ATV Adventures: Find ATV Adventures on the Summit County trails
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- A water crossing on the Whitney Reservoir Trail.
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- Wildflowers on the Shingle Creek Trail.
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- A peaceful moment at Washington Lake in the Uinta Mountains.
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- A view of the valley on the Shingle Creek Trail.
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- Lynn R. Blamires tries to keep his hat on while riding the Musket Shot Trail.
On the subject of ATV trails, many people think of overnight trips to Southern Utah, but there are more trails in the north end of the state than you might think.
For example, Summit County is situated in a rugged and mountainous area featuring numerous miles of ATV trails. These make excellent day trips. Within the county boundaries are Coalville, Kamas, and Oakley. Twenty miles east of Coalville is a trailhead to the Whitney Reservoir Trails, which are more extensive than I thought.
Access to these trails is also available from Highway 150 on the Moffet Pass Road. Many ATV trails are accessible from Highway 150, also known as the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway in Utah’s Uinta Mountains.
Here are some popular options:
Upper Setting Trail
Located at the start of Mirror Lake Highway, this trail offers well-maintained dirt roads and beautiful views of the Uinta Mountains. A calm and serene lake awaits you at the trail’s end.
Norway Flats Trail
Approximately 10 miles from the start of the byway, Norway Flats provides a wilderness experience, with trails winding through forests and past the serene lakes like Little Elk Lake and Island Lake.
Soapstone Pass Trail
This trail offers a low-difficulty route into the Uinta Mountains. It provides opportunities for camping and access to more challenging trails like the Cold Springs Road. This trail will also take you to Daniel’s Summit Lodge, where you can enjoy lunch. Or, you can spend the night at the lodge for a two-day adventure.
Washington Lake Trail
An easy, scenic dirt road trail that runs along the foothills of Pitt and Paige Hill and Haystack Mountain, providing an alternative to the main highway.
Shingle Creek Trail
The Shingle Creek ATV campground and trailhead were created when the Taylor’s Fork campground closed. It accesses the Taylor’s Fork Trails and connects with the Cedar Hollow OHV Trails and campground.
Lily Lake and Wolverine Trails
Lily Lake is a great spot in the Uinta Mountains. It’s also a great spot for camping, hiking, and floating. The Wolverine Trail starts close to the lake and is a 50″ only trail that makes a great loop with beautiful scenery. The Lily Lake Trailhead is on the east side of the highway from the Bear River Campground.
The North Slope Road
From the Bear River Campground, the North Slope Road goes east over Elizabeth Pass at an elevation of 10,269 feet, by Fish Lake, and down to the Meeks Cabin Reservoir. This is an easy forest road that will take you away from the workaday world on a peaceful ride through the beauties of the Uinta Mountains. As a bonus, the Rockslide Safari Trail takes off from the North Slope Road.
The Gardner’s Fork Trail
Oakley is a town north of Kamas, with access to some challenging ATV trails. From Oakley, take the Weber Canyon Road east to the turn-off to Smith and Moorehouse. You can unload at that junction because the trailhead is not large. Continue nine miles through the gate that says “Thousand Peaks Ranch, “to the trailhead for the Gardner’s Fork Trail. A sign marks the hiking trail. Ford the creek and begin your climb up the mountain on the ATV trail. These trails are considered slow-going due to the abundant softball-sized and larger rocks. A junction marks the trail to the right up to Slader’s Ridge or straight to Gardner’s Fork.
After crossing the creek, the Gardner’s Fork Trail follows a creek by the same name. Switchbacks will take you up the mountain past the remnants of an old saw mill and an old car by the side of the road, so beat up, I can’t identify it. The trail comes out by two lakes that are worth the trip. Turn off the key, and soak in the peace and serenity of this mountain retreat.
The Slader Ridge Trail
This trail will take you to the top of the mountain, but a sign marks the turn-off to Slader Basin, a system of trails that are not so rocky and fun to explore. Reaching the top of the mountain, the trail smooths out and winds through patches of woods and large meadows.
Toward the east, the views at 10,000 feet over the edge into the valley are breathtaking. Breaking out a comfortable camp chair and munching on a snack will make you forget the rocky ride back.
When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and consider these Northern Utah trails.
Lynn R. Blamires can be reached at quadmanone@gmail.com.
