I’ve been so lucky to be a skier since I was just four years old, and like many of us who are so passionate for (if not a bit downright crazy about) the sport of skiing, sometimes the summer months would drag on while I awaited the return of The Greatest Snow on Earth®.
Well, the summers still move pretty slowly once I hang up the skis for the season. But there is a lot more flow and fun to be found since I discovered the wonderful discipline of mountain biking.
If you’re a skier, here’s a sport that’s ready-made for you. Whether it’s ripping through tight trees, dropping the steeps, or finding long, flowy groomer turns, MTB is here to be the summer complement to your winter ski pursuits, and it may just be your next obsession.
If you’re already into mountain biking, then maybe this sounds familiar – I purposefully avoided it for a number of years. I cited the cost of a bike as a barrier to entry, but truthfully, I knew that my infatuation with skiing was a warning sign that I’d fall head over heels (both in a literal sense and the figure of speech) with this crazy two-wheeled activity. And so it was.
That was more than five years ago, and I’ve never looked back. I’m here to tell you that if you love to bike, or if you have never tried before, Utah is the place to go. It feels silly to live within an hour drive of 10 world-class ski resorts. And it feels even sillier that I have world-class mountain biking trailheads within arm's reach as well. What a life!
I’m here to provide some trail comparisons – your favorite Utah ski trails, with their MTB counterparts listed and linked. This list is purely from the makings of my own head – you’ll have to try these trails out for yourself! If you think of Utah only as the premier ski destination in North America, then you’re probably going to get out here to ride some of this singletrack. This place does it all!
A general disclaimer on difficulty levels: While mountain biking uses the same green/blue/black/double black rating system as skiing, I want to note that my pairings aren’t necessarily apples-to-apples that way, and more vibe-based on how it feels to ride each trail. Make sure to work up to each MTB difficulty level and ride safely out there!
The Cruisers:
Stein’s Way at Deer Valley Resort
MTB equivalent: Holy Roller at the Deer Valley Bike Park
This is an easy pairing! The word is out on Deer Valley’s groomer skiing – it’s some of the best anywhere – and Stein’s is the centerpiece of the Deer Valley (groomer) Difference. Lesser-known to those not in the MTB community, however, is the strength of the resort’s flow trails (and bike park in general).
Here’s a spoiler: the riding at DV is really good, and Holy Roller provides a perfect complement to Stein’s – flowing turns through a stunning alpine backdrop, overlooking the Jordanelle Reservoir atop Bald Mountain. Holy Roller offers good, clean fun whether you’re new to mountain biking or a seasoned veteran. Enjoy wide turns and flowy, non-technical good times, and chase that same rush from laying down a perfectly-carved groomer turn.
Grizzly and Wildflower Downhill at Snowbasin Resort
MTB equivalent: Sardine Peak Trail
If you’ve skied either Grizzly or Wildflower Downhill at Snowbasin, then you know – these two runs had the distinct honor of hosting the super-G, downhill and combined skiing events at the 2002 Winter Olympics, which firmly put Snowbasin on the map worldwide as a destination for groomers, steeps, and everything in between. I know I’m not the only one who has tucked from the top of these iconic, parallel runs, only to speed check, of course. We can’t all be Linsey Vonn.
Lesser-known, however, is Snowbasin’s neighbor peak, named Sardine. Providing similar jaw-dropping vistas of Ogden and Huntsville, plus the Great Salt Lake, Huntsville Reservoir, Ogden Canyon and the Ogden Valley, the Sardine Peak Trail is one of my all-time favorites for its flowy descent that seems to go on forever, like its skiing counterparts in Grizzly and Wildflower. I highly recommend a visit to try it out, whether you’re local to Utah or a visitor – it’s worth your time, and will surely have you shouting your “yewwws” all the way down the hill.
Faster, Flowier, Rockier?
Junior’s Powder Paradise at Snowbird
MTB equivalent: Rush Trail in Draper, Utah
You know that feeling you get when you drop into Mineral Basin on a powder day? If you know…You know. Hopefully, no further elaboration is needed, but just in case, take a moment to feel that feeling of shin-deep pow turns in a wide-open bowl, Mt. Timpanogos in the background, sun shining brightly, snow flying around you, belly laughs of crying joy mid-run… must I go on?
Rush was the first MTB trail I ever rode. Questionable wisdom to start there – it is firmly a blue, with some steep pitches, berms, rollers, etc., but alas, it’s where it all began for me, and I emerged forever changed. Rush is that perfect synchronization of body, mind, and spirit, as is Junior’s Powder Paradise. It’s flying downhill, forgetting fear and hesitation, and achieving the sort of laser focus that is rare in modern life. It is silky smooth flying turns, seamless transitions and poppy tabletops. It is a masterpiece, as is Mineral on a powder day.
