It’s not often that the Uinta Mountains get a new trail. Even more rare is a mountain biking trail. But both happened with the grand opening of the Slate Creek Trail, located at the Yellow Pine trailhead just up the road from Samak. The Slate Creek Trail is a 5-mile loop with a directional ascent and descent and vertical gain/loss of nearly 600 feet. While this new singletrack is short, rumor has it that Slate Creek is a taste of bigger things to come.
Slate Creek Mountain Bike Trail
The Slate Creek Mountain Bike Trail begins at the Yellow Pine Trailhead. Signs show the way to singletrack that goes up through a meadow to a dirt road. A short pedal up the two-track and past a cattle corral leads to the official start of the trail. To the right is a hiking-only trail, while the mountain biking ascent forks off on the left.
The climb is a joy to pedal up. A mild uphill grade is the perfect pitch for easy cranking with just a few steeper sections to keep your legs and lungs awake. As the path weaves in and out tree thickets, big views open up as elevation is gained. The trail gradually sidehills a mountain as it snakes into a valley and eventually across a creek. Soon after the cold-water tire bath, the descent begins.
The uphill track is ideal for climbing, so I’m happy to report that the downhill section was built for a fun descent. Right away there’s a chunky rock garden to negotiate, followed by fast, buff dirt that whips around well-spaced corners. Small jumps made from tree stumps add optional variety for a little air time. More rock gardens interspersed with pedally flow dumps riders down through stands of lodgepole pine and brushy flats that circle back to the trailhead.
I love to see new trails being built. Slate Creek Trail is a collaboration between South Summit Trails Foundation and the U.S. Forest Service. Hopefully this partnership, along with community involvement and volunteerism, will lead to expanding upon this ride to make the Yellow Pine area a mountain biking destination.
Getting There
To find the Slate Creek Trail, drive up the Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150) from Kamas. About 6.2 miles up into the Uinta Mountains, the Yellow Pine Trailhead in on the left (north) side of the road. There is ample parking and a forest service outhouse.
For more information about South Summit Trails Foundation, visit them at their website.
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