Trail Overview

This trail is easy and relaxing the entire way. The trail starts at the Taylor Park Trading Post. Proceed over the metal bridge to the south, or in a vehicle, take the paved road, head east, and then south on FR 752. A gentle climb through a forest teases you with a few small meadows until you drop into the vast Union Park with the majestic mountains surrounding it. Just past the picturesque 1900s cow camp that is still in use, the trail gets rocky over Lottis Creek and turns back to the east. If you continue, this trail ends at some beaver ponds on Cross Creek.

Photos of Union Park

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Difficulty

As you approach the picturesque cow camp, built in the early 1900s and still in use, the trail has some washout holes, gets rockier and more narrow.

History

As you drop into Union Park, you can imagine how it got its name imagining the tents of Union soldiers camping. That, however, isn't accurate. When the Civil War was raging, Confederate sympathizers named their town (later changed the name to Tin Cup) Virginia City in support of the souther cause. The Union sympathizers, in response, named this enormous area, Union Park.

Technical Rating

Jody Durham

Jun 27, 2024

Open

We did the portion of this trail coming down from Tin Cup. Easy, maintained road. Note that the trail going south merges with Slaughterhouse Gulch heading west... see above circle on screenshot. Inexperienced driver's with longer wheelbase stock rigs should NOT take this route. If you're at the spot where my pic shows the fence, you've begun this portion. Beautiful... but we barely made it through without damage... particularly on south end approx. 1/2 mile from Lottis Creek Camground... see second circled area. The rocky pics do not do justice to how rough it is, and two immovable boulders in particular make for a nearly impossible line for a stock Gladiator Mojave.