Description

Bobsled is arguably Salt Lake City's most famous close-to-town mountain bike trail.

The route mapped here is one of the most popular short loop options that will take you to the top of the downhill in as little time as possible.

Since the access to the top is via a section of the long-distance Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST), you can, of course, create rides of longer distances and difficulties.

But this loop is a great spot to get started. After departing the park and trailhead, you'll connect over to a narrow gulley in the foothills, known as Dry Gulch.

Here you'll take a left onto the BST, and the climbing begins in earnest! After a short grunt up Dry Gulch, you'll break out onto a bench cut that traverses up and along the foothills, providing stunning views of the downtown Salt Lake skyline.

There are still a few tough pitches, but you'll soon arrive at the top of the Bobsled Trail.

Be sure to reference this map to find your turn-off if it's your first time out here.

You'll pass a couple of trails that head downhill, although Bobsled is visibly more well-traveled.

However, trail markings are poor or nonexistent in this zone. Now it's time to rip! Bobsled is a fast, shreddy descent down a gulley with banked turns that feel like a bobsled track.

Peppered throughout, you'll find fantastic jumps and drops of various sizes to challenge yourself on. While it might seem that the line down the gulley should be clear-cut and obvious, there are actually several sections with dramatically different alternate lines.

Usually, one line is of upper-intermediate difficulty, while the alternate line could easily approach expert-level if it leads to a substantial drop or gap jump.

If you're riding by yourself the first time through, be sure to scout the features before committing.

But if you can follow a local down, that's even better! Highlights of the descent include the car jumps over ancient rusted-out automobiles, the massive banked turns, and the surprising places that the trail builders have worked in features.

This is a true gem of a trail that will undoubtedly have you coming back again and again! Note that the final steep drop back to the park mapped here might be even more difficult than most of the Bobsled Trail, as it descends a steep, loose, eroded, fall-line social trail.

You can divert around it on the pavement if you so choose.