Brian Head, Utah – Beginning Saturday, June 25, 2011, Brian Head Resort in southern Utah’s Dixie National Forest will offer summer on-mountain activities including mountain biking, hiking, disc golf and the new self-guided “Brian Head Family Adventure,” earth-science and natural-history focused activities ranging from orienteering to learning about petroglyphs.
All of these activities are offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day and then Saturdays and Sundays through September. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (weather conditions permitting) and can be accessed via Brian Head’s Giant Steps chairlift (Lift 2). Additionally, seven days a week Brian Head mountain biking is served by shuttle service.
Nearby Brian Head, beginning June 23, the 50th anniversary season of the Utah Shakespeare Festival will offer simultaneous productions of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the dark history play Richard III and the tragedy Romeo and Juliet. All three productions will run through Sept. 3. Also, there are many special activities to celebrate the anniversary.
Back on the mountain, the Deseret News says Brian Head “is perfect for mountain biking…a truly biker friendly environment…Brian Head Resort goes out of its way to cater to them.” VeloNews, The Journal of Competitive Cycling, reports “Brian Head features challenging and beautiful riding.” Tom Spiegel of the National Mountain Bike Series, including events at Brian Head, says “The riding is amazing.” Brian Head offers “the best and hardest black diamond trail networks in America,” concludes its summer Operations Director, Ken Jenson. “We have several trails that drop between 3,000 and 5,000 feet, and we offer two professional-quality, expert downhill race courses.”
Chairlift-pass prices for access to mountain biking are “all day” for $24, “single ride” for $10 and “summer season pass” for $125. Group rates are available, and purchases of 10 or more passes at the same time with one payment receive 25 percent off (not valid with any other promotions or coupons). Mountain bike shuttles are offered everyday for $17.50 per person, per trip, and this includes one free chairlift ride. Shuttles reservations can be made at 435-590-1473.
Brian Head has a fleet of full-suspension, downhill rental bikes. Daily bike rental rates range from either a 13-inch frame with 20-inch wheels or a 22-inch frame with 26-inch wheels for $20 to $42 for a high-performance downhill bike. Prices of helmets and other equipment rentals are detailed at http://brianhead.com/rental_rates_sumer.htm.
The mountain bike park at Brian Head, with its combined chairlift and shuttle service, gives access to over 200 miles of exhilarating mountain bike trails offering perhaps America’s most diverse scenery. The trails range from easy to advanced and there is also a terrain park. At the top of the chairlift, mountain bikers have access to the Sydney Peaks Trail, the right and left forks of the Bunker Creek Trail, and the Dark Hollow Trail. Riders can chose trails based on their skill level, how much time they have and the type of scenery they want to take in, including views all the way to Arizona and Nevada, sweeping red-rock vistas, mountain ranges, lava flows and wildflowers, as well as bald eagles, peregrines, and prairie falcons.
Brian Head’s mountain bike terrain park includes jumps, drops, walls, ladders, and other wooden elements. These areas require varied degrees of skill level, and allow riders to start small, ride smart and work their way up. This ever expanding and centralized terrain park network includes Ken’s Woods, Stef’s Steps and Malicious Woods. All are accessible from the lower parts of Color Country, Timberline, Lil’ Gritty and Wildflower. The freestyle, downhill, and terrain-park features are not recommend for novice riders. However, “B” lines are available around the more technical elements.
Chairlift-pass prices for access to hiking are $10 for adults (13-64), $6 for seniors (65+) and $5 for children (4-12). This includes access to the 2.75-mile Vista Hiking Trail, which starts at the top of the chairlift, ends at the Giant Steps Lodge and features the free Brian Head Family Adventure program, several self-guided activity-stations, including digging for fossils, panning for gold, roping cattle, drawing petroglyphs, and hunting for arrowheads and geodes.
Chairlift-passes for accessing Brian Head’s 18-hole disc golf course are $10 for everyone. Due to some rough hiking conditions, the course it is not recommended for small children. The course, Utah’s longest, starts at 11,000 feet and covers a total distance of 10,000 feet. All holes are par three. Playing 18 holes takes from two to three hours, and can be shortened by hiking down and playing the bottom nine. Golf fees range from $2 for an all-course disc to $5 for three discs (midrange, distance driver and putter) and a carrying case. Scorecard and map are included.
“There will be something for everyone this summer at Brian Head,” said Jenson. “It’s nice and cool up at Brian Head, with summer highs averaging 70 degrees, and many of the activities and events are free to the public – not to mention the two free winter season passes hidden in white eggs that no one found during the past two year’s Easter Egg Hunts.”
On-mountain events include the 2011 4th of July Fireworks Show and the Flyn Brian Gravity Festival on August 13 and 14. Available in the town of Brian Head are dining, spa treatments and special events such as a monthly “Outdoor Movie Night.”
Additionally, adjacent to Brian Head is Cedar Breaks National Monument and nearby are Zion, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, as Brian Head is in the heart of the renowned Grand Circle of National Parks.
Brian Head Resort’s Mountain Bike Park and Activity Center are located at 329 South Highway 143, Brian Head, UT 84719 in southern Utah, only 3 hours northeast of Las Vegas. Thus Brian Head is perfect for combining a trip with Las Vegas nightlife, Utah golf and/or a national park/monument visit, including Zion, Bryce and Cedar Breaks. For more information, visit www.brianhead.com and www.facebook.com/Brian.Head.Resort