Have you ever wanted to try bike packing, but wanted to start with a safe, gentle trip? This is the event for you.
This is meant as an introduction for people new to bike packing as well as experienced bikepackers. It is a 64.5 mile trip that starts at Jeremy Ranch near Park City goes on a counter clockwise direction through Park City, overnight at Echo Reservoir, follows the Union Pacific bike trail, then up to Henefer and back down to Jeremy Ranch.
The route from Jeremy ranch through Park City is the most challenging to navigate because of traffic, street crossings, and more turns per mile. This part of the route is all on paved paths and streets and mostly flat or downhill.
We'll connect with the Union Pacific Rail Trail in town as a paved bike path. A few miles out of town it becomes a well maintained gravel path where it continues mostly downhill or flat for 20 miles to Coalville. We'll stop in Coalville for a snack or lunch if the group votes yes.
Echo Reservoir Campground is about 5 miles after Coalville. The campsite is good for up to 8 people and one vehicle. We'll camp overnight, test out our cooking skills, and talk about the day and Bikepacking. We have one campsite reserved at Echo Reservoir (#5). There are 2 sites left if you'd like to grab a space for friends/family that may want to join on the camping portion of the trip. See the last photo for campsite #5 location.
The campground it about the halfway point in our trip. We should fill up with enough water to last the full day. After we leave Echo Reservoir and towards Henefer, we will begin a gradual climb on a paved road. After Henefer, we'll have a longer, steeper climb and gain about 1000 feet over about 4 miles.
After we reach the summit, we'll coast downhill (mostly) towards East Canyon Reservoir. Shortly after we pass the reservoir, we'll turn onto Jeremy Ranch road, a gravel road that will take us back to our vehicles in about 7 miles. This road offers beautiful views along a flowing stream. There are some short 10% hills along the way that quickly give way to pleasant downhill coasting.
If you'd like more information about bikepacking, see Bikepacking.com.
More information to follow....
