Skyridge Area Trails Two Rocks, Milky Way, and Big Dipper trails
Oh Deer Flow trail with Sven and North Ross Creek
This page will cover three rides: A loop of 2.1 miles featuring the Oh
Deer downhill flow trail, an out-and-back to the top of Skyridge
that's 6.2 miles with 900 vertical feet of climbing, and a 5.5 mile loop
ride of Milky Way and Big Dipper. All are
intermediate-level rides and can be quickly reached from a single
trailhead on Jordanelle Blvd. The usual riding season will be June through
October.
Granite boulders and bitterbrush above Jordanelle.
Photos and ride review by Bruce on July
6, 2021.
For out-of-towners, I recommend the Skyridge trailhead on Jordanelle Blvd.
But most local riders pedal to the trails from the Rail Trail via the
Park City and Jordanelle Parkway trails, from the Longview trailhead at Ross
Creek, or from Jordanelle State Park via the Jordanelle Parkway trail.
(These alternate routes require some explanation and are discussed below.)
The Jordanelle Parkway paved trail crosses the road
to pass through the Skyridge trailhead parking area for Two Rocks and Milky Way. We're coming
from the top of Oh Deer Flow trail.
Two Rocks and Milky Way - out and
back or route to Big Dipper
Two Rocks starts at the northern end of the Skyridge parking strip
on Jordanelle Blvd. The Two Rocks trail turns into the Milky Way trail in 1/2 mile
at the point where the Skyridge hiking
trail forks away. The total distance to the top of the peak is 3.1 miles,
for an up-and-back ride of 6.2 miles with 900 vertical feet of climbing.
Milky Way is also your route uphill to the Big Dipper trail, a
bikes-only DH trail that forks away from Milky Way just 1/10th mile below
the summit of Skyridge Peak. This ride is 5.9 miles; 6.1 if you do an
out-and-back to the viewpoint at the top.
Entry to Two Rocks.
The starting elevation is 6450 feet. From the parking
area, Two Rocks climbs gently for 1/2 mile, turning from northbound to
southbound. This is a dry sage and grass area with an occasional bit of
gambel oak.
Heading southwest after the turn on Two Rocks.
The transition from Two Oaks to Milky Way is marked with a
post as shown in the photo. So far, you've climbed 100 vertical feet. Here
the Skyridge hiking trail forks away 160 degrees to your right. Just keep
straight.
Even though the foot trail has forked away, you'll still share the
Milky Way trail with hikers. Many prefer Milky Way, or will use it to
stroll around a loop that includes the hiking trail.
Granite boulders frame the entry to Milky Way where
the hiking route forks away from Two Rocks.
For the next 1.4 miles, Milky Way heads generally west in a
steady climb. There will be a couple of spots where you take a short jaunt
back to the east to gain elevation. The turns are banked and smooth to
ride uphill or down.
Looking west as increasing elevation brings tall
bitterbrush and more substantial stands of gambel oak.
Looking southwest at the magma dike that
forms the core of
Skyridge Peak.
You'll cross the dike a couple of times. This will be at
spots where
it's low and flat.
As you climb, there's more oak brush and tall bitterbrush.
But except for a tiny stretch right at the top of the hill, you're never
riding in the shade.
There are constant views of Jordanelle to the south and east. You'll
see the ski runs of Deer
Valley's Bald Mountain to the southwest. Take a minute to check out the
igneous intrusion dike. This is the magma that brought the silver deposits
to Park City.
Climbing back to the east on the final mile.
When you reach the western side of the hill around mile
2.0 from parking, there's a trail fork. The old trail-cut (to your left) descends to a
dirt road. If you go north on this road, it will intersect the Park City
trail then go out to the paved Richardson Flats Road just east of the Park
and Ride. This offers a potential emergency bailout. Keep right and uphill
here on the 2021 trail-cut.
