Summit Park, a neighborhood located atop Parley’s Summit near Park City, is home to a little-known, but very fun mountain bike trail network. This collection of maintained singletrack, including the crown jewel “Road to WOS,” features smooth, tacky dirt, berms, and rolling jumps all under the shade of old-growth evergreen trees. The area is also rife with wildlife, as moose and even black bears are a common sight. While you can link together several trail variations, perhaps the best for mountain bikers is the Road to WOS Loop. You ride the loop in either direction, but I prefer to ride it clockwise, so that is what is described here.
Start Point: Parkview Drive Trailhead, 7308 feet
High Point: Poison Ridge, 7890 feet
Trail Distance: 5 miles (loop)
Trail Time: 45 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Best Season: Summer
Getting There: From Salt Lake City or Park City, take I-80 (east from Salt Lake, west from Park City) and exit at Summit Park. Turn right (west) onto Aspen Drive, then take your first left (south) onto Parkview Drive. Stay on Parkview Drive as it winds through the Summit Park neighborhood until it dead-ends at a “T” intersection with Matterhorn Drive. This intersection is the location of the trailhead, which is well marked and signed.
The Ride: Follow the double track from the trailhead as it goes straight up the mountain side. After just 0.1 mile on the dirt road, turn left onto the singetrack signed as “Short Stack.” From here, the trail makes a series of switchbacks for 0.7 mile to an intersection with Road to WOS. Turn left. At this point the trail traverses east for quite a while through the evergreens. A few punchy climbs over tree roots along occasional exposure on steep hillsides where logs and rocks have been used to stabilize the trail keep things interesting.
In just under a mile of climbing, the trail breaks out above the thick forest and into open spaces where views of Jeremy Ranch and Pinebrook spread out below to the east. Here, the path winds through some berms and makes a sharp turn heading west. From here on out, the hard climbing is over with as the trail traverses another mile on relatively flat ground all the way to the old water tower.
From the water tower (which is covered in graffiti and easily seen below the trail) the trail curves north and it’s another 0.3 mile of riding to the intersection with Short Ribs and Short Stack. This is the end of Road to WOS. Short Ribs heads down to the dirt road near the Water Tower, while Short Stack continues on heading west. Stay on Short Stack because this is there the fun downhill begins.
The Short Stack descent is 1.2 miles of flowy singletrack, tight corners, and perfect jumps where you can get some air-time. There is nothing too technical here – just a rollicking good time where you can go fast, test your suspension, and reap the reward of your uphill workout. At the bottom, you come out at the Innsbruck Strasse trailhead. Go right (northeast) down the dirt road until it turns to the right where you have to bypass a metal gate. Keep following the road past another gate where it empties you onto Matterhorn Drive. Follow Matterhorn a short distance back to the Parkview Drive Trailhead.
You can also access the ride from the Innsbruck Strasse trailhead for the counter-clockwise version. From the interstate exit, follow Aspen Drive west until it becomes Maple Drive. The road curves south and becomes Crestview Drive. At the intersection of Crestview and Innsbruck Strasse, go right and follow Innsbruck Strasse all the way to the end of the paved road. Keep going a short distance on the dirt road to the trailhead.
There are many other ways to ride the loop by making connections with Short Stack and Short Ribs. Many other trails intersect Road to WOS as well, but be careful as they are marked as “hiking only.” Also, hikers with dogs love to recreate here, especially on weekend, so be aware, don’t ride too fast, and be courteous.
Overall, the Road to WOS Loop is a fun, well maintained trail that’s perfect for beginners or intermediates looking for a short loop to test their skill on. It’s also a sweet ride for advanced mountain bikers short on time or who just want to escape the summer heat on a high-elevation, evergreen-covered mountain.
Gear You’ll Need: