipeline and the bottom of Upper Pipeline. At mile 5.9 from Wasatch
Blvd. The Pipeline trail entries can be found just downhill from the
parking area (for eastbound downhill riders), or around 100 yards uphill
(for riders heading up the Upper Pipeline). There's a bathroom at this
trailhead.
The entry into the westbound lower Pipeline, located
just downhill across the bridge from the parking strip at Elbow Fork. |
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Mill Creek Road Upper Pipeline. Room for a few cars at roadside
with short trail up to Upper Pipeline at mile 7.4 from Wasatch Blvd.
GWT/Upper Millcreek -- 3 access points. At mile 8.2 there's roadside parking, then in
0.3 miles miles you'll arrive at the overflow lot. The main lot is 1/10th mile further
uphill. All connections to the upper Pipeline are on the south side of the road.
There are bathrooms at the upper lots. These trailheads are used for the Dog
Lake and Mill Creek Canyon trails, or for a
shuttled Pipeline-only ride.
One of the entries into the Upper Pipeline, this one
in an area of primitive roadside parking just downhill from the overflow
lot. |
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The "lower Pipeline" extends from Elbow Fork on
the uphill end to a viewpoint overlooking the valley. It's 7.3 miles long,
with 700 feet of elevation loss when done east to west (from Elbow Fork to
the viewpoint). The trail surface is mostly very easy, but there's one
short up-and-down near Church Fork that's a hike-a-bike for beginners. And
the mile of stiff slope when heading uphill from Burch Hollow to Elbow Fork
is tough.
Looking east at Grandeur Peak from the western lower
Pipeline trail.
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Several
trails connect the Mill Creek Canyon road to the trail, allowing riders to pick up the trail and
bail out at four locations (see the trailhead information). To do the entire trail out-and-back from the
Elbow Fork trailhead on the Mill Creek Canyon road, it's 14.6 miles. Some riders
climb the paved canyon road and connect to the trail at one of the upper
locations, then drop down Rattlesnake Gulch for a loop ride.
Chad passes the Church Fork entry to
the pipeline in 1999.
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Much of the trail is smooth hard-pack dirt. But the
narrowness and exposure to steep hillsides make it an "intermediate
trail" that's still suitable for brave beginners. Much of the trail is shaded cruising through the woods,
while the western third is exposed to wind or heat on steep slopes. The trail bed is firm, giving good support to your tires even when wet. This is
an excellent early-season ride.
The terrain is oak brush with occasional open grassy
areas, with maple forest and an occasional fir on the eastern cooler
slopes. |
Dogs are allowed in Mill Creek Canyon. On
odd-numbered days, they can be off-leash. Be sure Fido is
compatible with other mutts. You're sure to run into a few of them. Jackie (at left) thinks nothing of this 14-mile run.
Even on weekdays, the trail sees heavy use. On weekends,
it's usually packed with hikers and riders. Be courteous. And be
smart. Our ER sees occasional head-on collisions by bikers speeding on this trail.
Jackie
the Jack Russell terrier and her pet biker.
Self-portrait May 26, 1999. |
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The trail, as you might guess from the name, follows an old
water pipeline corridor. You will occasionally spot loops of re-bar poking out
of the ground and an iron elbow here and there.
A pipeline elbow sits alongside the trail.
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segments. The easy part is from Burch Hollow west, where the trail
is flat and easy to ride. The western segment is ideal for beginning
riders, and has been used by many people for their first "dirt"
mountain bike ride. An out-and-back ride from Burch Hollow to the
viewpoint is 9.2 miles with only around 100 feet of climbing.
View to the west from the Pipeline.
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The harder segment is from Burch Hollow to Elbow Fork.
The eastern segment has 600 feet of elevation gain when done from Burch
Hollow eastbound. Most of this elevation gain occurs over a single mile of
tough climbing. Any rider with good bike control can ride from east to
west downhill without much problem, but to go uphill from Burch Hollow
requires good aerobic fitness and strong legs.
A typical bit of trail in maple forest. |
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Two views: Above is a look uphill
into Mill Creek Canyon
while riding east on the lower Pipeline trail. |
As we round a corner heading west, we're seeing a bit
of the Salt Lake Valley with the Bingham Canyon Mine. |
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While most of the Pipeline is easy cruising, I wouldn't recommend taking a newbie down
Rattlesnake Gulch -- either the Rattlesnake BST or the expert-level Rattlesnake
Gulch trail. Start with an out-and-back from Burch Hollow to the
viewpoint.
See the Bonneville Shoreline Trail Rattlesnake Section
trail page for
further information on these two trails. Rattlesnake BST is an
intermediate-level ride but with tight switchbacks that will make
beginners dismount. And Rattlesnake Gulch is a steep advanced technical
plunge. When the dust gets deep and
slippery, Rattlesnake Gulch can be a white-knuckle slide for the best riders.
Approaching Elbow Fork riding uphill on the Pipeline. |
| The Pipeline is an option for winter fat-bike riding. The
flat surface packs down nicely. Burch Hollow is a good starting point.
This is a fun ride after a spring storm. Here
Dominic Bria follows Matt
Flygare through a dip before the days of fat bikes. Ride in the snow, ride on frozen ground, but DON'T ride in the mud!!!
Photo March 25, 2000.
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Two looks from the lower Pipeline east of
Burch Hollow.