On the western side, looking at Bald Mountain of Deer
Valley. The pale areas below are road-cuts for US-40.
After the mile 2.0 trail fork, the pitch of the trail
increases and the riding surface gets slightly more techy. There's a bit
of broken loose rock in some areas -- not a problem on the climb, but
slippery on the downhill. You'll climb through a few turns before heading
back around to the east side of the mountain.
Looking down on Jordanelle and Jordanelle Blvd.
At mile 2.9, Milky Way is joined by the hiking trail. At the trail
fork, make a hard left turn uphill. (Straight ahead is the Skyridge foot
trail downhill -- closed to bikes!) This hard turn at the trail fork is
the first of two hard-to-clean 180-degree turns.
After another 1/10th mile, you'll reach the Big Dipper trail fork. Keep left
if you're doing the up-and-back climb to the viewpoint on Skyridge Peak.
You'll return to this spot on the way back.
Riding through the bitterbrush near the top of the
hill.
The trail ends at 7400 feet elevation at a viewpoint. In
2021 there was a rock-stacker shrine, gone in 2022. Take a minute to enjoy the views. There's barely enough room here
to turn your bike around, so it's not a spot for a big group of riders to
stay and party.
Seen enough beautiful views? Now hit your 3.1 miles and 900 vertical
feet of downhill descending Milky Way, or drop back 0.1 miles to the Big
Dipper trail fork for the loop ride!
The summit.
Big Dipper - bike-only downhill
trail
Big Dipper is a downhill-only, bikes-only trail that drops from Skyridge Peak to lower Milky Way just above Two Rocks.
It was completed in fall 2022. The top is 0.1 miles down from the viewpoint
atop the peak, and the bottom is 0.6 miles uphill from the Skyridge
trailhead. The Big Dipper trail is 2.4
miles long with 600 vertical feet of elevation loss.
Like Milky Way, Big Dipper is surrounded by volcanic
rock, but with only a couple of outcrops that you'll ride over. In 2022, 99%
of the trail is pure dirt.
The trail is rated intermediate in technical requirement.
But determined beginners and early-intermediates can easily ride the trail
simply by controlling their speed.
As you climb Milky Way, the Big Dipper is one switchback uphill (around
1/10th mile) from the trail fork where the hiking trail merges. There's a
sign at the hiking trail, but remember the Big Dipper is further uphill.
At the Big Dipper trail fork, you can go left to do an out-and-back to the
viewpoint on Skyridge Peak, or keep right if you've been-there done-that
and just want to start downhill.
Rolling east on Big Dipper.
The Big Dipper trail starts in oak forest, descends to bitterbrush, then hits a misture
of sage and low scrub oak on the lower slopes. Like Milky Way, it's almost
entirely sun-exposed. There are two 100-yard sections where the gambel oak
is tall enough to be considered "forest."
Big Dipper will cross the Skyridge hiking trail after 1/2 mile of
descending. Shouldn't be confusing; just keep straight. But watch for foot
traffic crossing Big Dipper at this spot.
Spotting Highway 248 from the trail.
The Big Dipper trail is rated
intermediate overall. The top 1/2 mile definitely earns that rating. The
lower portions of the trail feature
long traverses and less-demanding descending. This trail can be done by
experienced strong beginners or by early-intermediates.
In 2022, the trail is fresh and loose. It's easy to slide
out on the turns. You won't be able to rail the turns hard. Some of the
turns on Big Dipper -- especially lower down -- are fairly flat. On these
flatter hard reverses, you won't have gravity pulling you
into the upper half of the turn. You'll start sliding long before your tires could
contact any berm on the lower half of the turn. This will get better as the trail
compacts.
Turns are mildly banked. The berms aren't tall enough
to really slam through with speed, especially when the trail is loose.
Like Milky Way, Big Dipper has a lot of nice views of Jordanelle and the
surrounding mountains. But you probably won't spend any time looking. It's a fairly
fast and furious downhill.
