Pony Express
I’m a Cowboy, On a Steel Horse I Ride
Usually “Pony Express” conjures ideas of lone riders galloping, dusty and saddle-sore, bearing messages great or small to the edges of the frontier. What it doesn’t produce, or didn’t for me, is the image of Aunt Libby and her evocatively-named dogs, standing in “lonely, childless vigil”. Yet, turning off the road near Vernon, joining the old Pony Express route, you’ll begin your route in the company of Aunt Libby and her beloved hounds.
Start your journey by finding a place to park near the aptly named (and marked on Google Maps) Dog Cemetery. Ignore any nagging feelings of sacrilege for parking here, as you’ll be surround by OHV trails and burnt-out fire rings.
Drop down the first hill as the terrain opens up, moving from twisty pass road to wide-open, horizon-defying lines in front of you. For a moment you’ll join, then leave Simpson Springs Road, noting the National Backcountry Scenic Byway signs. Don’t worry- you’ll be on roads that are more “byway” than anything with a sign.
The surface turns quickly to two-track and rocky chunk. Even the sections that look smooth are deceptive, as there’s more hoof traffic than wheel traffic out here. Wind your way around Round Top, appreciating the lower speed of the rougher road and the chance it gives you to look around.
Connect back to Simpson Springs Road briefly as you start working your way toward Erickson Pass. Turn off to the left, beginning your climb up the pass. The road here is deceptive- the scale and lack of visual cues make you think you’re still in the flats, but don’t worry- you’re gaining elevation quickly. The winding pass road is a welcome departure from the flats, and you’ll get a ripping descent on the other side.
Pairs well with: Sturgill Simpson, Andy Serkis reading Lord of the Rings, Haribo gummies, the opening pronghorn hunting scene in No Country for Old Men.
Season: Fall/Spring- Erickson Pass gets snow in the winter, like most higher-elevation spots in the West Desert.
Bike: There’s a wide variety of road surfaces here, but nothing too technical. If you’re comfortable slowing down for some of the short rocky descents, and able to keep traction up some sandy climbs, you should be fine on any gravel bike. The climbs are not extreme or punchy.
Amenities: Pretty sparse out here. If you’re coming from Salt Lake, you’ll pass through Tooele and have access to the services there. There’s a service station in Vernon that looks pretty fun (sign says “ice cream”) but I don’t have any firsthand beta on it.
Route: I park at the Pet Cemetery for the sheer whimsy and weirdness of it. This does place you a couple miles west (and a short climb) up from where the Erickson Pass road comes out. If you want a pure loop, you can continue down the hill from the Pet Cemetery and look for a road coming in on the left.
Route below (click for GPX).
