Vertical Climb/Descent: 3100'
Difficulty: Hard
I had nearly forgotten this trail until I drove past the trailhead on the way to Stump Hollow the other day. I've only done Bunchgrass/White Pine on two other occasions, but each time I am reminded that I should do it more often. This trail is difficult, but gives you a good mix of just about every type of running you can think of. You'll get your fill of steep climbing/descent, smooth and flat, meadows filled with sage and wildflowers, evergreen and aspen forest, rocks, stream crossings, sweeping mountain vistas, and the beautifully emerald White Pine Lake at the turnaround. Oh, and cows...lots of cows. Anyway, onward we go. The trail begins right from US Hwy 89 about 0.25 miles past the turnoff to Tony Grove (about 30 minutes northeast of Logan). Once you pass the Tony Grove turnoff, which is well signed, look for a big pullout on the right side of the highway. This is your parking lot. The trail starts just on the opposite side of the highway and is marked with one of those flat, brown posts they use to mark trails. A few yards in, you'll come to a gate which you should go through. The trail continues on the other side. You'll climb fairly steadily for the first 2.5 miles, then you'll begin to ascend and descend a series of ridges, which will test your hill climbing abilities and footwork, but which will in return offer some great photo ops. There are several junctions with other trails along the way, including a big one just past the 2.5 mile mark. Bear left as a general rule (with one exception which I will mention later) and you will stay on course. You'll traverse several meadows filled with fragrant wildflowers alternating with some thick stands of aspen. During my last outing on this trail, I saw a big bull moose in this section (didn't get a good photo or it would be on here). At the 3.8 mile mark, you'll come to a sign. You want to keep left, as I stated before, heading towards White Pine Lake. A right will take you to Franklin Basin, Steam Mill Hollow, and other points northeast (I plan on blogging a run including these trails at some point). You are now on the Bear 100 course, in case you were wondering. The trail soon enters a wide valley of alternating meadows and conifer forest. Presently, you will see the imposing figure of Mount Gog (9700') straight ahead. You're heading for a point about a quarter mile to the south of this prominent landmark. At about 4.6 miles you will come upon a barely noticeable fork in the trail, right next to a small watering hole. The trail appears to go up and to the left, but you should go down and to the right instead, near the stream. You'll continue straight up the middle of this lush, steep sided valley until about the 5.8 mile mark, at which point the trail begins to climb steeply as it swings to the left. The trail here gets more technical, but the scenery more than makes up for it. You'll now be able to see both Mount Gog and Mount Magog, the forbidding spires that sit on either side of White Pine Lake, which is your destination. The trail will eventually top out at the bottom of the small valley between the two mountains, and the going will be pretty easy the remainder of the way to White Pine Lake at 7.6 miles. Stop and take a few pictures. It's well worth it. Just before you get to the lake, you'll notice a sign at an intersection. From here you can take a left and get to Tony Grove, another 4 miles and a steep climb to the south, if you want to get some extra miles in. Head back the same way you came and enjoy the views of Logan Canyon, and the ability you'll have to really get flying once you get past the more technical portion of the trail.
Some great photos:
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| Start from across Hwy 89 near the Tony Grove turnoff |
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| Some of the locals. You'll see lots of these, and maybe, if you're lucky, a larger relative of theirs. |
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| I caught the wildflowers at the perfect time. This is looking back towards Logan Canyon. |
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| Another field of flowers. |
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| Waterfall near White Pine Lake. You can just see the tip of Mount Magog peeking from behind the trees on the right side of the photo. |
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| White Pine Lake |
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| Full view of Mount Magog with White Pine Lake in the foreground. |
Accessibility: About 35-40 minutes drive from Logan, depending on whether the driver in front of you is from a mountainous state. 1 Star
Runnability: Mostly very good, but with a few technical sections. Trail may be churned up by cows in some places, depending on the time of year. There are enough downed trees to keep the average mountain biker at bay and make the running a little more fun. 3 Stars
Scenic Value: Great views, especially as you near White Pine Lake. Bring a camera. You won't regret it. 4 Stars
Overall Rating: 2.6 out of 5 Stars. A good trail for the occasional moderately long run.
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