Three Falls and Peak View
Draper section, Traverse Ridge to Alpine
These two trails connect the Peakview Trailhead in Draper to northern Alpine.
This page will discuss the route as far as the Three Falls area of Alpine.
This section is 4.5 miles long. As an out-and-back it will require just
over 1000 vertical feet of climbing. The trails from Fort
Canyon and Alpine Cove (Schoolhouse Springs area) to the Draper Three
Falls trail are discussed on a separate page.
Bruce descends
through maples on Three Falls. Tracks, photos, and ride review July 17,
2017.
Peak View
The Peak View trail starts at the Peak View trailhead on the upper
Corner Canyon road. This trail has replaced the old routes to Jacob's
Ladder and Hog Hollow. The Peak View trail is
the upper-elevation link between Draper and Alpine's trail system.
Looking east over the Peak View trailhead. The bike
is heading toward the Peak View trail.
The Peak View trail climbs gently through a couple of
switchbacks before joining the old Alpine Perimeter trail. At this point,
the pitch increases for the next 3/4 mile. This older
section has been re-worked a bit to improve the riding and water drainage.
You'll enjoy the much-needed addition of trail signs to guide you through
old doubletracks at the top.
A gentle climbing grade on the new Peak View replaces
some of the mean grunts on the old Jacob's connector.
Peak View is the access route from the Peak View trailhead to Porcupine,
Peacemaker, Longview, Hog Hollow, Jacob's Ladder, the Three Forks
trail. It's 1.6 miles long. The trail climbs 400 vertical feet
over the first 1.3 miles, then rolls a flat quarter mile further to the Jacob's Ladder trail fork.
Drone view looking east. Nice riding.
The first trail fork is 0.7 miles from the trailhead. Keep left and uphill
to continue on the Peak View trail. The right fork is the Porcupine
trail, extending downhill to Peacemaker then the Two Hollows trail (which connects to the
bottom of Mercer Mountain and Hog
Hollow).
The left fork is Peak View.
On Peak View, you'll climb away from the Salt Lake Valley
and cross to the Utah County side of the mountain. On your way, you'll
have some nice views in both directions.
Looking to the northwest coming back toward the
trailhead.
At mile 1.4, the trail threads through an area of branching
doubletrack. At mile 1.6 it joins doubletrack as it approaches a trail
fork. The right (doubletrack)
fork is the connector uphill to Jacob's Ladder. To continue on to Three
Falls, take the singletrack to the right -- not the doubletrack on the far
right.
Looking south with Utah Lake in the distance.
Three Falls - Draper Section
The Draper portion of the Three Falls trail is 2.9 miles long. It
begins at the end of the Peak View trail at the Jacob's
connector fork. The east end is on the Fort Canyon road. Across the road,
the trail continues as the Fort Canyon section of Three Falls.
The Three Falls trail is broad and easy to ride. I'd rate it
easy-intermediate or experienced-beginner level, but there are a few dips
where creeks cross that non-experts will walk.
Descending east through maple and oak. A bit of Lambert
Park can be seen at the upper right.
From west to east, Three Falls drops 500 vertical feet, then
regains 100 feet as it skirts the Three Falls subdivision at the top of
Fort Canyon. (A connecting
trail is anticipated at this "low spot" once subdivision
construction is complete.) After crossing the big ravine over the creek,
it drops again to fire road of the Alpine Perimeter route.
Lone Peak can be seen in the upper right.
The rate of descent (and the climb for your return) are
gentle and comfortable. There are a four sharp dips through little creeks.
I anticipate that a couple of these "water hits" will be
replaced by bridges.
Descending towards Alpine's Fort Canyon.
While most of the trail is forested, there will be breakout
areas where you'll have views south into Utah Valley.
We're looking over Fort Canyon. My understanding is
that a connector trail to Three Falls will be added once the road and
infrastructure construction is complete.
Shortly after the trail crosses a bridge over a
sharp rock ravine, it descends to the road (currently a construction zone)
in the Three
Falls subdivision. If you're doing the out-and-back, the bridge is a good
spot to turn around and begin your ride back out.
Last creek plunge. This one will probably knock you
off your pedals. We're about 100 yards from the trail's temporary end.
Just after you begin your descent to the
road, there's be a trail on your left. This is the Forbidden trail.
It will climb along the northern side of upper Fort Canyon before descending to
the Schoolhouse Springs area at Alpine Cove.
A second
option to reach Alpine is to keep straight (right) and descend into Fort Canyon. Cross the subdivision road to find the
continuing Three Falls trail on the south side.
Looking across the ravine. The bridge was completed
in late April 2018.
The Three Falls Fort Canyon trail will descend a bit, then
climb 200 vertical feet to the ridgeline. After 0.9 miles, there's a trail
fork. Right descends via Three Falls to the Fort Canyon Ranch Trailhead.
If you go left on Bodily Harm, you'll arrive at Alpine Cove in another 1.8
miles.
Climbing up the switchbacks above Fort Canyon Creek.
If the above video does not appear on your
browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking
here.
Getting there:
You'll need to pedal from another trailhead to Three Peaks, as this
trailhead is not currently open to vehicle traffic. The closest auto
parking is the Ghost Falls/Jacob's trailhead, one mile lower on the Corner
Canyon road. Potato Hill, the Draper Bike Park, and Coyote Hollow are
popular launching spots. See the Corner Canyon
area page.