Here we're looking down into Mill Creek Canyon. |
And here's the view down the trail. Maple
and scrub oak
with a healthy growth of grass in the July sunshine. |
| Here's the deets on a ride plan for experienced beginners.
Park at Burch Hollow. Pedal 1.5 miles up the paved road. You'll be gaining
600 feet of elevation, so it's a bit of a grunt. And there's the whole
car-dodging thing. Find the entry to the lower Pipeline at Elbow Fork. The trail takes off on your left just
before the road takes a sharp turn to the right. Do
the entire trail to the viewpoint, then turn around. Watch for the Burch Hollow
trail fork on your way back. 5.5 miles from the
overlook you'll see a fork in the trail at N 40° 41.954' W 111° 43.434'. Take the right
fork 1/4 mile down to the Burch Hollow trailhead. The full trip is around 14 miles.
If you're using the Pipeline as a downhill route from the Wasatch
Crest you'll probably descend the Rattlesnake BST or Rattlesnake Gulch
to the Mill Creek Canyon road near the canyon mouth. See the Rattlesnake
BST trail page for details on these descents.
Matt cranks through the Church Fork area in 1999.
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The Upper Pipeline trail was finished in late 2021. It runs
parallel to the paved road from Elbow Fork to the trailheads at the
top. For riders coming down from the Wasatch Crest on a shuttled ride, it
provides a much-needed alternative to riding on the narrow busy Mill Creek
Canyon road. The expected riding season for this portion of the Pipeline will be late June through
mid-October.
Entry to the Upper Pipeline trail for an uphill ride,
looking at the right side of the road when pedaling uphill. If you're
coming down, this is where you'll turn downhill and follow the pavement
past the Elbow Fork trailhead. |
| The Upper Pipeline is 3.4 miles long with 900 vertical feet
of elevation gain. The upper end is at 7600 feet. The trail runs along a north-facing slope above the paved
road, with occasional climbing switchbacks to gain elevation without
making the trail too steep for climbers. The trail has a very different
"feel" from the lower Pipeline, with shady fir forest and
undulating swooping trail.
Typical trail view heading uphill.
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The Upper Pipeline is a two-way trail, and like the lower
Pipeline, it can be done on any day. (Bikes are only allowed on the upper
Mill Creek Canyon trails on even-numbered days.) Dogs can accompany you
off-leash on odd-numbered days.
On a climbing switchback where we ride through a
couple of turns to gain elevation. |
| If you're doing an out-and-back ride in the lower canyon,
I'd suggest doing it on an odd-numbered day. That way you won't encounter
shuttled riders blasting down the trail. There are several blind corners
that have a high chance for collision if downhill riders don't slow as
they approach.
Looking down at a switchback. These are not swooping
high-speed turns. This is a two-way trail, and the switchback platforms
are built for climbing. Check your speed when descending.
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The downhill entry to the trail is found just uphill from
the Elbow Fork parking area, on the opposite side of the Mill Creek Canyon
road.
There are three uphill entries to the trail in the Big Water area, one
at each of the parking areas. If you're headed uphill, these will all fork
away to the left. If you're riding downhill, just keep straight at the
trail forks.
A rare meadow as we head downhill on Upper Pipeline. |
| When riding downhill from the Upper Big Water lot, find the
parking connector trail on the south side and head downhill. Keep straight
as the trail from the lower lot joins to become the lower Big Water trail.
In 100 yards, fork right on the Upper Pipeline as Big Water heads uphill.
Trail fork at the lower roadside parking area. Left
rolls down to the parking area while the Upper Pipeline continues on the
right. (It's one of the few trail forks that has a sign in July 2022, and
unfortunately it's signed as "Big Water" which is the
destination of the trail, not the NAME of the trail. This is a quirk of
Forest Service signage that bugs me. You never know if a sign means you're
ON the trail or if it means you have to go this way to GET TO the trail.)
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In another 0.4 miles, keep straight as a trail from roadside
parking joins. At 1.1 miles from this fork, there's another descending
trail to roadside parking. Keep level and veer a bit left.
When the trail turns to cross the creek, head down the road past the
Elbow Fork parking area. Veer left across a bridge, then enter the lower
Pipeline singletrack on the right side of the road.
Descending Upper Pipeline past a rock outcrop. |
Bottom Line:
Awesome "first dirt" riding for beginners, but with lots of fun
riding for experts. The drawback is that Mill Creek is very popular --
with good reason -- and will be crowded on weekends. The newer Upper Pipeline trail adds to the ride
possibilities and will be much appreciated by riders doing the Wasatch
Crest.
Chad ponders the meaning of life as he
looks southwest over the Salt Lake Valley from the viewpoint at the end of
the trail. Meantime, Jackie is pondering whether there are still Powerbars
left in his camelbak.
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Getting there: Get to Foothill Blvd on the east bench of
Salt Lake City via I-215. Exit at 39th South. Take 3800 South eastbound into the
canyon. Proceed up the Mill Creek Canyon Road to your chosen trailhead.
See the mileage information in the trailhead info above.
Western easier half of the Pipeline route, from the
overlook to Burch Hollow |
| Fiscal Note: There's a $5 fee per car (2020, $3 for
seniors), payable as you leave the canyon.
It doesn't cost anything if you ride your bike up -- it only costs if you take a car into
the canyon.
Eastern part of the Pipeline route, from Burch Hollow
to Big Water. |
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