+ 12
Trail Creek Road to Summit
Gravel Riding Trail
Moderate
17.08 mi
1,887 ft
All the way up and back down the jaw-dropping Trail Creek Road, from Sun Valley into the mountains.
Trail Creek Road is the main route from Sun Valley into the mountains to the east. It begins as pavement but turns to gravel as it twists high into the ranges, through an expansive valley crowned by huge peaks. It’s a breathtaking ride--thanks to the scenery as well as the elevation gain!
The route mapped here begins from a trailhead in Sun Valley, just past the end of the Trail Creek bike path. You could easily use the bike path to ride here from Ketchum. As Trail Creek Road proceeds as pavement for a while, ascending gently through broad meadows with mountain slopes on either side. Traffic is generally light, but it gets busy on weekends in summer and fall.
Where the road turns to gravel it steepens and becomes one-lane, but remains rather wide and pullouts are ample, so vehicle traffic rarely gets too hairy. As you pedal the relentless uphill, you can enjoy the endless distraction of the views, which grow more dramatic with every turn. It’s a precipitous alpine valley, with Trail Creek tumbling far below, peaks soaring above, and water streaming from suspended snowfields.
The turnaround point mapped here is Trail Creek Summit, where there’s a hiking trailhead and pit toilet. But the road continues on into the mountains, for those who wish to ride farther. It follows the rift separating the Pioneer and Boulder ranges, and eventually crosses over to the Big Lost River Valley. Written by Jesse Weber
Trail Creek Road is the main route from Sun Valley into the mountains to the east. It begins as pavement but turns to gravel as it twists high into the ranges, through an expansive valley crowned by huge peaks. It’s a breathtaking ride--thanks to the scenery as well as the elevation gain!
The route mapped here begins from a trailhead in Sun Valley, just past the end of the Trail Creek bike path. You could easily use the bike path to ride here from Ketchum. As Trail Creek Road proceeds as pavement for a while, ascending gently through broad meadows with mountain slopes on either side. Traffic is generally light, but it gets busy on weekends in summer and fall.
Where the road turns to gravel it steepens and becomes one-lane, but remains rather wide and pullouts are ample, so vehicle traffic rarely gets too hairy. As you pedal the relentless uphill, you can enjoy the endless distraction of the views, which grow more dramatic with every turn. It’s a precipitous alpine valley, with Trail Creek tumbling far below, peaks soaring above, and water streaming from suspended snowfields.
The turnaround point mapped here is Trail Creek Summit, where there’s a hiking trailhead and pit toilet. But the road continues on into the mountains, for those who wish to ride farther. It follows the rift separating the Pioneer and Boulder ranges, and eventually crosses over to the Big Lost River Valley. Written by Jesse Weber
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Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trail Creek Climb | 4.16 mi | 1,430 ft | 6.5% |
| Trail Creek Climb to overlook | 0.91 mi | 351 ft | 7.2% |
| True Trail Creek pavement climb | 1.29 mi | 469 ft | 6.9% |
| Trail Creek Climb Dirt Only | 2.80 mi | 919 ft | 6.2% |
| The Ledges | 0.78 mi | 289 ft | 7.0% |
| Ledges to the Rock | 0.55 mi | 190 ft | 6.5% |
| Rock to the Top | 1.36 mi | 367 ft | 5.1% |
| Top to the Rock | 1.35 mi | -354 ft | -5.0% |
| Trail Creek decent(fast section) | 4.12 mi | -1,348 ft | -6.2% |
| The Ledges - down | 0.77 mi | -282 ft | -6.9% |