View from the south shows the bench area where the trails are located. The mid-h...
View from the south shows the bench area where the trails are located. The mid-height hill is Little Baldy. The big mountain is Timpanogos.
Timpanogos Wildlife Management Area
Area Overview

On the southwest slope of Mount Timpanogos is a bench area at around 6000 feet elevation. Through the years, horsemen and trail hikers have created many "social trails" winding between the groves of oak and maple. Local mountain bikers discovered these trails and began riding them, although trail runners are the most frequent users. This page is a general description of the area. To find individual trail pages for this area, scroll down to the page-listing below.

Note!  These trails are on Utah Division of Wildlife Resources land, purchased with sportsmen dollars and set aside as the Orem Bench Wildlife Management Area specifically to protect Utah's native animals. Mountain Biking is allowed, but only insofar as it is not harmful to wildlife. To insure continued access please be respectful to the landowner by following proper trail etiquette and obeying all posted rules. Specifically:
1.  Do not ride these trails during the winter. Deer will not survive the winter if frequently disturbed.
2.  Unauthorized trail-building is strictly prohibited!
3.  To reduce erosion and prevent "trenching" of trails, do not ride trails when muddy.
4.  Avoid disturbing wildlife, and do not allow your dog to chase animals.
The riding season is April 16th through November 30. This area is a wildlife management region, so it is CLOSED to cycling during the winter when it will stress the deer. 

The slopes face south. In summer, these trails will be quite hot in the afternoon.

Most of the trails are intermediate in technical requirement. But there can be some sustained steepish climbing that taxes your leg stamina. 

Looking north in the Orem Bonneville Shoreline parking lot.
Looking north in the Orem Bonneville Shoreline parking lot.
Typical appearance for the area trails, which tend to go through grassy areas be...
Typical appearance for the area trails, which tend to go through grassy areas between the stands of oak.
In 2019, a formal trail system was designated for the Timpanogos WMA by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in partnership with the Utah Valley Trails Alliance. The best trails were preserved and duplicate routes were elimated, reducing the number of trails by about half. Trail signs were placed, although unfortunately many of these were burned by the fire in October 2020. In August 2021, the trails have been renamed and are again open for riding.
Please help keep this area open to mountain bikers by staying strictly on designated trails! The primary purpose of this land is to provide critical winter habitat for wildlife. Mountain bikers are guests here, and we could lose the privilege of riding in this area.
Example of trail proliferation. The arrows are all southbound trails within 100 ...
Example of trail proliferation. The arrows are all southbound trails within 100 yards of each other.
A Fall Line trails evolution. The old trail has become difficult for either hiki...
A "Fall Line" trail's evolution. The old trail has become difficult for either hiking or biking due to the deep sides and rounded bottom. So a new trail has sprung up alongside.
Typical for "social trails" created by horses and hikers, many segments of these trails did not have a sustainable alignment in the past. When the trail became an unpleasant trench, the traffic simply moved to one side and a new trail began. Redundant trails were also a problem. The trails that were selected for the system are those that are pleasant to ride and more likely to stay that way. Some revision has been done to improve trail sustainability and create a better riding experience.
In October 2020, a fire burned through this area. Some bits of forest were spared, but most of the Timp WMA area was destroyed. In August 2021, the trails have reopened. Work is still ongoing to replace burned trail signs and to repair erosion damage. The trails you ride may not look like the photos from 2016.
Rolling south on Wild Turkey in August 2021, with smoke from other western wildf...
Rolling south on Wild Turkey in August 2021, with smoke from other western wildfires filling Utah Valley. Note how high the oak brush has grown in less than a year!
Pages featuring rides within the Timpanogos Wildlife Management Area
Rattlesnake to The Altar.
Rattlesnake to The Altar.
Rattlesnake (historical name Betty)
With Mouse and lower Gopher Snake.

The ride on this page uses Canyon View as the entry to the trail system. It climbs up through the Race Loop and continues uphill on Rattlesnake. The descending route uses Mouse and lower Gopher Snake.

[ Rattlesnake Trail page ]

Lazuli
Lazuli northbound.
Lazuli (historical name Ireland)
upper Gopher Snake to Cottontail Loop

Ride introduces you to the north-south trails on the Orem Bench (Timpanogos Foothills). The featured ride climbs Lazuli, traverses east on Gopher Snake, then descends Cottontail back to the bench road.

[ Lazuli Trail page ]

View west from Swift Ridge.
View west from Swift Ridge.
Swift Ridge (historical names Shooter and Hyde)
includes Black Bear, Mouse, Cottontail

From the BST Orem trailhead, climb via Swift Ridge. Pick a level at which to connect to trails to the east. This page has information to help you plan a custom loop route with your desired amount of climbing. Featured ride climbs to Black Bear, descends Mouse and Cottontail.

