The Farmington North Marathon Course Challenge

The Farmington North Marathon 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 North Marathon Course Challenge

Current Hall of Fame Leader Board here

Course Details:
26.2 miles
Appx. 10,500 ft. elevation gain

Download file: Farmington North Marathon Challenge from strava.gpx

North Marathon Challenge Map North Marathon Challenge Elevation Profile

Course Description/Directions

  1. Start at upper Farmington Pond parking lot (40.996190,-111.885159)
  2. 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 .53 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.
  3. At appx. 1.7 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.
  4. At appx. 4.9 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).
  5. Take optional picture selfie with Francis Peak marker (41.032754,-111.838519).
  6. Follow Great Western Trail / Road north for appx .75 miles.
  7. At appx. 6.4 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.
  8. At appx. 8.3 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.

  9. Great Western Trail - Smith Creek Lakes Ridge Traverse Connector

  10. At appx. 8.8 miles (41.061628,-111.846641) join the Great Western Trail north to Thurston Peak, appx. 1.5 miles away.
  11. At appx. 10.3 miles (41.061628,-111.846641) take optional picture selfie with Thurston Peak marker
  12. Return back south on the Great Western Trail for appx. 2.5 miles.
  13. At appx. 13.0 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
  14. At appx. 16.5 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)
  15. At appx. 18.0 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).
  16. At appx. 18.3 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 (40.996190,-111.885159) where you were started.
  17. At appx. 20.1 miles leave the upper Farmington Pond parking lot (40.996190,-111.885159) on the trail leading southeast out of the north end of the parking lot and ascend Bonneville Shoreline Access Trail (including a short stretch across Skyline Drive to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail / Firebreak road.
  18. At appx. 20.4 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
  19. At appx. 20.8 miles (40.990594,-111.879726) turn left (east) and climb up Flag Rock Trail.
  20. At appx. 21.9 miles (40.986997,-111.872022) take optional picture selfie with the American Flag @ Flag Rock
  21. At appx. 21.9 miles (40.986997,-111.872022) turn east (uphill) and follow trail up. A different trail will cut right and down switch backs – do not take it. Take the split to the left that goes up.
  22. At appx. 22.1 miles (40.987702,-111.870130) turn right (south) at trail intersection and follow traverse for appx. 1.3 miles. (At 40.978692,-111.863993 the trail takes a sharp right hand turn DOWN hornet canyon)
  23. At appx. 23.4 miles (40.974215,-111.867835) turn right on Steed Creek Trail and follow for appx. .2 miles.
  24. At appx. 23.6 miles (40.973838,-111.872653) turn right on Bonneville Shoreline Trail / Firebreak Road and follow for appx. 2 miles.
  25. At appx. 25.5 miles ((40.994738,-111.881346) turn left on the Bonneville Shoreline Access Trail that you previous ascended and follow it back down to the Finish line at the upper Farmington Pond Parking lot (40.996190,-111.885159).
  26. Finish: If you have not yet hit 26.3 miles, run circles around the parking lot until you do