It’s as easy as riding a bike. Actually, riding a fat tire bike is even easier.
Fat tire bikes (or fatties) have exploded in popularity since I first started riding and writing about them almost a decade ago. These bulbous bipeds, featuring wide, knobby treads, look comical to bystanders, but to those sitting atop them, smiling and giggling along the trail, they still feel like a secret mode to easy adventure. Below are some of my favorite trails near Park City to go for a spin.
Round Valley
Park City is famous, not only for its world-class ski runs but also for its mountain biking trails. Hundreds of miles of singletrack, double track and gravel paths swirl like ribbons above and below Historic Main Street, allowing bikers of all ages and abilities to experience “brown pow” after the spring thaw.
Round Valley, the 2,000-acre expanse that serves as a buffer and green space for those who work and play here, has over 50 miles of multi-use trails maintained by Mountain Trails Foundation (MTF), which provides an interactive map showing trails and, most importantly, trail conditions. “ what’s good to go. It only takes one person…,” admonishes Ian Hartley, MTF Resource Manager, aka the guy who has to repair the ruts or other damages created from folks riding on soft, muddy trails. Signs warn against being a “postholio.”
During winter months, Hartley and the MTF crew groom several of the trails at Round Valley, much like the snowcats traversing the mountain at nearby Deer Valley Resort and Park City Mountain. With specialized equipment, they cut corduroy or lay parallel tracks for Nordic skiers…and fat tire bikers. Because Round Valley is one of the most popular areas for hikers, snowshoers, and dog walkers, their tamping down of ancillary trails further increases the number of options for fatties.
Trailside Loop, off the Silver Summit Parkway, is the perfect choice for beginners or those looking for a short ride with great Wasatch Back views. This groomed singletrack is part of Trailside Park, where many local shredders burnish their jumping skills.
For a longer ride, The Big Easy is a six-mile groomed loop specifically designated for fat-tire use (just follow the big signs). This singletrack trail bobs gently around the Eastern boundary along Hwy 40, past the Ice Rink and National Ability Center, to the center of the trail system and back around. It has numerous entry points, exit points and options via other trails to shorten or lengthen the ride.
Downward Dog is another fan favorite among fatties. This flow trail, a downhill path with banks and berms designed for fewer pedal strokes, is accessible from several Round Valley winter trails. One of the most popular, however, starts at Quinn’s Trailhead next to the Ice Rink. From there, take Ability Way, Round Valley Express, Seventy101, PorcUclimb. It doesn't sound very easy, but just follow the path in the snow.
For a dead-of-winter ride, Bonanza Flat is worth the 20-minute walk up Marsac Road to Empire Pass, a claim I don’t make lightly, or jump on the new Winter Shuttle. Peering over the pass is Fat Tire Heaven. Admittedly, bikers share this aspen-filled bowl with Nordic and backcountry skiers as well as a few snow machines, but again, it’s worth it. MTF is re-routing the flowy loop through the trees, ‘Bo’s Bonanza Singletrack,’ to avoid wintering wildlife. Check its website and Instagram for updates.
Jordanelle Ridge
For those looking for the closest thing to traditional mountain biking…but on snow, the trails at Jordanelle Ridge are among the best. Shockingly, they are also some of the least-travelled. So, add peace and solitude to its many features.
Built and maintained by Wasatch Trails Foundation (WTF), Jordanelle Ridge is a multi-use trail system located just south of Park City near Heber. It is often referred to as “Coyote” because of its trail names’ Looney Tunes references, including the Wile E. Canyon Loop. With stunning views of Jordanelle Reservoir, Heber Valley and the iconic Mount Timpanogos, many wanderers wonder if they’re in Europe instead of Utah.
And the Snow Dogs bound across the trails. These are not Saint Bernards carrying sustenance to the rescued or wearied. They are hand-crafted, cobbled together or MacGuyvered might be more accurate, machines that groom singletrack trails through tight trees and over more undulating terrain. Wrangled by Matt Chipman and Mike Rossberg (“The Godfather of Grooming” fat tire trails), their powder pups eagerly tamp down the snow, enough to roll a fattie while preserving the natural feel, giving riders the experience of following a just broken path leading into the woods.
The Wile E. Coyote Loop is a 3.5-mile romp through the northern edge of the trail system and is a splendid Wasatch Sampler. With sagebrush, oaks, aspens, maples and even a few rocky ledges, this is a true singletrack trail…for fat tire bikes.
It begins and ends at the Wile E. Canyon Parking lot, just off SR 32 between Heber and Kamas. With 400 feet of climbing, it’s considered a “blue” trail, just enough to get a workout without dripping with sweat. The loop can be ridden in either direction, but counter-clockwise is generally preferred.
The “steepest” section of switchbacks is at the beginning (some may choose to walk them), followed by a flowy downhill and one more steady but doable (especially once your legs are warmed up) climb before another downhill to the bottom. The optional Leghorn Cutoff can shave a half-mile off the return, but you may want to do another lap. “That’s all, folks!”
Fat tire bicycles are available to rent at many cycling and skiing shops along the Wasatch Back, including White Pine Touring, which also offers guided tours. So, grab your crew or go it alone, fat tire biking is truly the easiest and most scenic way to enjoy the trails this winter.
