Access

Five Mile Pass is a very popular ATV riding venue.  It is located approximately 15 miles west of Lehi, Utah on Highway 73 on the Tooele/Utah County border.   It is noted for being on the old Pony Express Route, but in reality, more recently, the area to the North of the road is part of the Mercur/Ophir Mining district, the area to the South has served for sheep grazing on BLM land for many years.

Trailhead

The trailhead is on the north side of U 73.  It is nearly a quarter mile in length and about half that distance wide.  This is a very popular area and there are times when this very large trailhead/parking area is full of machines.  Some few riders love to use the trailhead as an area to show off to the others in the area.  Please don't be a part of this group.  There are hundreds of riders in the area.  There is simply too many of us to be risking the lives of others.  There are no rest rooms at the site.   The closest public rest room is found in Cedar Fort.  If you are coming from the East you may want to top off your tanks and buy a few munchies before you get to five mile pass at the Cedar Fort Store and gas station.  The people there are friendly and very accommodating for the ATV riders who frequent their establishment.

There are other locations in the near proximity to the official Trailhead that can serve you well also.  Dispersed camping is permitted in the area.  Several of the areas in the cedar trees surrounding the area are ideal for this purpose.

Once you arrive at Five Mile pass you will find trails through the sage brush in every conceivable direction.  There is a handy and useful warm up area immediately to the North of the Parking area.  An old rail road trail divides the warm up area from the parking area.   The rails are gone.  The trial remains. There are no restrictions on where you park, but if you go North of the old rail trail you won't find gravel to park on.

You may want to practice going through the gullies next to the rail trail a few times, because you will find similar obstacles out in the field in the surrounding area.
 

I've been there many times, since it is close to my home.  With as many times as I've been there, it never ceases to amaze me how many riding alternatives it offers.  I've never come away from there disappointed that I had been to the same old place.  While there is no official camp site designated on the map, unimproved camping is approved and available just about any where you want to pull your rig to a stop and set up shop.  One popular place for such is an area to the north and east of the trail head.  It is called Clay canyon.  Don't get hung up on details, though,  If you can get your motor home or camper out there, you are okay to do your over night camping thing.  Just be sure you haven't selected a site on private land.

Speaking of private land.  The area to the north of the trail head is a patchwork quilt of public and private lands.   Presently, these private lands are basically mineral exploration rights and follow a rather indeterminate route of under ground mineral veins.  Not even the BLM is exactly certain where the dividing lines are between public and private lands.    Some old mining areas have reverted to public ownership and some public lands have been acquired for mining purposes.  Over time it goes back and forth like the wind blows.  Should you happen upon any private property signs, you are not welcome. You are obligated to respect the rights of property owners, even if you may have used a route or trail before with no prior restriction.    The public lands are open.  The private lands may be closed at the owners' discretion at any time.

East
 

You will leave public land about a mile east, once you pass the hill to the east of the parking lot.  That trail is not recommended, because you will find yourself crossing a farmers plowed field to get back to the riding area.  This is not a good idea.  If you find yourself facing the field, just go back the way you came and everyone is a happy camper.

If you manage to avoid the private land to the east you may get as far east as Manning Canyon Road.  This area is presently an EPA clean up area.  The canyon is strewn with old mines that have arsenic in their tailings.  As any good mystery novel will inform you, arsenic is a poison that when administered in small amounts has a cumulative deadly effect.  You may never know it is too late, until it is.  The BLM is presently working on cleaning up this area and the old tailings will be deposited at the mouth of the canyon and covered to protect against any further airborne contamination.  When this is done, it would be quite unwise to play on the covered tailings piles.  Surely the BLM will have the area fenced, but a word to the wise... don't go there.  Until the clean up is complete it would be best to avoid Manning canyon all together.

North
 

Going North from the trail head area will lead you with a multiplicity of choices most of which will lead you up the mountainous terrain for very enjoyable riding.  Not for the faint of heart, there are trails that go directly up some of the steeper mountainsides.   These are not for the beginners.  If by some miracle, as a beginner,  you make to the top, you don't have to repeat your foolishness by going down the way you came up.  There are other trails that will provide you a safer route to the rest of the terrain.

If you continue to work your way North you will find trails through mountains and canyons that are spectacular.   Enjoy the beauty, but don't try to go too far North. Mercur is located about 11 miles to the north of the trailhead.  The trails that intersect this private land are posted with signs that will warn you not to proceed further.  There are some significant dangers in passage through an active mine.  It is certainly not worth the risk.  You can gain a remarkable view of the mine from the top of Eagle Hill.  Just like the miners who didn't want any claim jumpers on their site in the old days, you will not be considered a welcome guest in Mercur.  If you are lucky a security guard will escort you off their property.  If you are not so lucky, well I don't know.  What did they do to claim jumpers in the old days?

If you loop to the north through the mountains, your jaunt can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, to as much as an hour or so, depending on where your nose takes you.

