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Sleepy Hollow Trail
The Sleepy Hollow Trail is a non-motorized trail in the hills north of
Strawberry Reservoir. The singletrack route is 3.2 miles; most riders will
want to go the extra 0.8 mile up the ATV route to a fabulous viewpoint.
The climb extends from an elevation of 8200 feet to almost 10,000 feet.
The trail isn't very technical, but requires good legs. The upper ATV
portion can be a little loose. The out-and-back is 8 miles total with 1800
vertical feet of climbing.
In Sleepy Hollow a small creek has
occasional beaver ponds among the willows. Photos and trail check-out ride
August 21, 2009 by Bruce and Jackie.
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| Another ride option for Sleepy Hollow is a loop ride using
the Co-op Creek singletrack trail. This route adds another 2.5 miles on
ATV track and 1.5 miles on the
Co-op Creek Road, plus 4.7 miles on the Co-op Creek Trail. The loop can be
done either direction, but the climbing is a bit more humane when done
clockwise, starting on Co-op Creek and descending Sleepy Hollow.
Sleepy Hollow Trailhead. From here, we
climb 1800 vertical feet uphill over the next 4 miles. |
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The ride starts with 1.5 miles of straight-ahead singletrack
gaining 700 vertical feet. The trail then turns to the right, exiting the
Sleepy Hollow and traversing around the next mountain.
After about a mile and a half of more mellow climbing, the
pitch increases again to around 500 vertical per mile.
Trail view uphill, a little higher in
the hollow. |
| On the day I rode, shortly after this turn the continuing trail had
been churned by a herd of illegal ATV riders. (A large fallen aspen
blocked continued passage, so they denuded the mountainside trying to get
around before giving up and going back. But from here to the upper
trailhead the trail had become a loose two-track.) Hopefully, a barrier
fence and signs will prevent illegal motorized traffic by the time you
ride this trail. |
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At mile 3.2, the trail meets the Chicken Creek ATV route. Keep straight
(left) as the climb continues at a 10% pitch. The loose surface may make
climbing a little tougher here. It's still fairly easy in granny gear,
although the loose surface lends itself well to a bigger gear (and higher
speed) if you've got the leg for it.
Jackie gets a drink and cools off in a
beaver pond. |
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At mile 4, you'll reach the top of the mountain. The cliffs
of Red Ledge will be on the east (to your right). To the northwest, you
can see the peaks of Mount Timpanogos, Lone Peak, and Box Elder Peak many
miles in the distance. To the southwest, you can see Mount Nebo.
Looking downhill in Sleepy Hollow,
about 1.5 miles from the trailhead.
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Riding notes, climb to viewpoint
out-and-back:
0.0 Go through log fence and start uphill
N40 17.402 W111 09.865
1.6 Fork R (don't follow faint ST up draw)
N40 18.401 W111 08.944
3.2 Meet Chicken Creek ATV route
N40 17.827 W111 08.465
Go straight (L) and uphill on
DT
3.7 Keep straight (L) and uphill
N40 18.183 W111 08.085
4.0 Viewpoint area N40 18.365 W111 07.906
Retrace route
8.0 Back at parking
Typical trail section on the
"traverse" portion of the upper two miles. |
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After looking at the view, either turn around and bomb back
to the trailhead, or continue on the ATV route to do a counter-clockwise
loop ride, returning through Co-op Creek.
(For a description of the clockwise loop starting at Co-op Creek,
please see the Co-op Creek Trail page.)
Near the viewpoint at 9,950 feet,
we're looking east toward Red Ledge. |
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To finish the counterclockwise loop from the viewpoint,
keep going north-northwest on the ATV track, keeping left at the
intersections. (As you begin to descend, the first fork has a short route
to the top of Racetrack Peak (10,400) for awesome views in all directions
if you want to climb a little more.)
View to the south of Strawberry
Reservoir. |
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About a mile and a half from the viewpoint, the ATV trail
begins to descend more quickly (about 500 vertical per mile) through
several switchbacks. When it arrives at the large gravel Co-op Creek Road,
make a hard right turn and continue a more-gentle descent northward.
View northwest. Mount Timpanogos is on
the left. |
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After 1.3 miles on the road, watch for a doubletrack on
your left. About 100 yards down this DT, the upper trailhead for the Co-op
Creek Trail is on your left. (If you arrive at the bottom of a ravine and
begin climbing again, you've gone way to far.)
View from the middle of the
ATV route. We're about half-way
from the viewpoint to the descent on fairly level track.
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There's a fork 1.4 miles down the Co-op Creek Trail. Keep
straight (left and uphill). At the bottom the trail, climb 2/3 mile on
doubletrack to arrive at the Co-op Creek Road. Your vehicle is just across
the road.
View uphill on the ATV
track between Co-op Creek Road
and the ride south below the ridgeline. Moderate slope. |
Riding notes, loop up Co-op Creek returning via Sleepy
Hollow:
0.0 From Sleepy Hollow Trailhead N40 17.402 W111 09.865
Cross road and descend west on DT
0.7 Enter ST straight ahead at turnaround
N40 17.554 W111 10.332
Descend gently toward creek
2.2 Trail climbs over small rise, cross branch of creek
N40 18.768 W111 09.934
Begin climbing west uphill away from
creek
3.3 Keep straight (hard L downhill = to Willow Creek)
N40 19.282 W111 09.452
4.7 Upper trailhead, turn R on DT N40 19.928 W111 08.792
For out-and-back, turn around here.
For loop: R on Co-op Creek Road N40 19.901 W111 08.770 |
6.0 Hard L uphill on DT (Chicken Creek ATV route)
N40 19.119 W111 09.105
7.9 Keep R (ATV track on L heads up over ridge)
N40 18.706 W111 08.228
8.4 Keep straight (L = climbs to top of Racetrack Peak)
N40 18.366 W111 07.906
8.5 Highest point of ride, Red Ledge on L, views on R
Ignore smaller tracks forking L
8.7 Keep R and southwest N40 18.183 W111 08.085
9.3 Critical Fork! As ATV track turns L, keep straight
N40 17.827 W111 08.465 - begin
Sleepy Hollow ST trail
10.0 Faint fork in draw. Go L and downhill. N40 18.401 W111 08.944
12.5 Back at trailhead |
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Getting there: Take US-40
southbound from Heber and drive up Daniel's Canyon 17 miles from the US-40
to US-189 junction. After passing the summit, continue another 5.5 miles,
passing the Strawberry Administrative area and paved road on your right. 7
miles past the summit, 1.5 miles from the road fork, turn left on the
Co-op Creek Road. N40 14.639 W111 09.419. (Stop at the outhouse in the
parking area if you need to.) Drive 3.4 miles up the Co-op Creek Road. As
the road turns sharply left and uphill (about 150 feet before a metal
gate), note a parking area on your right with a log fence at the end, N40 17.402 W111 09.865.
The log fence is the trailhead for the Sleepy Hollow Trail.
The Co-op Creek Road above the Sleepy Hollow trailhead
is closed Nov 1 until July 1.
Facilities: None in the trail area. There's a bathroom
at the bottom of the Co-op Creek Road.
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