MoPi, GWT, Alexander Creek Loop

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Flow · Technical · Views

Follow the steps of the Donner Party and the Mormon Pioneers as you escape the City and head east into the mountains east of Little Dell Reservoir.

Start at Mountain Dell and ride up the paved road to Little Dell Reservoir. After the reservoir turnoff and parking lot, you'll veer down the hill for a short segment to get on the Mormon Pioneer Trail near where the creek enters the upper section of the reservoir. The trail goes north-northeast from the Little Dell Reservoir area up to Big Mountain Pass, following the old route used by the Pioneers. The climb starts out mellow but turns to steep and strenuous near the summit. The trail is only moderately technical with most of it wide and smooth until you get to Big Mountain Summit. You'll pass the picnic areas and a few other small trailheads as it crosses the road a few times. The trail is close to the creek at most places and is in scrub oak and pine trees. (This trail is beautiful in the Fall.) At the summit there is a parking lot. Fork right (south) on the sheep trail section of the GWT.

GWT is much less used, narrower, more over-grown, more rugged, rocky, with sections that are steeper. The trail is along the ridge and the views are awesome. There are several ridges you'll summit and descend. Some of which will require some hike-a-bike. The trail is narrower here through thick scrub oak on some of the north-facing slopes.

Take GWT south to Sunrise Drive, descend to Alexander Creek adjacent to I-80 summit, then fork right (west) and descend all of Alexander Creek back to Mountain Dell. The final descent through Alexander Creek is fast and flowy and non-technical through grassy meadows.

The Mormon Pioneer Trail in Mountain Dell Canyon ends at Little Dell Reservoir, but the original trail crossed Little Mountain to the west of the reservoir. The Donner party cleared the trail in 1886 and decided to cross Little Mountain and go down Emigration Canyon instead of Parleys Canyon because they thought Parleys Canyon was too difficult for their wagons.