New trails are being built in Utah all the time, but it’s rare to see a newly-completed section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail… until now. The long awaited Thousand Oaks section of the BST was finished in late summer and is open to the public. This new bit of trail is a 2.6-mile section that adds a needed piece to a very complicated puzzle that will eventually create a finished Bonneville Shoreline Trail, which will someday stretch from the Idaho border to Nephi – over 280 miles.
The Thousand Oaks route links the Z Trail in the Olympus Cove neighborhood to the Mount Olympus trailhead. You can hike the trail from either end – both trailheads are steep, but the “Z” trailhead is far less crowded (and has less parking.) I’ve been hiking and trail-running on the new BST several times and it’s very well built. Volunteer crews have done an excellent job of cutting this singletrack into the side of the mountain.
Hiking the Thousand Oaks BST is easy. Park at the Mount Olympus trailhead and head straight up the wooden stairs as if you’re going to climb the popular mountain. After passing Pete’s Rock, you’ll come to a fork .4 miles from the start. Right is the Mount Olympus Trail. Instead go left (north) on the brand new BST, which is clearly marked with a sign. From here, the trail levels out for a bit as it winds around large boulders through a small grove of Gamble Oak.
Soon after getting on the BST, you’ll hit a set of switchbacks that go right up the mountain into another grove of brush and trees. At the top, there is another fork. Stay left as going right re-connects with the Mount Olympus Trail. At this point, the trail flattens considerably as it traverses across the mountainside high above the city. Valley views are huge from this vantage as you make your way north. Like the Bonneville Shoreline Trails of old, the path winds in and out of drainages that provide bits of shade before curving back out to exposed views.
One-mile into the hike, you’ll pass above an old mine. Take note of the tailings that spill down toward I-215. In 1.3 miles you find yourself above large homes in the Mount Olympus neighborhood. At this point there is tons of private property around the trail, with many signs reinforcing that fact, so it’s important to stay on the path.
The new trail ends after 2.3 miles where it connects to the “Z” Trail. Go left (west) and descend the trail as it follows an old pipeline to the bottom at a cul-de-sac on Thousand Oaks Drive. You can either have left a shuttle vehicle here, or turn around to hike back to the Mount Olympus trailhead for a nearly 5-mile hike.
Overall the Thousand Oaks Bonneville Shoreline segment is a welcome addition. It’s a very mild hike aside from the steep trailheads, and there are no difficulties on the new trail itself. The elevation and west-facing exposure makes it ideal for late fall and maybe even winter hikes, and trail running is a joy as the grade is pretty level in most places. The only thing I haven’t tried on the new trail is mountain biking (though I have seen tire tracks) but it would be a pain hiking your bike up the steep staircases on either end for such a short and level section of singletrack.
This section of trail passes through the Mt Olympus wilderness area, mtn bikes are not allowed, sorry.
Thanks for the clarification, Dave. Last time I hiked the trail, I didn’t see any signage marking it as wilderness, nor are there any signs that say bikes are prohibited. I have seen tire tracks, however… perhaps some signage is needed here?