Flying Dog Connector Loop

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Views

Great Flying Dog experience if you don't have the time or fitness for the full Flying Dog Loop.

Recommend starting this loop at the East Canyon Creek Trailhead.

You'll begin riding North on The Graduate Trail.

After you ride about 0.7 miles, you'll come to the Fink Again junction. Take a left and enjoy the mile climb up to the 24-7 Trail. It's a steady climb with several switchbacks and pretty views. Once you get to the 24-7 Trail junction, take a left. After about a mile you'll cross a paved road, the 24-7 Trail continues on the other side of the road, ride for another mile and you'll come to the Flying Dog junction, veer right and head up the switchback. You'll continue a steady rocky climb for about a half mile until you arrive at the Flying Dog/Preserve Connector junction, take the tight right switchback on the Preserve Connector Trail.

Continue up for another 0.9 miles, there will be some steep rocky sections and quite a few switchbacks. When you reach the top of this section you'll go to the left on the doubletrack dirt road. Once you reach the paved road you'll notice a short trail closure sign (Summer of 2023). The detour sign has you go up the paved road to the left about 200 yards and you'll see on your left where you can get back on the trail.

As you continue to climb on the Preserve Connector, you'll get into some trees and have more cross-country riding until you reach the Flying Dog junction, veer left - you have another 0.7 miles of climbing left. When you finally see the bench at the top, you'll be ready to be done climbing after a fairly steady 1500 ft climb.

Going down the backside of Flying Dog is such a treat! You get a little of everything on the way down - some nice dirt, rocky sections, lots of trees, shade and sun and of course, amazing views! Expect overgrowth regardless of the time of year. Note - this is a bidirectional trail! Be cautious as some people do come up this way.

Once you get to the pond, you'll cross the bridge next to the famous beaver dam (and if you're lucky, an actual beaver). As you continue to head down you'll have some shorter climbs as you make your way back down to 24-7. Once you get to 24-7, turn left and make your way back to Fink Again. I recommend taking Crazy Eights down (about 50 yards past Fink Again). Once you get to the bottom of Crazy Eights at about 0.9 miles the trail merges with Ant Farm, so be cautious, go right. The trail will then merge with Dropout not too long after, so be on the lookout for people merging. (

**To add on more mileage, stay on 24-7 and take either Ant Farm, Dropout or Cutthroat down**

After another 100 yards, you'll connect to the Bad Apple Trail, take the switchback, and climb back up towards Fink Again (If you go straight through the switchback, it will take you down to the Bad Apple Trailhead). At the Fink Again junction, take a left onto The Graduate Trail and head back down to the trailhead.