Trail Ride Saturday

Tumbleweed and Cactus will lead a Geocaching trail ride for Park City’s Mountain Trails Foundation on Saturday, Aug. 4, leaving at 9 a.m. from the Kimball’s Junction Starbucks. The two-hour ride will focus on learning how to use a GPS receiver and your intuition to find Geocaches hidden along the trail. The course will start with a series of ‘private caches’ hidden along the trail. Once familiar with the process of the hunt, participants are welcome to head out in search of the two-dozen official Geocaches hidden along the Mountain Trails network.

Here’s an outline of the training caches. Or check below for a downloadable PDF plus GPX file to upload the caches to your GPS.

Swaner Nature Preserve (MTF001)
Coordinates: N40.72287 W111.53174
Container: Regular
Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 1

The Swaner Nature Preserve is one of Park City’s real treasures – 1,200 acres of preserved land along I-80 consisting of uplands, meadows, wetlands, hillsides and riparian habitat. East Canyon Creek, Kimball Creek and Spring Creek all flow through the property. The preserve is easily accessible on the Mountain Trails network of trails, just east of Redstone Center, with a wonderful bike trail bordering the south, east and northern side of the preserve. This cache is an easy find and will take you to a wonderful viewpoint of the southern portion of the preserve.

Hint
Under the wooden platform

Newpark Mining History (MTF002)
Coordinates: N40.72325 W111.53750
Container: Small
Difficulty: 2
Terrain: 1

One of the highlights of a bike ride around Newpark and the Swaner Nature Preserve in Park City is some of the beautiful artwork, especially the three bronze cyclists. The cache is located on the Mountain Trails network and easily accessed by bike or foot. This can be a high traffic area at times, and is close to the condos, so be sure you’re not being watched by muggles.

Hint
It’s all about the metal

The Boardwalk (MTF003)
Coordinates: N40.71589 W111.54442
Container: Micro
Difficulty: 3
Terrain: 1

The addition by Mountain Trails of a biking and hiking trail along the western perimeter of the Swaner Natures Preserve was a real treat! It’s a beautiful, flat ride anyone can enjoy. We especially love the boardwalk. This cache will take a bit of thinking and exploring. It’s easily accessible on the trail, but not as accessible from Utah 224 – a high traffic highway where stopping can be dangerous (and so is the climb over the barbed wire).

Hint
This one might be hard.

Neighborhood Bridge (MTF004)
Coordinates: N40.71210 W111.54300
Container: Small
Difficulty: 3
Terrain: 1

This bridge is always fun on the downhill side! This cache is conveniently located on the Mountain Trails network and easily accessed by bike or foot. There is parking somewhat nearby at a local park, but most trail users here are on bike or live in the neighborhood. This cache may be a bit tricky, as bridge micro caches tend to be. Have fun.

Hint
Look inside

Swaner Nature Preserve South (MTF005)
Coordinates: N40.70960 W111.53700
Container: Regular
Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 1

The Swaner Nature Preserve is one of Park City’s real treasures. The Mountain Trails network wraps around the Preserve, coming out of a nice neighborhood trail here on the south side. This is a relatively easy cache that is accessible by bike, foot or even car, with on-street parking nearby.

Hint
None necessary

Phantom Riders (MTF006)
Coordinates: N40.68873 W111.53567
Container: Regular
Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 1

One of our favorite stretches of the Mountain Trails network is this section of the McLeod Creek Trail. Many bicyclists have been caught off-guard by the five phantom bikers in the yard near this cache. It’s always a treat to ride through here. This is an easy find, accessible by bike or foot. There is trail parking about a half-mile north, or take the time and hike or bike the entire trail.

Hint
Don’t feel cornered in

Creekside (MTF007)
Coordinates: N40.68787 W111.53377
Container: Small
Difficulty: 2
Terrain: 1

Our favorite time of year on this stretch of the McLeod Creek Trail is springtime when the water is rushing through the creek from the thaw. It’s always nice to take a break and sit on the bench and watch the water spill down from the mountains. The cache is easily accessed on the Mountain Trails network by bike or foot. And there’s another cache nearby.

Hint
Sit down and rest

McPolin Farm (MTF007)
Coordinates: N40.67685 W111.52718
Container: Small
Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 1

The white barn at the entrance to Park City has become our community’s signature to the world. It is one of the most photographed sites in Utah (OK, not as much as Delicate Arch). It’s part of an open space purchase made by Park City in the early 90s, and forever will be our private landmark. The historic McPolin farm is at a crossroads of the Mountain Trails network, offering parking across Utah 224 with a tunnel under the busy highway. While you’re looking for the cache, explore the preserved farm site and homestead. To learn more, there’s an informative plaque at N40.6765 W111.528.

Hint
Old, really old (older than the farm)

Download Files
Geocaching Trail Ride Training Caches - Printable PDF

Downloadable Waypoints for GPS (right click to save)