A look at Jordanelle over the handlebars.
At the bottom, Big Dipper dumps onto Milky Way 1/10th mile
uphill from Two Rocks. (You remember that Two Rocks changes into Big Dipper at the point
where the hiking trail forks away.) The trail fork is oriented to kick you back
uphill for another lap. Or you can turn hard left and coast down to parking.
Hooking a 180 after completing the loop.
Loop ride climbing Milky
Way and descending Big Dipper (7:20)...
If the above video does not appear on your
browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking
here.
Oh Deer Flow trail and North Ross Creek -
loop ride
The Oh Deer Flow trail is a one-way downhill trail, 0.6 miles
long with 200 feet of
elevation loss. It's done as a 2.1-mile loop, climbing back uphill on
Sven, then the North Ross Creek Parkway trail, then 1/2 mile of Ross Creek
singletrack, then 0.4 miles on the paved Jordanelle Parkway trail to get
back to the top of Oh Deer. In 2021, the route can be confusing, so I've
detailed the bits of trail here.
Heading south on the Jordanelle Parkway trail to
complete a lap. Note the trail just to the left of the bitterbrush. That's
the combined Oh Deer Flow and the Tricky Loki hiking trail.
Oh Deer Flow Trail
Go across the road from the Skyridge trailhead and turn left (north,
uphill). Pedal 0.2 miles. Now look for a big bitterbrush standing alone on
the right side of the parkway trail.
The trail drops away there but you might not spot it if you're riding
fast.
In 30 feet, the trail splits. Make a hard left turn for the Oh Deer
Flow trail. The right fork is the Tricky Loki hiking trail.
At the trail fork. Oh Deer turns 120 degrees left as
Tricky Loki goes right.
The ride downhill is easier-intermediate, with a smooth
surface and banked turns with generous radius. This trail could be done by
your pre-teens or by an experienced beginning rider.
Handlebar view of Jordanelle from the trail.
There are two short alternate left-hand lines marked as
expert. They're ride-overs that any experienced intermediate rider should
be able to do.
Well-marked official alternate line. The expert path
to the left simply runs up and over a rock outcrop.
The hillside is a mix of sage and gambel oak. There are nice
views south over the Jordanelle Reservoir.
Typical banked turn.
At the bottom, Oh Deer rolls through a sloped sage meadow
before dropping to join the Sven trail.
Sage slope before the final drop to join the Sven
trail.
Sven Trail
The Sven trail, as of July 2021, is an incomplete route. You'll join it
for 0.1 miles to get up to the paved trail. Navigation is simple here.
Just keep straight until the trail turns uphill onto a paved spur.
On Sven as Oh Deer joins. We're at the loop's lowest
point.
FYI, Sven appears to be a future riding loop. But for now,
except for the short stretch you'll use to get out to the pavement, it
will reach a dead end in either direction. On the lower side,
it peters out in a damp sedge meadow. On the upper side, the right-hand
trail fork goes to a fence at a property border. There's no reason for you
to go exploring at this time.
Looking down the Sven trail.
Ross Creek Parkway
At the top of Sven, take the paved spur out to the street and turn
right downhill on paved trail. In 100 yards, spot the paved trail across
the road and turn left to the climbing trail. Head uphill.
We've just crossed the street and are now heading
northwest on the parkway trail.
2021 route: When the paved trail descends alongside a
cindered path, keep right and leave the pavement. (The paved path will
dead-end in a construction area shortly. There was a dirt path through, but it
was blocked by construction equipment on my ride.) After 0.2 miles on the
wide cindered path, watch for a singletrack on your right. This is your
climbing route to the Jordanelle Parkway trail, the North Ross Creek
singletrack.
Keep right here, leaving the pavement. Then when the
trail descends, watch for the singletrack on your right.
