FATMAP by Strava

Over the Top Loop

A showcase loop of City Creek trails, heaving over a big ridge and taking some white-knuckle turns on the way down.

Mountain Biking Difficult

Distance
15 km
Ascent
485 m
Descent
485 m
Duration
1-2 hrs
Low Point
1.4 km
High Point
1.9 km
Gradient
Over the Top Loop Map

This is the ultimate ride at City Creek, featuring a lot of variety and challenge on a trail that wraps around a scenic ridgeline. It’s almost all singletrack, with intense climbs and riveting downhill. The upper portion is certainly the highlight, but there’s a wealth of quality trails that can be used to complete the loop, so you never have to ride it the same way twice.

Description

Beginning from Lower City Creek trailhead, you’ll use the Bench trail to get up on the hillside. Then you can pick your favorite route to go uphill, aiming for the jeep road at Cusick Creek. Consider these first couple miles to be the warmup, because the climb gets burlier once you hit the jeep road. Eventually, it levels off and there’s a brief coast down, before Over the Top trail breaks off and crosses the creek. Then you’ll huff up some switchbacks to get even higher. This is where the scenery gets really good, as the trail weaves through aspen glades and grassy slopes.

Once you’ve conquered the climb, enjoy a panoramic cruise along the side of the ridge, then brace for the drop. The trail tackles a complex descent with two initial corners followed by a traverse with a rockslide section, then a stack of super tight and technical switchbacks. After that, it’s an easier runout, but with lots of vert still left to descend. Over the Top trail ends at a junction with Sullivan’s, where you can choose how you want to finish the ride. What’s mapped here is the descent on 911, a unique trail that pumps back and forth through an incised wash. If you’re not ready to call it a day, you could make another small loop in the foothills or even turn and go up Sullivan’s to find some more action in the City Creek canyon.

Difficulty

Difficult

Mostly stable trail tread with some variability featuring larger and more unavoidable obstacles that may include, but not be limited to: bigger stones, roots, steps, and narrow curves. Compared to lower intermediate, technical difficulty is more advanced and grades of slopes are steeper. Ideal for upper intermediate riders.

Medium Exposure

2 out of 4

The trail contains some obstacles such as outcroppings and rock which could cause injury.

Remoteness

2 out of 4

Away from help but easily accessed.

Best time to visit

between April and November

Features

  • Flow
  • Technical
  • Picturesque
  • Singletrack
  • Roots
  • Rock Gardens

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area