Path rating: ***
Scenic rating: ***Ogden section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail
Riding conditions on this trail range from easy to hard and is a great early spring ride -- all of it is below 6,000 feet in elevation.
Families with children can enjoy the section near Ogden Canyon, and rugged riders can challenge themselves with side trips up adjacent canyons.
The trail offers great views of the mountains and Weber County.
Distance: Seven miles -- from Ogden Canyon on the north to Beus Canyon on the south -- 14 miles round-trip.
Elevation gain: Lowest elevation is 4,400 feet at Rainbow Gardens and the mouth of Ogden Canyon. It's an 800-foot climb to Taylor Canyon and another 150 feet to the mouth of Waterfall Canyon. The highest point is 5,800 feet above sea level, or another 700-foot climb to a point 1.5 miles from Beus Canyon.
Time required: You could rush and do all the trail and be back in less than two hours, but you'd miss some great scenery. Allow at least two to three hours, or even four or five if you want to really enjoy the area.
Directions to trailhead: There are four different trailheads for this section.
The Rainbow Garden trail is east of Ogden's 12th Street to the canyon mouth. The 22nd Street trailhead is found at the east end of 22nd street, just off Harrison Boulevard. The 29th Street trailhead is just northeast of Mount Ogden Park. The Beus Canyon trail is found by going up 4600 South, or go up the road just north of the Dee Events Center and head east.
Trail description: A combination of dirt, sand and rock. In some places it is a wide enough for a truck and in others its a single track.
Cautions: This trail can be hot in summer, and you should always carry water. Mount Ogden Park or Rainbow Gardens are the nearest water sources.
Biking is prohibited along the narrow Indian Trail into the mouth of Ogden Canyon.
Some bikers have made it up Taylor's Canyon to Malan's Peak and Basin, but Waterfall Canyon is too rugged.
Rattlesnakes are sometimes seen along the trail, but the real danger here is numerous hikers, bikers and even ATV riders.
Don't underestimate the rugged, steep climb toward the Beus Canyon section of the trail.
Highlights: Rainbow Gardens is a delightful stop, complete with gift shop, restaurant and historic tourist features. The Ogden Dinosaur Park is also nearby.
An artificial waterfall flows inside the mouth of the canyon and there's also a primitive hot spring nearby.
The Indian Trail is a great, extra one-half mile walk inside the mouth of Ogden Canyon. Waterfall Canyon also has a 100-foot waterfall after a 1.5-mile hike.
There's also a one-mile parcourse exercise station trail above WSU.
The trail offers a good bird's-eye view of Weber State University, Ogden and the Great Salt Lake.
Camping: Only primitive sites in the area; no restrooms.
For more information: Contact the Ogden Ranger District, 1-801-625-5306, or consult "Mountain Biking Utah," by Gregg Bromka (Falcon Press).