[ Swift Ridge trail page ]

Provo Canyon Race Loop, looking toward Timpanogos.
Provo Canyon Race Loop, looking toward Timpanogos.
Provo Canyon Race Loop
with Aquila (Cliff) and Zorro Trail access information

The race loop lies between Canyon View Park and the Orem Bench Road (BST). Short but fun. Also provides a route from the park to the upper mountain via the access trails.

[ Race Loop Trail page ]

Dropping into Dry Canyon on Trail 51.
Dropping into Dry Canyon on Trail 51.
Dry Canyon 51 Loop (Kris' Loop)
Rattlesnake, Lament, Trail 51, Dry Canyon and the BST

This page describes a loop ride climbing Rattlesnake and Lament to Trail 51, then descending the nicer lower portion of Dry Canyon and returning via the Bonneville Shoreline.

[ Dry Canyon 51 Trail page ]

The BST is part doubletrack and part singletrack here.
The BST is part doubletrack and part singletrack here.
Bonneville Shoreline (BST)
Orem Bench Road and Dragon's Back Trail

The Orem Bench Road is the BST route for three miles, then it descends the Great Western Trail on the Dragon's Back area to Canyon Glen Park.

[ Orem Bench - Provo Canyon North BST page ]

NOTE! These trails are closed from December 1st through April 15th for the benefit of the winter deer herd.
Map of the WMA trails
Map of the WMA trails

Getting there, Orem Bench BST Trailhead:  Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North and drive straight towards the mountains. At 800 East, turn left and drive north about 1 mile. Immediately past the fence at the uphill end of the cemetery, turn right (east) on Cascade Drive. Drive 1/2 mile then fork uphill before you approach the water treatment plant. Take two switchbacks up, passing the lower overflow parking, to the paved parking area with the bathroom. Your trail is right across from where the road entered the parking lot.
Timpanogos Park:
  Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North and drive straight towards the mountains. Keep left to enter Provo Canyon. After 1 mile, you'll pass the entrance to Canyon View Park on your left. About 100 yards later, there's a diversion dam, then a bridge over the river. Drive over the bridge to Timpanogos Park and park in the lot. Ride to the northwest corner of the parking area. Begin your ride by pedaling up the gravel road. Keep straight at the road fork at  mile 0.3 if you're heading for the Bottom Access trail (recommended), or fork R uphill for the Ravine or East Access trails. Ride through the race loop and take the Upper Access trail to the BST to connect to uphill trails.

Bathroom:  Orem BST TH, Dry Canyon TH, Canyon View Park, Canyon Glen Park, Nunn's Park
Water:  Canyon View Park, Canyon Glen Park, Nunn's Park
Camping:  Nunn's Park

Dry Canyon Trailhead:  Turn east off State Street (Highway 89) at 200 South in Lindon, which also happens to be 2000 North for Orem. Keep straight as you approach the mountains. When the road begins to turn right (south), turn left onto Dry Canyon Drive heading northeast. Now keep straight uphill until the road turns into the trailhead. To reach the Shooter uphill route, go south on the BST to the Orem trailhead.
Canyon Glen:
Use this trailhead if you plan to ride counter-clockwise or out-and-back. Note that if you ride this direction there are some granny-gear climbs that are a bit loose. Exit I-15 on Orem's 800 North and drive straight towards the mountains. Keep left to enter Provo Canyon. About 3 miles later, you'll see the parking area for Canyon Glen on your left. Go across the bridge to the Parkway. Turn right, and find the GWT on your left about 200 feet later, forking uphill just before the paved parkway curves around a rock outcrop.
Nunn's Park:
  This makes the ride about a mile longer, but at the expense of a rather ugly short section of trail from Nunn's park up to the aqueduct. Going up-canyon, turn right 4 miles up the canyon, then left under 89. Go into Nunn's Park. On your bike, come back through the park entrance, then turn left on a broken-up roadway just before the road goes under 89. Turn left at the fence and follow the fence uphill. This section is a hike-a-bike uphill. As the singletrack reaches the top, go left (west).
Zorro (1560 East Trailhead):
  Take 800 North in Orem toward the mountains. Just as the road starts to descend into the canyon, turn left on 1560 East. Go to the end of the pavement and park on the right. The ugly jeep road switchbacks east of the trailhead take you uphill -- 0.4 miles with 200 vertical -- to the Zorro singletrack. Zorro will add another 300 vertical and 0.6 miles. (Don't fork onto the steeper Bramber DH. You'll know it as you pass it.) When Zorro hits doubletrack, head a bit further uphill to the Bench Road for uphill connections.
Canyon Mouth Provo River Parkway:
There's a parking area on Orem's 800 North Street just before you enter Provo canyon. It's just east of the gas station. GPS N 40° 18.840'  W 111° 39.472'. To get to the parkway, go east over the river and through the fence. Go uphill to the Canyon View Park, Canyon Glen, or Nunn's park for uphill singletrack connections to the Bench Road.