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Woods Hollow
with Rattle and Hum downhill trail Woods Hollow is an easy 1.8-mile
two-way trail that joins the South Maple Hollow trailhead (and the bottom of the
Zooropa, Vertigo, Levitate and Rattle and Hum downhill-only trails) to the
Eagle Crest trail near the top of Traverse
Mountain. It is also the route to the Fango
connector trail to hit the Mercer Hollow
and Hog Hollow area. Rattle and Hum is a 1.5-mile beginner-level downhill flow trail that
begins and ends on the Woods Hollow trail. Looking
northeast at Lone Peak as we climb toward Traverse Ridge. Photos and track
by Bruce on September 3, 2017. Page
updated July 14, 2019. |
| The most frequent "customers" of Woods Hollow will be riders climbing
up to Eagle Crest in order to ride downhill on one of the four dowhill flow trails.
As a route to the top, Woods Hollow is an easier climb than South Maple
Hollow, both aerobically and technically. Beginners will enjoy Woods
Hollow all by itself as an out-and-back, or as a loop with Rattle and Hum.
New Maple Hollow
trailhead in 2019. To get to Woods Hollow, go east from the trailhead. Aim
for the right side of the log fence where the one-way trails come into the
trailhead area.
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Rattle and Hum is a downhill flow trail suitable for true
beginners. The trail has been constructed in a way that it will remain a
"dirt sidewalk" without technical challenges. Beginning riders
will want to start from the South Maple Hollow trailhead, climb uphill on
Woods Hollow, then descend Rattle and Hum for an easy 3.4-mile loop.
Rolling a turn on Rattle and Hum in July 2019.
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Woods Hollow is 1.8 miles long (from the South Maple Hollow trailhead
to Eagle Crest) with 450 feet of elevation gain. The newer Rattle and Hum
trail forks away at the last uphill turn before Woods Hollow reaches Eagle
Crest, 0.1 miles from the top.
The Woods Hollow trail starts in South Maple Hollow, forking away from
the combined Vertigo and Levitate trails about 100 yards before they hit
the trailhead on Brookside Drive. As you head east from the trailhead
area, keep to the right of the log fence to
start uphill on Woods Hollow. The first fork is the return from Rattle and
Hum (do not enter). The second fork is the Fango connector trail, about
1/2 mile uphill from the trailhead.
Climbing Woods Hollow as the sun rises. While much of
the hillside is low oak scrub, Woods Hollow does spend some time in tall
maple and oak forest.
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The Woods Hollow trail lies to the east of the Levitate and
Rattle and Hum trails. From an
altitude of 5400 feet it heads east over a low rise and passes through
Woods Hollow. Then it crosses a ridge into Broadleaf Hollow where it
continues toward the Eagle
Crest Trail near the top of Traverse Mountain. It reaches Eagle Crest about 1/2
mile east of the Eagle Crest trailhead. The altitude gain is just under 500 feet over
1.8 miles, at a fairly gentle and constant climbing pace.
Just getting started. We're riding east parallel to
Brookside Drive.
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| The trail surface is smooth and broad with no major technical
obstacles. It's very suitable for beginning riders. Turns are mostly
smooth and gradual. There's one shorter-radius 180-degree turn near the
top, but the
cut is still generous enough that most beginners can easily crank right
around.
Most of the terrain is groves of gambel oak. This is
a short stretch of maple forest.
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The Rattle and Hum trail is at the last turn before Woods
Hollow reaches the Eagle Crest trail. Keep straight to descend Rattle and
Hum, or turn hard right to continue climbing to Eagle Crest.
At Eagle Crest, riders can continue east to Suncrest Drive near the top
of the Mercer Hollow trail. Or, you can do a hard left turn to go
westbound toward the Eagle Crest trailhead. This section of Eagle Crest
also climbs gently uphill. Just past the trailhead are drop-ins to
Vertigo, then Levitate, then Zooropa. These trails are downhill-only.
Looking southwest toward Utah Lake.
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A loop that descends Vertigo will be exactly 4.0 miles with 550
vertical feet of climbing. A loop with Rattle and Hum is a bit easier at
3.4 miles with 450 feet of climbing. Beginner and early-intermediate riders may find a single lap to be
enough. Experts will crank around again and again.
As a two-way trail, you can simply descend back
down Woods Hollow. This is a more interesting and "natural"
feeling ride than Rattle and Hum.
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Another loop option is to continue west on Eagle Crest and descend
South Maple Hollow. This is another good option for beginners or
early-intermediates -- or for any rider who isn't ready to take air on
Levitate and doesn't want to maintain the high speeds expected on Vertigo.
Southeast, with Cascade Mountain in the middle.
Suncrest Drive is far enough below that I don't hear the traffic.
