Segment 5 Description
Northern Utah represents a major transition along the Western Wildlands Route. To the north lie the rugged mountains and low plains of Idaho, to the east the extend High Plains of Wyoming, and to the south tower the Uinta Mountains and the high-elevation plateaus that stand atop the much larger Colorado Plateau. Segment 5 of the WWR leaves Bear Lake behind, generally following Bear River toward its headwaters in the Uinta Mountains on quiet gravel and paved backroads. A bit of highway riding leads into the bigger town of Evanston, and from there riders have two options for continuing south. The first option is the main WWR through bustling Park City, but most of that option traverses private land, some of which is rural and some quite developed. The second option is the Mirror Lake Highway Alternate which is entirely paved and climbs over the stunningly beautiful Uinta Mountains on almost entirely public lands past countless lakes, campgrounds, and hiking trails. South of where these two options rejoin, the mountain roads become rougher and steeper as Segment 5 climbs back into the mountains and up to 10,000 feet, past Strawberry Reservoir, and ultimately to the segment’s end at Soldier Summit and its lone gas station.
Segment length: 250 miles
Total climbing: 14,500 feet
Recommended number of days: 4-6
% Paved (approx.): 50%
% Dirt road (approx.): 40%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 10%
% Singletrack (approx.): 0%
% Rideable (approx.): 100%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 4
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 3
Bikepacking challenges: Summer heat, limited public lands for long sections; southern half of segment has sparse water and no resupply options and includes sections that become impassible when wet.
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 65 miles / 1-2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 60 miles / 1 day (between Evanston and Coalville – access to the few streams is challenging due to fences and private land).
Alternate route options:
Northern Utah represents a major transition along the Western Wildlands Route. To the north lie the rugged mountains and low plains of Idaho, to the east the extend High Plains of Wyoming, and to the south tower the Uinta Mountains and the high-elevation plateaus that stand atop the much larger Colorado Plateau. Segment 5 of the WWR leaves Bear Lake behind, generally following Bear River toward its headwaters in the Uinta Mountains on quiet gravel and paved backroads. A bit of highway riding leads into the bigger town of Evanston, and from there riders have two options for continuing south. The first option is the main WWR through bustling Park City, but most of that option traverses private land, some of which is rural and some quite developed. The second option is the Mirror Lake Highway Alternate which is entirely paved and climbs over the stunningly beautiful Uinta Mountains on almost entirely public lands past countless lakes, campgrounds, and hiking trails. South of where these two options rejoin, the mountain roads become rougher and steeper as Segment 5 climbs back into the mountains and up to 10,000 feet, past Strawberry Reservoir, and ultimately to the segment’s end at Soldier Summit and its lone gas station.
Segment length: 250 miles
Total climbing: 14,500 feet
Recommended number of days: 4-6
% Paved (approx.): 50%
% Dirt road (approx.): 40%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 10%
% Singletrack (approx.): 0%
% Rideable (approx.): 100%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 4
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 3
Bikepacking challenges: Summer heat, limited public lands for long sections; southern half of segment has sparse water and no resupply options and includes sections that become impassible when wet.
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 65 miles / 1-2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 60 miles / 1 day (between Evanston and Coalville – access to the few streams is challenging due to fences and private land).
Alternate route options:
- Mirror Lake Highway Alternate: For riders seeking to avoid the more populated section of Segment 5 that passes through the private lands of the increasingly developed Park City region, Mirror Lake Highway climbs over the incredibly scenic Uinta Mountains between Evanston (SoBo mile 82) and Kamas (SoBo mile 167). This alternate is entirely paved 2-lane road that has relatively low-traffic, although the southwestern half is notably busier on weekends. This alternate is mostly on public lands of the Ashley National Forest, offers more than a dozen campground options, countless lakes, and easy access to spectacular alpine hiking trails. The Mirror Lake Highway Alternate is 22 miles shorter and has a similar amount of climbing to the main WWR. No services are available along this alternate. This alternate can be combined with the Soapstone Shortcut Alternate (near the southern end of the Mirror Lake Highway Alternate) for riders who plan to skip resupplying in Kamas. Note: Obviously, if taking the Mirror Lake Highway alternate, riders will bypass the services and bike shops of Park City, and no bike shops are found along the route until southern Utah for SoBo riders or south-central Idaho for NoBo riders.
- Soapstone Shortcut Alternate: This short alternate saves Mirror Lake Alternate riders 30 miles by connecting to the main WWR 15 miles east of Kamas. If a resupply in Kamas is not needed, then this 1,200’ rough gravel climb through the aspen groves and meadows of Soapstone Basin is well worth the trip. This short alternate is entirely on public land of the Ashley National Forest.
