Start Point: Wild Rose Park – 5,200 feet
High Point: 5,550 feet
Trail Distance: 2 miles
Trail Time: 30 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Best Season: Spring/Fall
The Wild Rose trail system in North Salt Lake is a short loop that’s good for a quick morning singletrack jaunt, but lacks size for a destination area. A relatively easy section of singletrack and a fun-but-brief downhill area with berms and jumps keeps things interesting in an abbreviated 2-mile loop that only has around 340 feet of elevation gain/loss.
Getting There: From Salt Lake City, take I-15 north and exit on Highway 89 (exit 312). At the first stop light, turn right on Eagle Ridge Drive. At the roundabout, keep going straight and drive up the hill through a neighborhood. In 2 miles, turn right on Eaglepoint Drive, then turn left on Sky Crest Lane. Wild Rose Park is at the top of the hill at the end of the road.
The Ride: The trail begins at the Wild Rose Park in a cushy neighborhood high in the North Salt Lake foothills. To find the start, park at the bathroom and take the trail right next to it. The ride immediately starts to climb up through scrub oak and maple trees that dot the trail sides. Follow the singletrack southeast for .16 miles to a fork. Go left to begin the clockwise loop.
From the start of the loop, the trail gently climbs north up into the foothills, and you’ll begin to see excellent views of the Great Salt Lake and Davis County far below. .5 miles into the ride, the trail starts to switchback and you really gain elevation. If you’re really into views or just want to take in a nice lunch on a sweet spot, at the one-mile mark, take the side trail to Sunset Point at the top of the climb.
After the climbing section the trail curves around and goes north. At a fork in the trail (around mile 1.5) you can choose to continue on Wild Rose, or if you’re feeling adventurous, bomb through the jumps and rollers of the downhill trail. It’s a really fun way to descend back to the car if your have the bike and skills to ride it. Everyone else should stay on Wild Rose by going right at the fork.
On Wild Rose, you’ll come to a confusing 5-way intersection that sends off in spokes of all directions. A hiking-only trail called Chukar Trail goes uphill on the left. Right goes to a connector trail that leads to a lower section of the DH ride. Rule of thumb here is to go on the furthest right trail to stay on Wild Rose proper. The trail goes downhill from here, occasionally crossing the downhill trail, so watch out for downhillers before crossing. More trails crisscross below this point, but if you keep your bike going downhill, you’ll end up back at the park and the end of the loop.