North Ross Creek Singletrack
From the Ross Creek Parkway, head uphill on the singletrack that runs
parallel to Highway 248. The North Ross Creek singletrack climbs just
under 200 vertical feet in 1/2 mile. It will quickly pass through several
types of terrain: riparian area near the stream, maple and aspen groves,
and dry scrub hillside.
Cruising through aspen and brush.
The trail will gradually pull away from the highway and
you'll see Jordanelle Blvd above you.
About half-way up, we're on a dry scrub hillside. The
Jordanelle Parkway trail is along the road above.
When the singletrack ends on the paved trail, turn left and
pedal 0.4 miles to the top of Oh Deer for another lap.
A final grove of aspen before the trail ends on the
paved parkway trail.
Connecting to the trails by bike!
Park City Trail from the Rail Trail
The Park City Trail will deliver you to the Jordanelle Parkway Trail,
where you can pedal another 1.2 miles to the top of Oh Deer Flow trail,
plus another 0.2 miles to the Skyridge parking area. While pedaling east
on the Rail Trail, pass under US-40. Then just after the trail turns to
head north, turn 180 degrees south on the Park City Trail.
Park City Trail. This is the old Kamas railroad path.
Ross Creek (Jordanelle State Park's Wada Way and Keetley
trails)
Pay your state park fee and ride the trails in the state park. When
you're ready to move on to the Skyridge trails, backtrack along the entry
road on your bike. Keep straight at the road fork and get onto the paved
bike pathway on the south side of the road heading west. After the trail
changes from downhill to uphill, transfer to the trail on your right
across the street when you see it. When you reach
the spot where it ends (July 2021), continue on the gravel path (uphill
from the paved trail) 0.2 miles. Turn right onto the North Ross Creek
singletrack and climb up 1/2 mile to the Jordanelle Parkway trail. Turn
left and pedal 0.3 miles to the top of Oh Deer Flow trail, or another 0.2
to the Skyridge trailhead.
Ross Creek Parkway trail.
Jordanelle Parkway Trail
From Jordanelle
State Park! Pedal out of the park toward US-40 then turn right on
Jordanelle Blvd just before the on-ramp. The trail starts alongside the
road. Follow the paved trail north 3-1/2 miles and turn into the Skyridge
trailhead parking to find the Two Rocks trail (which becomes Milky Way).
The top of Oh Deer Flow trail is another 0.2 miles up the Jordanelle
Parkway trail.
Jordanelle Parkway trail.
Alternate access:
See below for the main Skyridge trailhead directions!
Jordanelle Blvd - Richardson Flat trailhead. Take Highway 248 to Jordanelle Blvd (see
below). Drive 150 yards, then turn left at Richardson Flat Road and
immediately left again into parking. The Jordanelle Parkway trail is
across the road from parking. (The Park City trail ends at this parking
lot.)
Park and Ride to Park City trail. As described above, turn onto Richardson Flat
Road, but do not turn into parking. Drive on Richardson Flat Road for 0.8 miles
and turn right into the Park and Ride. The Park City trail is right across
the street from the entry to the Park and Ride.
Wide area map to show connections from other riding
areas.
Getting there, Skyridge TH:
From Heber. When coming from the south on US-40, exit at Jordanelle State
Park (Mayflower). Turn right onto Cranmer, then immediately left on
Jordanelle Blvd. Drive around 3.5 miles north, then turn into a small
parking area on the left side of the road (there's a marked trail crossing
here, so it's hard to miss). Two Rocks starts at the north corner. To
reach Oh Deer Flow Trail, cross the road to the Jordanelle Parkway trail
and pedal north north 0.2 miles. Spot the singletrack trail on your right.
From Park City or I-80. When driving southbound on US-40, exit toward
Kamas on Highway 248 at Quinn's Junction. From Park City, simply continue
east on Kearns Blvd until you pass under US-40. Now drive 1.3 miles on 248
then turn right on Jordanelle Blvd (13970 North). Drive 1.6 miles and turn
right into the parking area.
