Dream Packer Trail Adventures: Snow Basin, Utah, Sardine Peak-Overlook

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Snow Basin, Utah, Sardine Peak-Overlook

Updated June 2016. We have ridden this trail countless times in the 6 years it has been available and rode the Overlook trail for years before that. It has a variety of terrain from sagebrush to lush maples,oak and evergreens. The views are spectacular. Parking is at the upper parking lot at Snow Basin Ski Resort (which is accessible from either Weber Canyon or Ogden Canyon). This is where some of the Ski events were held at the 2002 Winter Olympics. PLEASE NOTE: SNOW BASIN IS NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE ON THE "Old snow Basin road". The trail is extremely popular with bikers, so be prepared there. Available for riding as soon as the snow is gone and the trails dry out, which is late April, early May. My favorite times to ride are spring when the wildflowers are in bloom and autumn with the colors. There are a few spots near the top that have drop offs, but nothing a beginner horse cannot handle. You will be sharing the trail with bikers going both directions, but no motorized vehicles. The trail has deteriorated in the last year with the heavy bike traffic. We used to be able to canter quite a bit on going up the east side counter clock wise, but now the trail is too hard, rocky and rutted. Erosion has taken a toll, too, exposing more and more rocks.

(click on any photo for enlarged images.)

Area showing the Snow Basin road access from Ogden Valley

Sardine Peak Loop, Distance 8 miles. Adding the Ogden Canyon Overlook adds another 2.3 miles. Maximum Altitude: 7,233 ft; Altitude change: 1,600 ft; Trail conditions: 20% gravel/dirt road, 30% dirt, 50% rocky/gravelly, 10% really rocky