The Farmington 50 Mile Course Challenge

The Farmington 50 Mile Course Challenge

Rules for The Professor’s Trail and Ultra Running Courses

  1. Go to the Facebook page to get info, ask questions, plan with others, find crews or pacers
  2. Run the Course
  3. Provide us with a link to a public website where you have uploaded your gps data with the full map, split times, etc…(strava, mapmyrun, movescount, etc…) so we can verify you did it, record and include it in your page in the hall of fame.
  4. Write us a race report to link to in the hall of fame and send us any selfies taken at the locations designated in the course directions.
  5. Use the Contact Form to send me the info to post in the leader boards, etc.
  6. Check out the other courses to conquer

 

The Farmington 50 Mile Course Challenge

Current Hall of Fame Leader Board here

Course Details:
50 miles
Appx. 17,850 ft. elevation gain

Download file: Farmington 50 Mile Challege from strava.gpx

farmington-50-mile-challenge farmington-50-mile-challenge-elevation-profile

  1. Start: Davis Creek Canyon parking lot (40.967069,-111.873404)
  2. Follow Little Valley Road up to Davis Creek Trail trailhead (40.966015,-111.872875) and ascend Davis Creek Trail.
  3. At appx. .40 miles turn right (south) on Pretty Valley Trail (40.965675,-111.867827) and at appx. .65 miles (40.963304, -111.866839) take 2nd right to continue on Pretty Valley Trail
  4. At appx. .9 miles (40.959756, -111.864962) turn right into Pretty Valley clearing and follow trail and jeep road southwest
  5. At appx. 1.1 miles (40.958694,-111.867384) turn left onto Bountiful Peak Trail south (and up) for appx. .5 miles to t-bone intersection (left goes up to Bountiful Peak, right down to BST)
  6. At appx. 1.6 miles (40.954642,-111.860346) at t-bone intersection, turn right (west, and down) and descend Bountiful Peak Trail to Bonneville Shoreline Trail
  7. At appx. 2.1 miles (40.952125,-111.868890) turn left (south) on Bonneville Shoreline Trail south and continue for appx. 2 miles to Parrish Creek Canyon Trail
  8. At appx. 4.3 miles (40.923059,-111.866391) turn left (east) and ascend Parish Creek Canyon Trail for appx. 4.5 miles to intersection with Skyline Drive
  9. At appx. 9.0 miles (40.937128,-111.807138) intersect with Skyline Drive and take picture Self at top of Parrish Creek Trail
  10. At appx. 9.0 miles (40.937128,-111.807138) turn right and follow Skyline Drive for 1 mile to t-bone intersection (location of Wasatch 100 Bountiful B Aid Station)
  11. At appx. 10 miles (40.930164,-111.792868) turn left and follow trail on opposite side of clearing.
  12. Follow trail north (Wasatch 100 course, but in reverse) through Arthur’s Fork and south on road
  13. At appx. 14 miles (40.982108,-111.805056) intersect with Skyline Drive at Bountiful Peak Campground and turn left (west) and ascend Skyline Drive past the Farmington Lakes (small ponds on right) for appx. 2.5 miles to intersection at the top ridge.
  14. At apxx. 16.4 miles (40.974622,-111.823155) turn left and follow Skyline Drive south to summit Bountiful Peak
  15. At appx. 17.6 miles (40.964213,-111.817985) take optional picture selfie at Bountiful Peak
  16. Return down Skyline drive (north, the way you came) and at previous intersection above Farmington Lakes (about 18.8 miles and (40.974622,-111.823155) continue north on road for appx. 1 mile.
  17. At appx. 19.8 miles (40.985237,-111.835825) turn right on Farmington Spine Trail. There is no sign, but there is a cairn and the route is flagged with pink ribbon.
  18. Descend Farmington Spine Trail to intersection with Old Aqueduct Trail
  19. At appx. 22.3 miles (40.998645,-111.874716) the Farmington Spine trail goes left and the Old Aqueduct trail veers at a sharp right. Split between and continue descending straight down the ridge. And then follow any of a number of small trails down and to the right (east). There is a pipe laying across Farmington Creek that you can walk across at appx. 22.5 miles (41.000607,-111.872640). Crossing the pipe will put you on the pavement section of Farmington Canyon Road / Skyline Drive.
  20. At appx. 22.5 miles (41.000607,-111.872640) cross pavement of Farmington Canyon Road / Skyline Drive and bushwhack uphill appx. 10-20 yards to trail that parallels the road on the north side. Turn right on trail and ascend.
  21. At appx. 23 miles (41.000383,-111.866605) cross Farmington Canyon Road / Skyline Drive at switchback where pavement ends and gravel road begins. Cross road and continue across small parking lot to Farmington Creek Trail.
  22. At appx. 23 miles (41.000383,-111.866605) ascend Farmington Creek trail for appx. .5 miles.
  23. At appx. 23.5 miles (41.001370,-111.855132) turn right (north and down the embankment towards the creek) on Old Aqueduct Trail and follow back down the canyon (now on the south side) for appx. 1.2 miles.
  24. At appx. 24.7 miles ((40.998645,-111.874716,) you will reach the previous intersection with the Farmington Spine Trail. This time, follow the Spine trail WNW for Follow Old Aqueduct Trail west, back to intersection with Farmington Spine Trail.
  25. Descend Farmington Spine trail appx. .5 miles to intersection with Bonneville Shoreline Trail (at this point, a fire break road).
