Sawtooth Trail

Sawtooth Trail is a challenging single-track that ascends from Timpanogas Lake to Windy Pass Trail. The Forest Service recommends riding it as a counterclockwise loop with Windy Pass, due to a scree section on Windy Pass that is a directional one-way-only downhill segment. Thus, expert riders can start their ride by climbing up Sawtooth Trail (from north to south). The Forest Service also has a sign requesting that riders do not spin their wheels on the switchbacks and create ruts, and if they do, please stop and fix them. The sign also requests that you practice your pivot turns before riding this trail. From the north end, it starts as an unassuming fast and flowy forested trail for the first 1.2 miles. At this point, it starts climbing straight up a loose hill, and then quickly becomes an expert-only trail due to several highly technical switchbacks with large rock and root obstacles on steep grades that will require advanced skills. There are two major obstacles/switchbacks on the initial ascent. One is a steep corner with embedded boulders and roots creating blunt ledges. The next is a really tall root ledge. Then, the trail descends down several steep and technical switchbacks with tall, blunt drop-offs from embedded roots. The trail becomes loose in spots, with soft dirt and loose rocks. Less experienced riders may be walking their bikes down some of the switchbacks. The last section of trail climbs back up a steep rocky hill climb and another uphill switchback with a tall root ledge. The Forest Service sign at the entrance to the trail doesn’t specifically state that Sawtooth Trail is a one-way trail, but it will definitely be even harder from south to north if you try to ride it as an out-and-back. If you make it through the switchbacks, it’s ideal to continue the loop down Windy Pass because some of the root ledges on Sawtooth that you came down will be extremely challenging to ride back up.