The Mormon Trail, aka Original Trail, is a pleasant bike ride on the original pioneer trail used by many famous wagon trains, including the Donner Party and of course, the Mormons, who came to Utah in search of their promised land. This portion of the trail, just east of Emigration Canyon where Brigham Young declared the Salt Lake Valley as “the place,” is also a place of towering pine trees, cobble-stoned creek crossings, and a mountain bike trail that’s worth a ride or two every season.
For intermediate riders, they’ll find plenty here that can be a challenge, especially creek crossings with steep and rocky sections on the banks that are difficult to navigate or find traction on, especially because of rocks eroded smooth by the river. There’s also some fallen trees covered in wooden bridges that will intimidate the average rider, but there’s nothing that can’t be walked. Overall, the trail is wide, somewhat smooth, and not very steep. In fact, in a little over 4.5 miles, the trail has an elevation gain of 1,400 feet from the bottom of Little Emigration Canyon to the top of Big Mountain Pass.
The Mormon Trail is also a history lesson. Plaques and signs mark significant sites where pioneers camped nights before entering the Salt Lake Valley. One of these camps is where the trail officially starts at the mouth of Little Emigration Canyon, in a parking lot/picnic area off East Canyon Road.
From the start, the Mormon Trail winds through thick reeds and willows along a creek. The biking can be a sturggle here depending on how overgrown the trail is. Roots, mud, and potholes are another hazard. Once you get above the alpine jungle, the trail opens up and climbs the bottom of the canyon, sometimes crossing a stream that flows in the spring but becomes dry by autumn. Stream crossings here are technical, especially when climbing back out.
As the trail gains elevation, the trees go from willows to cottonwoods to pine trees. Vegetation can be dense on places, then open up in meadows and glades filled with wildflowers where deer or moose sightings are possible. Marshes also exists here, but trail-builders have constructed wooden platforms in the most swampy sections.
Eventually, the Mormon Trail begins to become steeper as you ascend to the top of Big Mountain Pass. Powerlines are visible here and the trail resembles a dirt road as it goes straight up the remaining portion of the canyon. Big Mountain Pass is where the ride ends, and is where Brigham Young first saw the Salt Lake Valley in July of 1847. A stone monument marks the event and is the signal to turn the bike around and dive-bomb back to the car.
As a side note, Little Emigration Canyon is a great place to take dogs. Thanks to uncrowded trails, and the lack of a water shed, you can take the dogs on a ride here, which many people do. Dogs are not allowed on the west side of Big Mountain Pass, but on the east side, they can chase you on your bike, swim in swampy ponds and splash through the creek alongside you. I’d say being able to take your dog along makes this otherwise mediocre ride worth the trip.
If you go: From I-80, exit at Jeremy Ranch near Park City. Go north, then turn left at the 4-way stop. Take a right on Jeremy Ranch Drive toward the golf course. Continue down through a neighborhood where the road becomes dirt. Take the left fork and drive until you see the parking area for the trailhead on the left.