Road Rides in Great Salt Lake Country
Mountain biking in Utah is truly world class, but perhaps the best kept secret in the state is the quality of the road riding. Across all nine travel regions, you'll find spectacular and unique road rides for all abilities. From pleasant valley and desert loops to challenging and rewarding hill climbs to exhilarating shuttle supported descents, Utah has it all to offer road cyclists. It's not just mountain biking anymore!
Nowhere in America will you find such an incredible array of bicycle riding possibilities so close to a major metropolitan area than in Great Salt Lake Country. There are rides with views of the Great Salt Lake and rides through lush canyons wedged between 11,000-foot peaks and rides through rural valleys where you may not see another rider all day.
Road bikers interested in learning about Utah history will enjoy a short loop connecting some of the capital city's most famous landmarks, including the Beehive House, the State Capitol and the Mormon Temple. The "Avenues" area, located along the valley's northern foothills, features some of the city's more historic homes and numerous dedicated bike lanes. Paved canyon roads into the Wasatch are just waiting to test the skills of intermediate and advanced road riders. They include City Creek, Emigration, Parley's and Millcreek Canyons.
Expert road riders will find that the steep, winding 30-mile up-and-back ride of Big Cottonwood Canyon offers dramatic views of the surrounding glacially carved canyon. The downhill ride is pure exhilaration. Just as spectacular is the ride up and down Little Cottonwood Canyon. This canyon is a favorite high-altitude training ride for many local road racers. Snowbird Resort, seven miles up-canyon, will be holding its annual 12-mile Hill Climb from the town of Sandy to the resort in late August.
The Great Salt Lake Desert is stark, desolate and amazingly beautiful. Cycling to get away from it all is taken quite literally out here. While road riding through this region you'll enjoy classic "basin and range" topography through the town of Tooele and across the Stansbury Mountains. Be sure you're well equipped before heading to this desolate part of the state, as services are few and far between.