Suncrest Loop Trail

Typical riding scene about half-way along the loop trail, with low scrub oak along a fairly buff trail surface. Review by Bruce on September 12, 2008.

Eagle Crest - Suncrest Loop
(Eagle Crest Trail, Maple Hollow, BST, Clarks)

The Eagle Crest Trail contours the slopes on the southern side of Traverse Mountain. The trail is 2.5 miles long. East to west, there's 300 feet of elevation change with total climbing of 500 feet. This page describes one of many ride options using Eagle Crest, an older route called the Suncrest Loop, established before many of the newer trails came to be.

The classic loop described uses Eagle Crest westbound, the Maple Hollow DH trail down to the bottom, then the Bonneville Shoreline trail eastbound to Corner Canyon, then Clarks Trail up to the Peak View trailhead. Then bits of doubletrack to close the gap between the Peak View trailhead on Traverse Ridge and the eastern end of Eagle Crest on Suncrest Drive. The loop is 10.1 miles in length, plus whatever distance you rode to reach the loop -- unless you started at one of the trailheads on top of the mountain in Suncrest. Your total climbing will be just over 2000 vertical feet (plus whatever it took to reach the loop). It's best reserved for the strong and skilled, because Maple Hollow is designed for expert freeriders and Clarks is a tough unrelenting climb. If you use Maple Hollow, you MUST do the loop clockwise.

View over Suncrest Drive near the eastern end of the Eagle Crest trail. We're looking southeast, going clockwise.

Typical revegetation area. Grasses are handlebar high.

Be sure to obey seasonal trail closures. Clarks Trail and the Maple Hollow DH trail will be closed in early spring and late fall when the trail surface is muddy. Because Eagle Crest is on a south-facing slope, it will often be temptingly free of snow while Maple Hollow DH and Clarks are still too muddy to ride. Check the Corner Canyon website for trail closure information.

On the loop, you'll have wide views over the Salt Lake Valley while you're on the north side, and views of Utah Valley on the south. Most of the trail landscape will be scrub oak forest with maples in the cooler spots. On Eagle Crest, there will be areas of "fill" with handlebar-high grasses. These fill areas are replanted steep transition zones from the leveling of the residential areas on the mountainside above you. In these spots, watch for weeds winding around your rear cogs and jamming your rear derailleur.

A rider goes airborne near the bottom of Maple Hollow.

View on the DH trail in the northern Maple Hollow (there's a Maple Hollow on both sides of the mountain). This is a gap jump, with a "B-line" route around it.

The segments for this ride are:
Eagle Crest east to west: 2.5 miles, 450 vertical feet climbing
Maple Hollow DH: 1.8 miles with 1000 vertical descent
East on Traverse Ridge Rd 100 yards
Bonneville Shoreline eastbound: 2.9 miles, 500 feet of climbing
Clark's Trail: 1.8 miles, 700 feet of climbing
Ann's eastbound: 0.2 miles to Peak View trailhead
Doubletrack southwest to Suncrest Drive: 0.9 miles, 100 vertical climbing
Downhill 100 yards to Eagle Crest

There are easier options. For example, substituting Ann's Connector and the western side of Ann's Trail (and a little bit more of the Bonneville Shoreline) for the Maple Hollow downhill makes the descent suitable for riders with intermediate skills. It also allows you to ride the loop counterclockwise, climbing the western side of Ann's before climbing Ann's Connector up to Eagle Crest. (Note that if you ride counterclockwise, you can't descend Clarks! You must substitute Rush , Canyon Hollow , or Ghost Falls for your descent.

View eastward on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.

Cruising through a grove of maple.

And for an easier climb, you can head up Canyon Hollow and Brock's Point instead of Clarks.

And if you need an alternative that's both shorter and easier, here's a loop that's just over 8 miles but with less than half the climbing. Ride Ann's Trail east from the Potato Hill trailhead, then find your way from the Peak View trailhead (top of Traverse Ridge) to the east end of Eagle Crest . After riding Eagle Crest east-to-west to the Elk Glen TH, drop down Ann's Connector to Ann's Trail and head east back to Potato Hill.

For truly epic rides, most bikers chose to start in the valley. Of course, there's the equestrian trailhead in Corner Canyon. Other popular trailheads include Coyote Hollow (close to the start of Clarks Trail), Oak Hollow (where parking is available at the pool), and Potato Hill.

This is a view up Clarks Trail, which is the climbing route if you choose to do the 10-mile clockwise classic epic loop.

View up the Oak Hollow trail, a popular route to reach the BST and the epic loop.

For a real epic, Utah County riders start in Alpine and climb Hog Hollow (You'll climb the mountain twice -- once on each side.) There's no parking lot where dirt meets pavement, however. You'll need to pick your parking spot, then ride to the Hog Hollow road. Off-street public parking is available in Burgess Park (see below). Add 1000 feet of vertical, 3.7 miles of dirt (each way), and a mile of city streets for this option. That's 20 miles with 3K climbing.