Engens at Brian Head Resort
MTB equivalent: Zen Trail, St. George
Engen’s is the steepest run at Brian Head, featuring more than 1,100 feet of vertical from top to bottom, sweeping panoramic views containing a little bit of everything: red rock, desert, snow-capped hills and valleys, and forested alpine. What’s not to love? The run is named for Alf Engen, a legendary figure in steep skiing and the ski industry.
Pairs well with: Zen, a must-ride MTB trail about 80 minutes south of Brian Head in St. George. Bonus points if ridden on the same day! Zen is a rocky masterpiece and St. George classic. Like Alf Engen, the trail has history rooted in the early days of its sport – hand-built by a collection of locals before mountain biking was much of an established sport. It features sweeping desert views and will give you a familiar rush you know and love from moguls and off-piste skiing on the rowdy descent back to the car.
Steep, Deep, or Loose!
Honeycomb Canyon at Solitude Mountain Resort
MTB equivalent: Holy Schist at Solitude Bike Park
I’ll always remember my first run down Honeycomb Canyon. It’s a unique feature – a lengthy canyon with a spine that runs the length of the resort. It’s less of a trail and more of a terrain area, with optional named chutes and drops running throughout. It’s pretty awe-inspiring to look at, and even better to ski, and happens to be the first thing I ever skied in the Wasatch Mountains. Imagine that!
In the fall of 2023, Solitude dropped the ropes on a brand-new bike park designed by Gravity Logic, renowned trailbuilders who have made something special in Big Cottonwood Canyon. In 2024, the Holy Schist Trail opened, featuring technical rock rolls, steep drops, and a lovely smattering of alternate lines to choose from. The trail reminded me of my first time down Honeycomb Canyon, just in awe of all that Utah’s mountains had to serve up. It’s burly, raw, and fun – you should check it out!
Main Chute at Alta Ski Area
MTB equivalent: Bobsled Trail, Salt Lake City
I could wax poetic about Main Chute for hours. It’s a true test piece for in-bounds steep skiing, with a lengthy bootpack to get you thinking about your decisions, and 20+ foot high rock walls on either side. It cuts the dramatic fall line down Mt. Baldy, Alta’s high point, with staggering views of Superior to the north, Snowbird to the west, and Park City to the east. It’s the kind of run you look back up at after skiing for the first time with the wistful feeling that you’ve “made it” skiing steeps in the Wasatch. It’s hard not to be romantic about Main Chute.
A perfect foil to Main is Salt Lake’s Bobsled, a classic MTB descent in the foothills that butt right up against the city’s magnificent downtown and capitol building. Like Main Chute, it is steep, and depending on the conditions and time of year, the experience can vary widely. What doesn’t vary, however, is that universal experience of taking your hands off the brakes when you take that first drop. Punching down some gnarly steeps until settling into a whooshing, weaving pattern across the natural half-pipe of a gully that lends the trail its name. Like Main, it’s the kind of run that commands respect and skill – one day you wake up ready to take it on, and it's sure to test your mettle. These two trails have tested the bravery of generations of skiers and mountain bikers through their challenge, and that is a beautiful thing.
Hook Chute at Powder Mountain
MTB Equivalent: Lost Lad, North Salt Lake
Lucky number seven on my list of parallels is Hook Chute, a PowMow classic off Lighting Ridge. Traverse to the far end of the ridge before dropping into Hook, a run named for its noticeable turn angle at its midway point. Fast, fun, and rowdy, this is a chute with a bit of everything – ample opportunities for side lines and rock drops, powder stashes, and more. It has the power to make your wildest dreams come true on the right day. And at PowMow, most days are the right day.
Paired with another personal favorite MTB trail: Lost Lad out of North Salt Lake. Notably, it’s a tough climb to the top of this one, possibly the toughest of the trails I’ve listed here. Until recently, accessing Powder Mountain’s Hook Chute was an equivalent pain, requiring a long hike or a cat ride. Since they’ve installed the new Lighting Ridge Lift, however, that is a thing of the past.
Lost Lad weaves its way down a steep set of gullies, marked by open sections with gap jumps, all of which have ride-arounds. It features a few steep choke points where the rocks really close in around you like a true ski chute, and is as rowdy as you’d like it. It features stunning views of the Salt Lake and the Wasatch Mountains, central to northern – a true gem worth the big pedal.
Note for adaptive riders! Some of the trails on my list are adaptive-friendly! Check out this amazing article Adaptive Mountain Bike Trails in Salt Lake & Park City by Local Lexi in 2024 as there are many more adaptive trails to ride locally. Ride on!
