An awesome and almost secret ride, Birch Creek sits nestled in the mountains behind a short ride through neighborhoods on paved road that quickly turns to dirt and after passing through a frequently populated cow pasture you will finally reach some lovely single track. (Don’t mess with the bulls they can get real mean).
I usually park at or just after the city park on the Smithfield Canyon road. There’s a nice paved section that followed by a longer dirt road. Keep riding the dirt until you begin to wonder if you are in the wrong spot. Eventually you will come to a gate. Pass through the cow pasture. There will be another gate. Be sure to close both.
The first gate and the road looking back towards Cache Valley.
Pass through this gate and you can see the trail begin. It turns into this:
It’s a beautiful and fun ride. The first 80% of the trail is a gentle, non-technical climb that crosses the road several times and splits in a few spots where one path is intended for the climb and a different one for the descent. It’s not difficult to find the trail but do know that if you do lose it you can always ride the road and catch it at the next entrance.
The last 20% dies become a bit more technical and here’s where you will cross the creek a few times. It’s a shallow and easy crossing:
The grade doesn’t really get steeper and the bits that are technical can be measured in feet so there’s no barrier to entry for riders of all ability levels.
The trail exists courtesy of the road. You will be riding in the Mt Naomi Wilderness. The road existed so the forest service let it stay. The story I’ve heard is that trails can be built as long as they are within 10 feet of the existing road. Not sure if that’s true but the trail has been established for several years now so expect it to stay.
The first part of the road is through private property. Be sure to respect that, close gates and don’t trash the place. The rest of the trail is through wilderness. Be respectful so that access is maintained.