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Rattle and Hum is a 1.5-mile downhill flow trail that begins on upper
Woods Hollow and ends on lower Woods Hollow. There's 375 feet of elevation
loss over the length of the trail, with a gentle and fairly constant slope.
Looking northwest on Rattle and Hum. On the
left, you can make out the edge of Levitate on the slope above. This
section is typical -- broad flat trail with gentle rollers to break up the
descent.
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Rattle and Hum is a beginner-level trail. New riders will
find this trail to be a friendly downhill coast. The
trail has gentle rollers in the straight sections. Turns are banked with a
very generous turning radius. There are super-long sight lines. No
surprises. Coming around a turn
with Lone Peak rising above Traverse Ridge in the background. |
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The trail is specially constructed to maintain its beginner "dirt
sidewalk" character. So far, it's the only trail of its kind that
I've encountered in Utah. The riding surface is broad and smooth -- and
here's what is different -- it's elevated above the surrounding terrain so
that it can remain free of roots and rocks.
Almost the entire length of the trail has an
uphill trench to collect water, so the riding surface will remain
unaffected by spring runoff. And it will dry quickly.
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Rather than allowing water to "sheet" across the trail,
Rattle and Hum has been built with a trench on the uphill side to collect
water. There are periodic tunnel drains to take the water underneath the
trail. So the trail surface should stay flat. The
trench-and-elevated-trail design will also resist encroachment by oak
brush.
Rolling into a turn. Again, notice the deep
trench on the uphill side of the trail.
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At the bottom of Rattle and Hum, the trail falls onto the
2017 trail-cut for Woods Hollow. (A short section of Woods Hollow was
moved downhill to make room for Rattle and Hum.) Then it joins Woods
Hollow about 1/10th mile from the Levitate/Vertigo trail fork.
Looking southeast from the trail at the mountains of
Utah Valley's Wasatch Front.
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Bottom line:
Woods Hollow and Rattle and Hum are a very nice additions to Draper's trail system.
They provide a much-needed beginner option for the south side of Traverse
Mountain. Although Woods Hollow is not as scenic as
South Maple Hollow, it's an easier climb -- and although it's slightly
longer it's probably faster for most riders. Rattle and Hum is a good
choice for true beginner mountain bikers.
Almost there on Woods Hollow. We'll join Eagle Crest just below the
homes.
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Loop ride, descending Vertigo:
0.0 Find spur on north side of Brookside Drive
N40 27.695 W111 50.157
50 feet to Vertigo/Levitate,
then fork R
1.7 Hard L on Eagle Crest
N40 28.201 W111 49.700
2.2 Curve around trailhead parking
N40 28.317 W111 50.164 |
2.3 L on Vertigo
N40 28.353 W111 50.250
3.9 Join Levitate
N40 27.740 W111 50.113
4.0 L for another climb
N40 27.716 W111 50.145
Straight for Brookside Drive |
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Getting there: From I-15
in Salt Lake City, take the Bluffdale exit and head east on Highland Drive
toward the mountains. As you reach the traffic light at the top of the
hill, about 3/4 mile after leaving the freeway, turn right on Traverse
Ridge Road. Drive about two miles up to the top of the mountain to the
stop sign.
From Utah County, get on the Timpanogos Highway. At the Lehi-Highland
border, go north on Highland Blvd at the big stop light east of Smiths.
This will become Suncrest Drive as it enters Draper. Climb to the stop
sign at the top of the hill.
Deer Ridge (Maple Hollow) trailhead: At the
stop sign in Suncrest, get on Deer Ridge Drive (right turn from SLC,
straight from Utah Co). Go 0.9 miles.
Just before the road crosses a bridge, turn right onto Elk Glen Drive and
immediately turn left to park at the small picnic area. |
Eagle Crest trailhead: From the hill-top stop sign above, go
south on Traverse Ridge Road (straight from SLC, left turn from Utah Co).
To to the end of the road and park. Vertigo is about 1/10 mile west of the
trailhead on the Eagle Crest trail.
Brookside Drive Trailhead (South Maple Hollow): Brookside Drive
turns to the west off Suncrest Drive, just uphill from the Maple Hollow subdivision.
This is about a mile uphill from Utah Valley. Drive past the homes and
uphill to the end of the road. The South Maple Hollow trail is on the west
side of the road. It will take you uphill, where you can connect to the
Eagle Crest trail then continue east to Vertigo.
Top of Mercer Hollow: There is some roadside parking off Suncrest Drive near the top of the trail,
on the east side of the road 1/2 mile downhill from the four-way stop in
Suncrest. But there are some cautions. In 2016 this is an active
construction area, so be sure you're not in an access-point or work zone!
Bottom of Mercer Hollow: There's room for 3 or 4 cars at the
bottom of the doubletrack portion of Mercer Hollow on Suncrest Drive. |
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