Thunder Mountain Trail

Thunder Mountain Trail is a 7.9-mile mountain bike route through Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest, just outside Bryce Canyon National Park. It's technical and physically demanding, with tight switchbacks, loose terrain, steep drops, and close to 3,000 feet of elevation change end to end. Most riders run it as an east-to-west downhill charge with a shuttle waiting at the bottom, though it can also be ridden as a loop or, for the ambitious, climbed uphill.

What to expect

• Elevation ranges roughly from 7,080 to 8,270 feet along the route
• Terrain moves from sparse cedar-and-pine forest into open, reddish rock reminiscent of Bryce's own hoodoos
• Best ridden late spring through fall; a shuttle vehicle is standard for the popular downhill option

This is Forest Service land, not park interior, so the more permissive Dixie National Forest rules apply — dogs are generally fine on this multi-use trail, and it sits within a larger network of dispersed camping options nearby.