Sheepherder's Park (FS# 41080)
Total Miles
0.4
Elevation
2,754.01 ft
Duration
0.5 Hours
Technical Rating
Best Time
Summer, Fall
Trail Overview
This short trail drops down off of Gold Gulch into a beautiful park. It's a perfect place for a picnic. The towering pine trees surround a grassy meadow. This area was used by sheepherders for grazing in the summertime. There are the remnants of an old cabin, and near the clearing, there is an old sheepherder's shelter. There is a huge old pine tree by the shelter, and the branches droop clear to the ground leaving a clearing under the branches where the sheepherders used to sleep. There is still evidence they slept there. It's called the Tree of Knowledge, presumably because the sheepherders would lay there at night sharing their knowledge with each other, solving the world's problems. The drive down to the meadow is steep, off the side of the mountain, but it's not hard. Run-off has created some erosion on the trail, and at one corner there is a bit of off-camber, but it's short. This area was designated as a mill area in the mining days, meaning it couldn't be mined, but they could build a mill here. In the distance, as you drive down the mountain, you can see an old mining building that's being restored by a private party for personal use. It has a green tin roof. Some locals refer to this as Little Park, but we dubbed it Sheepherder's Park because of its history. You can hike until your heart's content in this area! Don't forget, to off-road in UT you need to have the online education course certificate as well as the OHV sticker.
Photos of Sheepherder's Park (FS# 41080)
Difficulty
If this trail is muddy, it could be increased from a 2 to a 4. It's steep and narrow, no room to turn around or meet a car. If it's dry, it's not difficult, but its steepness and narrowness requires the driver to pay attention.