  26. At appx. 25.3 miles (40.995227,-111.881327) turn right on Bonneville Shoreline Trail / Firebreak road, and apxx. .1 miles later, turn left (west) on Bonneville Shoreline Access Trail and follow down to upper Farmington Pond Parking lot. At appx. 40.996284,-111.884568,the trail will follow the paved road for 100 ft. or, and then continue downhill across on the other (right) side of the road.
  27. At appx. 25.7 miles, the Farmington Pond parking lot (40.996190,-111.885159) is a perfect 1/2 way point. It is accessed by a paved road and a great place to meet a support crew or pick up a drop bag before ascending the 2nd half of the course.
  28. Leaving the parking lot, exit north, across the bridge over Farmington Pond. There is a web of trails with climbs northeast. Any of them will do as long as they get you to (41.000332,-111.883707) at about 26.3 miles. There are other firebreak roads and trails that go north parallel to this main Bonneville Shoreline Trail, but this is the one you want. Follow for a little over a mile until you near Shepherd Creek and the Shepherd Creek and Francis Peak Trail branch to the right (east) and uphill.
  29. At appx. 27.4 miles (41.014683,-111.890791) turn right on Francis Peak Trail. Follow up for appx .2 miles, and go straight up (east) when you seen the Upper Terrace Trail branch off to the right (south) (41.014188,-111.888386). You will follow that one later. Climb Francis Peak Trail for appx. 3 miles. The trail is very clear for the first 2 miles. The last bit fades, but you are on a ridge with a clear line of sight towards the Francis Peak Road and FAA Radar Towers above.
  30. At appx. 30.6 miles (41.022219,-111.836986) turn left (north) on Francis Peak Road and follow to the Francis Peak FAA Radar Towers (41.032754,-111.838519).
  31. Take optional picture selfie with Francis Peak marker (41.032754,-111.838519).
  32. Follow Great Western Trail / Road north for appx .75 miles.
  33. At appx. 32.1 miles (41.042459,-111.839063) turn right on the road (labeled as FR 259 on sign) and follow down past 3 Smith Creek Lakes. On the descent there are various splits, take the left option on each. Other branches often rejoin, but I chose to stay left for simplicity. Ignore any branching trails, stay on the roads.
  34. At appx. 34.2 miles (41.059309,-111.842220) – on the north side of the 3rd lake, climb NW up to the Great Western Trail. Some cairns mark the trail. After the initial climb the trail levels on a flat area and teh trail fades. Continue NW following any one of a number of gravel run-off washes up to a ridge on the north side of which is a large set of cliffs leading into an eastward drainage. Turn left and follow the ridge NW. The trail here reappears (and cairns) and works it way up, zigzagging and then cutting right (north) and traversing along the top of the cliff area. When you crest the main ridge that drops down the west side of the mountains turn right on the trail and follow till it merges with the Great Western Trail. (For some pictures of the route see this post).
  35. At appx. 34.5 miles (41.061628,-111.846641) join the Great Western Trail north to Thurston Peak, appx. 1.5 miles away.
  36. At appx. 36 miles (41.061628,-111.846641) take optional picture selfie with Thurston Peak marker
  37. Return back south on the Great Western Trail for appx. 2.5 miles.
  38. At appx. 38.6 miles (41.044949,-111.841006) turn right down Baer Creek Trail. Follow for appx. 3.5 miles to intersection of Bonneville Shoreline Trail and Fruit Heights Upper Terrace Trail
  39. At appx. 42 miles (41.030401,-111.896422) follow Fruit Heights Upper Terrace Trail south to outlet on Bella Vista Drive where it crosses Shepherd Creek (41.014864,-111.893690)
  40. At appx. 43.7 miles (41.014864,-111.893690) ascend Shepherd Creek Trail to prior intersection with the Farmington Upper Terrace Trail you passed on your way up the Francis Peak Trail (41.014188,-111.888386).
  41. At appx. 44 miles, turn right on Farmington Upper Terrace Trail (41.014188,-111.888386) and follow for appx. 2 miles back down to the upper Farmington Pond Parking lot where you were at the 1/2way point.
  42. Ascend Bonneville Shoreline Access Trail (that you came down before) to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail / Firebreak road.
  43. At appx. 46 miles (40.994738,-111.881346) turn right (south) on Bonneville Shoreline Trail for appx. .5 mile to intersection with north access to Flag Rock Trail
  44. At appx. 46.5 miles (40.990594,-111.879726) turn left (east) and climb up Flag Rock Trail.
  45. At appx. 47.6 miles (40.986997,-111.872022) take optional picture selfie with the American Flag @ Flag Rock
  46. Descend southern portion of Flag Rock Trail to Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
  47. At appx. 48.9 miles (40.975190,-111.873581) turn left on Bonneville Shoreline Trail south, past Steed Creek, and to Davis Creek Canyon parking lot (40.966955,-111.872879) where you started the challenge.
  48. At appx. 49.4 miles ( 40.966955,-111.872879) , ascend Triumph Trail (north side of Davis Creek) to lower waterfall
  49. At appx. 49.8 miles (40.966023,-111.866684) cross Davis Creek and follow Davis Creek Trail back down to Little Valley Road
  50. Turn right and descend Little Valley road .1 miles to Davis Creek Canyon parking lot
  51. Finish: Davis Creek Canyon parking lot (40.966955,-111.872879)
  52. If you have not yet hit 50 miles, run circles around the retention pond (directly west) until you do