more stats
1,329 ft
Distance
-245 ft
Descent
00:04:01
Avg time
-245 ft
Altitude change
10,227 ft
Altitude min
10,472 ft
Altitude max
10,472 ft
Altitude start
10,226 ft
Altitude end
-18.4%
Grade
-50.5%
Grade max
-6.2%
Grade min
1,329 ft
Distance down
00:04:01
Avg time

Sunset Saddle Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Alta
    , Utah
  • AKA
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in Trail Running
    • 95 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #167104 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #46644 in Trail Running
    • #1285 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #3,266 in Mountain Biking · Utah [+]
    • #993 in Trail Running
    • #167 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Extreme
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Alpine Trail
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed

Mostly used by hikers to get to the Sunset Summit trail, this has sections where you almost have to carry your bike. Once you turn west off the ridge there is some ride-able trail, but it quickly turns to deep sand which makes even walking fairly arduous. The closer you get to the saddle the easier it gets as it levels out a bit. Most hikers here will now head east up to Sunset Peak. The official Ridge 157 Trail starts here at the GWT sign.

Tags
AlpineRock gardens
Trail Supporters
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 10 miles average
6 Months
  • 22 rides
  • 11 miles avg distance
All
  • 83 rides
  • Last: Sep 25, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Sunset Saddle Trail Reports

Status:
on Aug 16, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.09 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,859)
close
      Directions to sunset-saddle trailhead (40.577820, -111.598510)

      Photos

      8 more »
      mtb
      77 |
      Jul 29, 2022 @ 6:43am
      Jul 29, 2022
      mtb
      140 |
      Nov 24, 2020 @ 8:07am
      Nov 24, 2020
      mtb
      193 |
      Apr 15, 2019 @ 1:20pm
      Apr 15, 2019
      mtb
      194 |
      Apr 15, 2019 @ 1:20pm
      Apr 15, 2019

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Sunset Saddle yet, add a video.

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      ★ 5.0 • 10 miles • 2,249 ft • 10 • Loop •
      This is a figure 8 around Alta, hitting many of the best trails.
      20 miles • 5,481 ft • 9 • Point to Point •
      An alpine segment of the GWT along the rim of American Fork Canyon (the Utah/Wasatch County Line) between...
      ★ 5.0 • 32 miles • 7,482 ft • 33 • Shuttled •
      Lmk what you think about this...
      4.3 ★★★★★
      4 Ratings
      5 ★ 25%
      4 ★ 75%
      3 ★
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      jmack54
      It's a solid down hill, especially the last section (which is the only section considered remotely double black). It's super sandy in the middle but all of it is rideable with some skill.
      alitata alitata
      Difficulty depend on on which way you’re riding it. Going downhill is perfectly rideable, some loose sand and a few drops but nothing which deserves red rating. Difficult blue or one diamond.
      UtahJohn UtahJohn
      Really glad to see this as a separate section.

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      • By toddTF Pro Trailforks & contributors
      • #135715 - 1,902 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Sunset Saddle located?
      Sunset Saddle is located in Alta, Utah, United States. It is part of the Alta trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 40.57782, -111.59851.
      ▼ How hard is Sunset Saddle?
      Sunset Saddle is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Extreme. The average grade is 18.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Double Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Sunset Saddle?
      The trail has 245 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 10,227 ft to 10,472 ft.
      ▼ Is Sunset Saddle a point to point trail?
      Sunset Saddle is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Sunset Saddle?
      Sunset Saddle is 1,329 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Sunset Saddle?
      There is no information about dogs being allowed on Sunset Saddle. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Sunset Saddle?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Sunset Saddle are:
      • September (15 activities)
      • July (14 activities)
      • August (12 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Sunset Saddle? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Sunset Saddle are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Sunset Saddle?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 4 minutes to ride Sunset Saddle. The trail is 1,329 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Sunset Saddle?
      Sunset Saddle is a very popular trail. There have been 1,760 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,859 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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