Bob’s Basin Freeride Trails
Bob’s Basin consists of 4 downhill trails: Crazy 8’s, Drop Out, Ant Farm and Cutthroat. This review details Crazy 8’s and Drop Out (Ant Farm and Cutthroat pose several problems for hand cyclists). There are 2 trail heads, Schoolhouse/Graduate and Bad Apple. Both are easy to access and climb to the Fink Again trail which is the main up track. The climb on Fink Again to the 24-7 trail is about 1 – 1.2 miles and 300 feet elevation. Fink Again has several steep tight switch backs which is the crux of the ride. After it intersects the 24-7 trail, turn right and the trail becomes largely a rolling traverse. All the downhill trails branch off the 24-7 trail and lead back to the Fink Again trail. These trails can be done as laps since each DH trail leads back to the Fink Again trail. Trails are south facing so nice in the spring and fall but hot in the summer.
Crazy 8’s starts on 24-7, 100 feet east of the top of Fink Again. It descends 175 vertical feet over 0.5 miles before joining Ant Farm. From there, the combined trail descends another 100 vertical feet over 0.3 miles — joining Dropout for the last 0.1 mile to Fink Again. Technically, this is the easiest route down (with the exception of descending Fink Again).
A loop using Crazy 8’s is 2.0 miles with 300 vertical feet of climbing.
Drop Out is the longest loop and requires being on 24-7 the longest before breaking off. The top of Dropout is 1.3 miles from the top of Fink Again. Dropout is a broad and smooth descent with banked turns. Riders who are looking for a cushy way down should take Dropout. Dropout is just over 0.8 miles long.
A loop using Dropout is 3.2 miles with 400 vertical feet of climbing.
A part of 24-7 was re-routed in the fall of 2016. The trail now descends toward a gully and requires a short but steep climb out before intersecting Drop Out. The climb can be muddy after it rains. Drop Out is probably the most flowing of the DH trails. The jumps are too narrow for an ORHC so use caution when approaching. Going around some of them involves running into some sage brush. There is a narrow wooden bridge when coming to a meadow that can be bypassed by bushwhacking off the trail. There are 2 wooden jump features that are wide enough for a Reactive Adaptations Bomber but you only have about 2 inches of clearance on each side.
More Information
Trail Name: Bob’s Basin Freeride Trails
Location: Jeremy Ranch (West of Park City), Utah | Map
Type: Narrow trail (< 30"), Start and end at the same point (Loop)
Rating: Adaptive Level 07
Length: 1.5 + miles
Steepest Section: Difficult – over 30º
Most Off-Camber Section: Moderate – between 10-30º
Terrain: Mostly hardpack, minimal loose sections
Obstacles: Wood bridges and features
Help Needed? Nope
Even more info: Utahmountainbiking.com
Directions to Trailhead
Bad Apple Trailhead: Exit I-80 at Jeremy Ranch. Go north on Homestead Road to the 4-way stop just past the on-off ramp. Turn right onto Rasmussen Road. Go 1/3 mile. At the far end of the shopping complex, turn left and drive until you’re forced to turn right as you reach the edge of the ravine. Find a parking spot. The trail is at the far (east) end of the parking strip.
Water: none at trailhead
Bathrooms: none at trailhead
Schoolhouse/Graduate Trailhead: Exit I-80 at Jeremy Ranch. Go north on Homestead Road to the 4-way stop just past the on-off ramp. Turn right onto Rasmussen Road. Within a quarter mile, turn left onto Bluebird Lane which is just before Jeremy Ranch Elementary School. After passing the school to the right while on Bluebird Lane, there’s a fenced area with a shed on the right, and a gravel roadway on the far side. About 100 yards down this gravel path, at the end of a broad gravel area, there’s a wooden bridge. That’s your trail. At the first fork, keep R. At the 2nd fork (Fink Again), go L.
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