Riding Guide to loop, from Alpine:
0.0   Parking in Burgess Park
        Head back (south) to Canyon Crest
0.1   R on Canyon Crest
0.4   L on Long Drive
0.6   R on Ranch Drive
0.9   Cross Westfield Road onto DT
        N40 26.924 W111 47.706
1.1   Fork R
        N40 27.017 W111 47.839
1.8   Straight then veer L uphill
        N40 27.616 W111 47.866

2.2   Rejoin old HH Road, straight
        N40 27.904 W111 48.241
4.1   Veer L
        N40 28.992 W111 49.300
4.2   L on Corner Canyon Rd
4.3   Fork L (leave old CC road)
        N40 28.942 W111 49.573
4.4   Fork R
        N40 28.868 W111 49.563
4.5   Suncrest Drive, L downhill
        N40 28.760 W111 49.508
4.6   Cross street to ST on R, you're there...
        N40 28.688 W111 49.408

Epic Loop Clockwise, from Suncrest Drive:
0.0   Uphill southwest from sidewalk
        N40 28.688 W111 49.408
        Eagle Crest Trail
0.3   Keep L
        N40 28.453 W111 49.537
1.3   Parking area, go up road 100 feet
        N40 28.326 W111 50.167
        Find ST on L
        N40 28.453 W111 49.537
1.4   Ride around small pond, L on DT
        N40 28.355 W111 50.243
        50 feet down, find ST on R
        N40 28.350 W111 50.260
2.0   Keep R (L = down Maple Hollow)
        N40 28.395 W111 50.721
2.2   Keep L (R = up to road)
        N40 28.520 W111 50.823
2.4   R under road, up to Deer Ridge TH
2.5   Find ST trail on L
        N40 28.537 W111 51.066
        Maple Hollow DH trail
2.8   Cross DT
        N40 28.593 W111 51.156
3.0   Go either way (L = to "drop-in")
        N40 28.634 W111 51.343

4.4   R (straight = old Maple Hollow)
4.7   Traverse Ridge Rd, L (alt=R)
        N40 29.081 W111 51.856
        Find BST, head east
        Bonneville Shoreline
5.5   Cross Mike Wier
        N40 29.173 W111 51.657
6.5   Keep uphill (down = Spring Hollow)
7.7   Straight (L = Coyote Hollow)
        N40 29.572 W111 50.251
        Clarks Trail
9.3   Top of Clarks, R on CC road
        N40 29.314 W111 49.218
        DT (May change with development)
9.5   Keep R at Hog Hollow
9.7   Keep R
9.8   Fork L (leave old CC road)
        N40 28.942 W111 49.573
9.9   Fork R (toward Suncrest)
        N40 28.868 W111 49.563
10.0 L downhill along Suncrest
        N40 28.760 W111 49.508
10.1 Cross street to ST on R
        N40 28.688 W111 49.408

Map of the Traverse Ridge area.

Getting there:

Lower Corner Canyon Trailhead (Equestrian Center): Take the Bluffdale exit from I-15 and turn east towards the mountains. Continue on Highland Drive until you reach the ballpark parking lot. Directly across the street from the parking, the Lower Corner Canyon trail heads uphill (GPS N 40° 30.351' W 111° 50.721'). To reach the trailhead from the north (Sandy area), take 13th East southward until it ends at the stop sign just past the underpass. Turn left and drive 1/4 mile, then turn left into the paved parking area. Start riding by going under the street and keeping left on the Corner Canyon Trail, connecting to Ghost Falls, Canyon Hollow, or Clarks at mile 1.2. (Bathroom at this TH.)

Deer Ridge (Maple Hollow) trailhead: From I-15 in Salt Lake City, take the Bluffdale exit and head east on Highland Drive toward the mountains. As you reach the traffic light at the top of the hill, about 3/4 mile after leaving the freeway, turn right on Traverse Ridge Road. Drive about two miles up to the top of the mountain. At the stop sign in Suncrest, turn right on Deer Ridge Drive and go 0.9 miles. Just before the road crosses a bridge, turn right onto Elk Glen Drive and immediately turn left to park at the small picnic area. The Suncrest Loop Trail starts with the cinder path on your left. The Maple Hollow DH trail is straight ahead and veers to the right toward the Salt Lake valley.
Oak Hollow (pool) trailhead: Exit I-15 as above and head uphill to the traffic light at the top of the hill. Go straight, then take the next right turn at Vestry Drive in 0.5 mile. Roll around the roundabout to go left, then turn into the pool parking. To start the ride, head back to the roundabout and find the trail on the uphill-southwest side.
Mike Weir (BST) trailhead: Leave I-15 and climb the hill as above, but turn right at the light on Traverse Mountain Road. After one mile, watch for Mike Weir Drive on your left. The trailhead is on your right, 1/2 mile later.
Coyote Hollow (Clarks) trailhead: Take the Bluffdale exit from I-15 and turn east towards the mountains. Climb the hill as above, but turn right at the light on Traverse Mountain Road. After one mile, turn into Mike Weir Drive on your left. Pass the Mike Weir trailhead 1/2 mile later and continue another half mile until the road veers left downhill. Take the next right turn, turn right again, then left. You should now be on Gray Fox Drive. Take the next right into Coyote Hollow Court. The parking is on the right at the end of the pavement.
Burgess Park (Alpine): Head to main street in Alpine. At the traffic circle, turn left on Canyon Crest Road. When you see the park on your right, turn and find a parking spot. On your bike, head back to Canyon Crest, turn left on Long Drive, then right onto the paved bike lane in front of the homes on Ranch Drive. At the top of Ranch Drive where it ends on Westfield Road, the trail is just across the street.

Getting from Eagle Crest Trail eastbound to the Peak View Trailhead (top of Rush, Clark's, Brocks) by bike: There's a new trail called Edelweiss that begins on Suncrest Drive just uphill (and across the road from) Eagle Crest. After winding through subdivision homes, it will enter oak and maple forest and run around the hill to the Peakview trailhead.