Mountain Biking With Your Dog in Utah

One of Utah’s many draws for outdoorsy folks is mountain biking. With world-class trails and beautiful views, the mountain biking scene here is amazing and there are quite a few places in Utah where you can take your dog with you. 

Since you can’t keep your dog on a leash, mountain biking with your dog definitely requires some additional consideration and caution before taking part in this sport. 

Things To Know Before Mountain Biking With Your Dog

First off, it would be very unsafe to have your dog on a leash while mountain biking, so you’ll need to find trails where having your dog off-leash is OK or where an e-collar counts as a leash (like Park City!). Using a leash is unsafe during mountain biking because it could get tangled in your wheels or you could have a fall (they happen when you bike). Any biking accident could seriously injure you or your dog. 

Because of the leash risk, you probably shouldn’t take your pup mountain biking unless your dog has strong recall and will stay within 10 feet of you the entire time. Strong recall means your dog comes every time they are called no matter what distractions may be present or how far away they are. Unleashed dogs too far away can be a risk to others using the trails.

The last thing to consider before taking your dog mountain biking in Utah is that typically you go much longer distances when mountain biking when compared to hiking or walking. Make sure your dog has trained for the distance you are planning to go and used to harder exercise. Frequent water breaks are essential.

Just like all outdoor activities you enjoy with your dog, you should follow the Leave No Trace guidelines and always make sure to clean up after your pet.

Reconsidering? Sticking to hiking in our gorgeous state is not a bad thing.

Things To Bring When Mountain Biking With Your Dog

If you’re reading this article, you probably already know what you will need for a biking trip (bike pump, extra tubes etc) so we’ll stick with the additional supplies you should bring for your dog. 

Water is the most important thing to bring for your dog, and it’s always good practice to bring more than you think you will need. Utah is HOT, especially in the summer and dogs are much more prone to heat exhaustion and dehydration than humans. If it’s especially hot, you could try out an evaporation cooling vest, like this one from Ruffwear.

Stay safe in the water

Ruffwear life vests are known for their durability. We believe it’s the best life jacket for your buck!

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If you’re going long distances, it’s a good idea to invest in some booties to protect your dog’s paws from hot ground, rocks and other things on the trail. We particularly like this option from Ruffwear.

And finally, it’s always a good idea to carry a dog first aid kit on all of your adventures. Our recommendation would be to look for one that includes a clotting agent. Check out the Adventure Dog Medical Kit!

Where To Mountain Bike With Your Dog Near Salt Lake City 

Now, let’s get to the fun part. Here are some of the best places to take your dog mountain biking near Salt Lake City. We included a range of trails, some suitable for beginners while others should be left to the experts. 

Round Valley 

Round Valley, located in the heart of Park City, is the overall best place to take your dog mountain biking near SLC. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, Round Valley is very dog-friendly and dogs are welcome to be off-leash on nearly all of the trails. With 56 miles of trails at varying skill levels, you can keep things super easy or go a bit more extreme if that’s what you’re into. 

Round Valley has single track and wider trails, making it a great place to practice teaching your dog to stay close enough to you during a bike ride while also maintaining a safe distance. There are a few different parking lots that allow you to access the trail system, check out this map to plan your route.

In Park City, an e-collar with a 6-foot range counts as a leash, so if you’d like to explore other trails with your dog on your bike, go for it. Trails in the Summit Park area are a great option.

Check out our dog-friendly guide to Park City here.

Draper Trails / Corner Canyon 

The Draper and Corner Canyon trail system is another great place to take your dog mountain biking and it’s really close to Salt Lake City and just off of I-15. Most of the trails in this system are considered intermediate to advanced. 

The most important thing to know about this area is that dogs are not allowed on some of the trails and in certain sections of the trail system because part of the area is a protected watershed. Make sure to check this map and keep your dog out of any watershed areas.

The Draper trails would be best explored with your dog on a weekday evening or early morning. Weekends tend to get really busy and it might be not be the best fit your dog with all the kids riding by. 

Millcreek Canyon

A dog-lovers favorite, Millcreek Canyon, known for amazing, dog-friendly hiking is also great for mountain biking with your dog. In the canyon, dogs can be off-leash ONLY on odd-numbered days.

Similar to leash laws, Millcreek has specific biking laws. On odd-numbered days bikes are NOT allowed on the upper Mill Creek Big Water, Little Water and Great Western trails. To keep things simple, the best trail for mountain biking in Millcreek Canyon is the Pipeline Trail. The Pipeline Trail terrain is best suited for biking and, with over 13 miles of trail, you can make it as long or as short as you want.

Check out the Dog Owner’s Guide to Millcreek Canyon!

We would love to see some photos of you and your dog out biking together! Tag us on Instagram @dogfriendlyslc.