Ontario Canyon

The Deer Valley and Park City areas can feel overrun with mountain bikers, but the Ontario Canyon Trail is designated a foot-traffic only trail, so you're guaranteed more peace and quiet. One popular way to do this trail involves taking the Sterling Express chairlift up and hiking down. Alternatively, if you hike up, you can ride the lift down for free. Starting from the top of the Sterling Express lift, go right (southwest) on a wide dirt service road to contour around the top of Bald Mountain. After 2 bends on this road (also called the Homeward Bound ski run), branch off to follow signs for the Ontario Canyon Trail. There are a lot of other trails and many junctions in this open scrubby field. Initially, you'll have to travel on some switchbacking mountain bike trails (Naildriver or Homeward Bound are good options) for a short ways to reach the start of the Ontario Canyon Trail. (if you can't navigate the short bike trails to the start of Ontario Canyon trail, it is OK to just take the Homeward Bound ski run or the Homeward Bound bike trail down until it meets at the valley junction described below) Once on the Ontario Canyon Trail, you'll hike steeply downhill towards the snowmaking pond just west of the Bald Mountain summit and its numerous chairlift termini. Pass along the pond's eastern edge and join the Homeward Bound ski run again briefly. Emerge from the forest into a valley clearing where the Ontario ski run diverges from the Homeward Bound ski run. Take the wide, sunny Ontario Canyon trail all the way downhill until just before a large set of ski area maintenance buildings appears ahead. Stay on the dirt road that skirts the right (east) side of this complex. The loop ends at the bottom of the Sterling Express chairlift at the !Silver Lake Village base area.