Spring City (White Hill) Wildlife Management (WMA)

 

(Updated April 13, 2024) When the upper trails are mostly muddy and snowy, it is time to check out the Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) near us.  The first is White Hill, also known on some maps as "Spring City" and on other maps as part of the "Black Hill."  It is south of Spring City on Pigeon Hollow Road.   

For detailed map of trails refer to https://www.trailforks.com/trails/the-master-loop-mtn-bike-trail/. (some of the map information is not completely correct, but it's a good reference.

UPDATE!  The parking has been expanded and gated off.(locked access for motorized vehicles Dec. 1-April 15.)  Thank you Back Country Horsemen of Central Utah! You can park there year round.  This shows the new parking area as of April 19, 2023.

View from the parking area on May 4, 2023.

Our track on April 19, 2023. We stayed on the roads and visited the south quarry

About 3.8 miles.

Photo above shows the "south quarry", April 19, 2023.

Track on November 1, 2023

"Fork" where the Pigeon Hollow trail splits up with the horse trail going to the left (South Loop) and the bike trail to the right.  Taken November 1, 2023.

Lower South Loop Trail on November 1, 2023--not much traffic on this one

This shows our track on Oct. 31, 2020.  It was about 7.2 miles.  We made some incorrect turns and ended up WAY too far west, which required us to do some bushwhacking and zig zagging down a steep hill to get back down to the road.  I used my phone to toggle back and forth which showed kind of where we should have gone.  Oh, well, it was still a good ride and there is so much left to explore.  It kind of reminds me of Antelope Island without the lake. 😊

The part we rode was mostly dirt, some soft and some hard; many rocky areas, but nothing a barefoot horse in good condition cannot handle.  Some two tracks and some single tracks and some no tracks.  We didn't see anyone else even though it was a Saturday.  We saw bike tracks, OHV tracks and horse tracks. (This track did not involve any of the "MASTER LOOP"--Now called "Quarry Hills")

Some fabulous views of the Horseshoe Mountain area.

All in all an enjoyable ride.  Very dry and no water feature.  Would not recommend in the summer heat.  Definitely a late fall or spring ride.

All "Horse Trails" ride on May 4, 2023.  Starting out counter-clockwise at the top (coded in MAGENTA sprinkles) is what is now called Elk Horn Trail.  It joins what I call the North Quarry Road (coded in SEA FOAM GREEN. ) We rode this road west and curved back east on the South Quarry Road.(coded in TEAL) There was plenty of room to ride in the grass on the side of this road until we intersected the Quarry Hills which is for bikes only.  Photos below of what to watch for.  We were pointed out the horse trail with the tentative name of Sego Lily. (coded in STRAWBERRY RED).  We went UP this kind of steep hill and intersected Keslo Loop Road. (coded in HONEYDEW--LIGHT GREEN). We rode this up a few dozen yards until we spotted some trails leading south.  We wound our way through the trees, staying away from the bike trails and eventually found what I call the Pigeon Hollow Ridge Road  and Jack Rabbit and Pigeon Hollow trails (available for horses and bikes.). That brought us back to the parking area. 5 mile Loop.  Highest point 6,120'.  Ascent=1,014'.  Trail conditions:  70% dirt, 15% gravelly and 15% rocky.  Fine for barefoot horses in good condition.

New sign for the Elk Horn trail

View from the Elk Horn as it heads down the hill on the west side of the north quarry.

Further down from the Elk Horn as it heads down the hill on the west side of the north quarry.

Where the Elk Horn intersects with the North Quarry Road

. At this point turn right for one option.  Turn left for another option and ride up the road for about a half mile.  There, a new trail called the Bitter Brush takes off up the hillside. (that ends up being a "short cut".) As of our ride on April 11, 2024, A sign pointed across the road for a continuation of the trail, but we couldn't see one.  That's why we rode up the road. We'll check it out more thoroughly on the next ride.  

 

New sign for the Bitter Brush trail

Heading west on the North Quarry Road.  

Heading west on the North Quarry Road. There is a corral of sorts.  You can ride to the left of it cross country to avoid the road if desired.  But, the road is soft dirt...

Turned back east on the South Quarry Road.

You don't have to ride ON the South Quarry road.  Plenty of room in the valley bottom.

When you see this bike trail, you know you need to look for the horse trail.  Please stay off the bike trail.

Here is the beginning of what is tentatively called Sego Lily Trail.  It is very faint and veers off to the left from the well worn bike trail.

Should be looking like this.

...And this.  Trail can also be accessed from the south quarry here.

Sego Lily Trail, May 12, 2023

After riding through the forest for a ways, you'll come across this two track.  Turn right up it. Or.....go left and find the Bitter Brush intersection.

Here's the hill you'll be riding up.

You'll come upon this amazing vista of the Sanpete valley.  Then wind your way south east through the forests and eventually come upon the ridge.

View out of the Giddyup (now Pigeon Hollow) trail, December 9, 2020.

May 12, 2021.  Lots of sheep in the meadow. Can avoid by staying on the upper trails. (As of 2023, I don't believe sheep are allowed there anymore.)

April 7, 2022, view of Mt. Nebo. This is the North Quarry Road.

April 7, 2022, the "Ridge Road" which goes up between the North and South quarry roads.

This is our track on April 20, 2022.  Basically, just rode from one road to the other.  Photos below of that ride. We call this route "North Quarry". The top part of the "lollipop" is now called the Badger trail.

Photo taken on April 19, 2023.  Part of the road coming in from HWY 89 to the south quarry.