Deer Creek to Dry Creek Trail #43

[Mr. Me]

After having drank through 7 water bottles, I decided to call it quits, and returned home, making this my first failed adventure. This is my trip report.

Me and my mom biked from our home up to the Granite Flats Campground, and then we split up, and I continued up the Deer Creek to Dry Creek trail #43. I quickly found that the trail wasn't suitable for biking up, and so I pushed my bike up an additional 2,633 ft.
I almost ran out of water, but then while leaving my bike, I ventured out a little bit, and seeing a waterfall ahead that looked safe enough to drink from, I refilled and continued on.
I basically got to the top, but when a hiker told me there was no way I was going to be able to get my bike over the approaching saddle, and with the following three reasons in mind, I decided to turn around.

1. things kept getting steeper, and I had to bike back down the mountain.
2. I didn't know what the terrain looked liked on the other side, and if I could bike down it.
3. I was running out of water, again.

And so after having climbed 4600 feet, I decided to turn around for a fun downhill ride home -- until my tire blew out.

My worn out tires finally gave out this time around.


Pros

• Few people on the trail.
• There are a couple of waterfalls.
• The climb never got too steep (although it did continue on for many miles).

Cons

• little shade -- bring lots of water (you can fill up on water at the rock canyon campgrounds).
• This hike is one-way -- there is no way to loop back around to your starting point.
• There are much prettier hikes in the area.

Further Reading

• Statistics and directions
• trail descriptions and map
• This post on my website

There was a little stream that crossed the trail a few times.


I started hiking at the bottom of the canyon.


Climbing my way up.


And as you can see, I pushed my bike up quite a lot of mountain before turning around.

 

[Mike K]

How was the DH and at what point did your tire blow? I also pushed my bike up a parts of steep trail in Hobble Creek Canyon last week. I also had to walk some of the DH section on the "other side" but most of it was a blast (and luckily it was a loop even though 3 miles was on the road). It's fun to get out on the lesser used trails sometimes. Good job.

 

[Mr. Me]

The DH wasn't that great. It is doable, I only had to get off my bike for like 5% of it all, but it was slow going. There were many big rocks and divots in the trail.
I saw on a map at the trailhead that the trail would take me through the mountains and back out to the valley, however, there wasn't any topographical information on the map, so I had no idea what I was getting into.
However after doing this trail, I would like to do some more DH biking. I'll have to try out Hobble Creek Canyon.

Luckily, my tire blew out as soon as I got to the Timpanogos Cave Visitors Center. So i was able to stop at the center and call home and have my Dad come pick me up.

 

[Mr. Me]

This picture does a better job of showing the DH trail conditions. The trail looked similar to this most of the way down the mountain.

I was using tires that were in between road bike tires and mountain bike tires, and I forgot to take my bike lock of, so it was rattling against my bike the entire way down. Perhaps if I was a little more prepared, I would have thought better of the DH.