The trail terrain in the valley floor is dirt. The moment you start climbing you will find a combination of shale and igneous rock abound on the trail.  Be sure you have your fix-a-flat and puncture repair kits along.  These rocks can cause real havoc on ATV tires.  In the brief time I've been riding out there I've seen three- (3) fellow ATV sportsmen who wished they had brought their tire repair equipment along.  Don't you just hate to waste a morning for a flat tire?

There are hundreds of abandoned mines in this area.  Most have been closed.  There may be some that would permit access.  Please don't attempt to go into a mine.  It is just plain dangerous.  Be smart, stay out.  It is also unwise to play on tailings piles, as many an old timer would use cyanide, also a deadly poison, to leach out precious metals out of their tailings piles.

South
 

The southern loop hosts a wonderful variety of trails.  Going west from the trail head you will want to take the first road over the Highway 73 to the South side of the area.  Here again you can go literally every conceivable direction.  If you continue west you will find a beautiful view of Rush valley.  Rush valley is a patchwork quilt of trails.  Go crazy if you want.  I prefer the routes that follow along the foothills.  There are two passes that are reasonable to traverse on an ATV. 

The first pass is within a half mile of the road.  If you take that loop you can be back to the trail head in 30 minutes from when you left.   The second (reasonable) pass is called Ten Mile pass on the maps.  It is about five miles south of five mile pass. (hum, go figure)  I highly recommend this trail. It is very delightful and a great ride for beginners.   However once you come around the south end of the mountain, the east side of the trail is a bit more challenging with steep gullies to go through and some climbs with higher degree of difficulty.  Once you are through the pass canyon there are several trails on the East side of the range that will get you back north.  Pick one you like and just keep heading north.  If it doesn't pan out, then who cares?  Turn around and find another one. You are there for the ride not to be judged for your expertise in trail discovery.  The East side of the range is private farming property.  Give the owner a break and stay out of his fields.  He's trying to make a living like the rest of us.

The round trip through ten mile pass will take about two and one half hours.  When you get back to the trail head your ATV seat will enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes.

West
 

The trail to the west can take you west of highway 73.  There is a flat sage brush valley floor that is open to riding, but please be careful, because there is also  some restricted areas out there.  Please consult the map so you don't get out of the authorized riding area.  This area supports a heard of antelope, please live and let live.  Stay on existing trails.

Closure Planned
 

Due to the heavy use at Five Mile Pass the BLM is presently "Planning" to close the higher elevations of the area (northern loop on map above) to motorized travel.  Non Motorized vehicles like mountain bicycles will be permitted on existing trails and paths.  According to Brita Laub, of the BLM this is needed "to protect the wildlife habitat and prevent further erosion of this delicate environment."

Warning
 

This area has several gullies and mines that are virtually invisible until you are on top of them.  Not long ago a fellow ATV enthusiast lost his life out at this site when he jumped a hill only to find an open mine on the other side.   Although this area is officially restricted from hunting, this area is also popular for rabbit hunters.   It would be wise to avoid these sportsmen.  Not many hunters can read.  Or apparently it would seem so, because the signs that inform them of the restrictions are usually covered in bullet holes.

This area is also popular for motorcyclists and mountain bikers so do take caution of those obstacles too.

Manning Canyon area is presently open but not recommended for OHV use in that area.  Mining activities in that area many years ago have polluted the area with arsenic.  It is a danger to your health.  Do not go up Manning Canyon road to the tailings piles.   There are plans to cap these tailings to prevent further spreading of the arsenic laden tailings.

It seems that no matter how many attempts there are to clean up five mile pass, there are people who consider it their personal refuse repository.  I was out there in early May, just one week after the BLM clean up. and saw the smoke rising from a camp fire, so I went in closer to inspect.  Here I found an abandoned couch and a still burning campfire.  The ground was littered with shotgun shells and broken bottles.   The tracks on the ground were not that of an ATV but likely that of a truck.   If this couch is yours, you should go get it and haul it off to the county landfill if you don't want it anymore.  Next time be sure that your fire is out before you leave.  It will take more than a bladder full of urine to do the job correctly.   Stupidity such as this is totally inexcusable.

Five mile pass has limitless opportunity for enjoyable ATV riding.  The vistas are beautiful in most cases.   There are all too many evidences that the segment of our society who has no sense of direction even sufficient to find their way to the local dump managed to find their way out to this desolate location to dispose of their humanity.  Please join me in carrying out more refuse than you pack in.  Next time it will be a better ride for all.

In the future the Five Mile Pass trailhead will become an important link in the "Prospector Trail System".  The trail from Five Mile Pass south to Eureka will be identified and signs will be posted to permit a quality long distance loop for the enjoyment of our OHV trail riding public.  Please encourage the BLM to move forward on this trail system with all haste.  This will be a quality ATV experience.
 

Sources:
Bureau of Land Management
Salt Lake City District Office
Route Designation Map January 1992

The BLM has a web page dedicated to Five Mile pass.  To get their take on the location visit that site at: http://www.ut.blm.gov/saltlake_fo/Recreation/Off%20Hwy/fivemile_pass.htm
 

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Updated 5-01-2001 Revised 8-10-02