White Rock Loop - Perry Canyon

Trailhead for Perry Canyon/White Rock

For my dad and his twin brother's birthday we went out on a ride to do the White Rock Loop.  My dad is one of my heroes and is the best man I know.  He's always taught me to be kind, be positive, work hard, do what is right, and have faith (as has my mother).

Little bridge across the creek

This ride was a blast!  It starts out by the Perry gravel pit and heads up the canyon.  The little bit until you get into the canyon isn't too bad, but then it suddenly, shortly after you cross the creek, turns into a pretty stiff climb that kicked my tail a little.

Trail fork to Perry Canyon or White Rock

This is where the trail splits - you get to it after that steep climbing.  From this point the trail gets real fun.  Heading the White Rock way (you end up coming back down the Grizzly Peak way) the trail is flat for a bit, then you get some fun downhill, followed by some riding on the Shoreline overlooking the Willard Bay.  That part was so much fun on the singletrack, with great views.

Coming up on the fork

Shortly after the fork, just before the downhill

Riding along the mountain face on the shoreline, overlooking Willard Bay

Post shoreline, looking up toward White rock and the climbs ahead

Following that portion you turn back up a little canyon towards White Rock - you're in for some real climbing now!  When this portion enters into the trees it gets real steep, crosses the creek about seven times, all but one of those crossings are without a bridge, and you hit constant switchbacks.  According to utahmountainbiking.com, although I have not verified myself due to delirium, there are about 44 switchbacks, many of which are steep and tight.  It made for some good technical riding and was so much fun!

White Rock closer up

One of the steep climbs towards White Rock

You eventually end up on top and the climbing is much easier and more fun.  You eventually come to a fork where you can continue up toward Grizzly Peak, Willard Basin, etc., or you can head back down the Grizzly Peak/Perry Canyon trail.  This portion was fast and fun, and went pretty quick.  Highly recommend this trail, but make sure you're in good condition first!

Looking down over Willard Bay towards the top

Forested riding after all the switchbacks

Looking out just before the downhill

Shoreline - Mantua to Brigham, and a Hidden Singletrack

There is a little section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail that is practically hidden between Brigham and Mantua.  The trail is unmarked so it makes it a bit difficult to find, and it isn't in what you would consider an obvious place.  If you are driving up 1100 South from Brigham to Logan, right as you start entering the canyon between Brigham and Mantua, you'll pass under an overpass, and then when that overpass from downtown Brigham connects with Hwy 89 you'll immediately pull off the side of the road, and you should see a trail, pictured to the right, that drops down to a bridge that crosses the creek - this is where the trail begins.

The trail is fairly easy for the most part, and only about 2.1 miles long, ending in Mantua.  Most of it is fairly easy climbing, with a few stiff climbs mixed in, some loose rock in one or two sections that make it a little difficult, a few wet spots you'll pass over, a couple bridges, with some doubletrack, but mostly singletrack, some of which gets fairly narrow.

The trail climbs up a half mile with a few switchbacks.  This portion is for the most part fairly easy, with a few stiffer climbs toward the end of it.  It also offers a few views back toward Brigham.  At the very end you'll pop out onto a doubletrack trail - go left here toward Mantua.

At this point the climbing is fairly easy, with a few loose rocky sections, but most of it very manageable.  Toward the end you'll come across this real steep section pictured below.

I was able to crank up it this time by using my middle ring on the front, and my second lowest on the back and standing up out of the saddle.

Once on top of the hill you ride across some old boards and that are kind of fun as they go across with the fence on your left and then drop back down to the singletrack again.

At this point it is only a short distance to the end of the trail where you'll cross this bridge and then go through a tunnel and then the trail just basically cranks up toward the road and town.
Peaches Trail

Never heard of this trail?  That's because it is the name I assigned to this fun short singletrack tucked away on this ride.  On the way back I kept going straight on the doubletrack instead of dropping down that last section to my car when I discovered this easy to miss singletrack about 200 yards down.  This trail has several power turns that can be a little tough, but are manageable.  You ride up it for a bit and you'll get a couple good views and then pop out and cross a doubletrack to head up another doubletrack.  About twenty yards up you'll see the singletrack reappears on your left.
You ride up this a bit and it will eventually spit you out again on the doubletrack and I went up it and couldn't find a singletrack, and the doubletrack didn't look too inviting, and then went the other direction without finding singletrack, although it eventually entered a wildlife management area and the trail split.  That was about a mile up, and where I turned around.

The trail offered some great views out over Brigham, especially of the new LDS Brigham Temple that is under construction, which is the largest white dot in the lower picture.  For myself the temple symbolizes a place where we learn how to return to live with God and where through God's power are families are sealed so that they can be together forever, both through this life, as well as after we die and pass on to the other side.