Soldier Hollow
Also known as: Midway, Wasatch
Set above Midway in Heber Valley in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains; open valley views, Mt. Timpanogos vistas, and the historic 2002 Olympic Nordic stadium.
Who in your group rides what
Whether everyone in your group gets a day at Soldier Hollow - the grades on offer, the named zones, and how mixed abilities split up.
Standard green / blue / black system; Trailforks MTB trails skew green/blue with a handful of black (e.g. Abandon Ship).
Pedal-access only (no lifts). Beginner: Lodge Loops / Soldier Hollow green loops. Advanced: up The Bird to Upper Hollow Loop, Petie's Climb, Timpview Downhill/Extension, Shred Dog, JK Spin, Bradley Express.
Excellent for families, beginners and youth teams (heavy NICA high-school race use); plentiful family-friendly green options with wide appeal.
The riding
Rolling meadow and forest-edge terrain; hard-packed dirt singletrack plus machine-groomed doubletrack (former Nordic pistes); loose/dusty when very dry.
Fast, flowy, punchy Nordic-terrain XC with short steep climbs (Petie's Climb) and rolling descents with occasional jumps; low exposure, open meadow terrain. The new World Cup XCO/XCC course is expected to be fast with punchy climbs.
Established event courses well beaten in; some minor trails can be overgrown or lack signage; best navigated with the Trailforks app, trail-status report at utaholympiclegacy.org.
Moderate - busy during frequent races (NICA, I-Cup, Bikefest, Twilight series) and event closures; otherwise quiet.
Season & conditions
Summer Trail Pass valid May 1 - Oct 31, 2026; region reported open as of May 26, 2026. Winter is Nordic ski / fat bike only.
Summer/early fall; Trailforks ride-log peak months August, September and June.
NEW WHOOP UCI MTB World Cup XCO/XCC at Soldier Hollow, Sep 19-20, 2026 (Round 12) - the venue's first-ever World Cup. Also hosted the 2024 Pan American MTB Championships and is a 2034 Winter Olympics venue.
High-elevation (1,700m+) high-desert - intense summer sun/heat, afternoon thunderstorms, thin air/altitude effects, wide day-night temperature swings; largely open with little shade.
Getting there & gear
No lottery. Soldier Hollow Summer Trail Pass $40 adult / $25 youth, or $8 day pass (valid May 1 - Oct 31, 2026); state-park day-use elsewhere approx $10/car.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Approx 50 mi (1 hr) SE of Salt Lake City; approx 20-25 min from Park City via US-40/Midway; minutes from downtown Midway/Heber City.
No self-shuttle needed (pedal-access loops); no regular public transit noted, event-day shuttles at organizers' discretion.
Carry water (open, hot, high-desert; Basecamp Cafe at lodge 8am-3pm); cell coverage generally good in the valley; standard XC bike suits the terrain.
Courtland C. Nelson Day Lodge, Sport Discovery Center, Basecamp Cafe, restrooms, ample parking, on-site mountain and e-bike rentals; adjacent Soldier Hollow Golf Course.
Park City (~25 min) is the major MTB hub (Round Valley, Deer Valley); local trail steward Wasatch Trails Foundation; nearby regions Dutch Hollow, Wasatch Mountain State Park, Jordanelle Ridge.
Hazards & rescue
Loose/dusty late-summer surface; overgrown minor trails; yield to roller-skiers and guided horseback groups; trails close for events; altitude and heat.
None required; fully self-guided public trail network.
Compact venue with doubletrack/service roads throughout and central lodge access; easy egress. Park phone 435-654-1791, SoHo main 435-654-2002, 911 for emergencies.
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand mountain-bike network report. Coordinates are approximate.