Difficulty: More Difficult ◼︎◼︎
Length: 21.5 miles one way
Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
Dog Friendly: Yes
Trailhead coordinates (copy + paste): 40.6211, -111.4875 (Silver Lake), 40.6159, -111.5057 (Marsac above Montage)
Directions: Although the official trailhead is lower down in Deer Valley, a popular place to start is on Marsac Avenue above the Montage, which cuts out about 1.5 miles and 400 feet of elevation gain, as well as the $30 parking fee required at Silver Lake. To start from the true trailhead, park (or better, get dropped off) at Silver Lake Lodge, and walk out onto the ski run. With your back to the resort area and Sterling Express in front of you, head right onto the dirt road heading slightly downhill. Once you pass under the overhead bridge, signs for Mid Mountain trail will guide you along the way. To start from Marsac, park in the roadside lot at the second set of coordinates above, and follow the signed trail heading West (towards the Montage) from the road.
A crucial element of Park City's vast trail system, Mid-Mountain is the town's longest single continuous trail, traversing all the way across town an altitude of 8,000 feet. If you're up for the challenge of trekking the entire course straight through, you'll be rewarded with a full-package summer experience of all three of Park City's world class ski resorts. Beginning in the heart of Deer Valley, the trail traverses the remainder of Deer Valley and the entirety of Park City Mountain before traveling across the full property of The Canyons resort and exiting at the top of Pinebrook. Though long and winding, the trail has great signage, which makes it easy to stay on course. The trail becomes less busy from Deer Valley onward, but is a popular mountain biking destination nonetheless. Mid-Mountain is best hiked on a weekday, during the spring or late fall, or any other time as long as you keep your head up and ears open.
As a true arterial trail, Mid-Mountain has many access points along its course, which makes it easy to travel on just a portion of it during any given hike. A few great connection points include Armstrong from PCMR, Iron Mountain from Thaynes Canyon, Holly's Trail from The Canyons, and Rob's Trail from Sun Peak. If you do make the trek all the way to the end, the journey will conclude with Hunter's Trail in Pinebrook, a residential area from where you will need to get picked up by a loving friend or family member.
Check out Mountain Trails Foundation's Mid Mountain Marathon, which has a slightly different final leg, bringing it to a full 26.2.
