Provo's trail running starts at the end of a residential street. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail runs along the foothills above BYU and Orem, and the canyons that cut into the mountains behind it, Rock, Slate, Dry and Grove Creek, turn any easy jog into a climb within a mile. The question for a runner is not where the dirt is. It is how much you want to climb per mile, and how early you are willing to start in July.
This page is the dirt companion to our runner's guide to Provo, which covers the paved Provo River Parkway and Murdock Canal, the gate calendar, track access and air quality. Distances and climbing below are from AllTrails unless noted. We sorted them by feet of climbing per mile, which tells a runner more than distance does.
The routes at a glance
| Route | Round trip | Climb | Climb per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| BST: Hellspot Tower segment | 2.5 mi | 226 ft | about 90 ft |
| BST: Orem East segment | 3.9 mi | 416 ft | about 107 ft |
| BST: Y Mountain to Rock Canyon | 5.1 mi | 652 ft | about 128 ft |
| BST and Johnson's Hole loop | 4.5 mi | 620 ft | about 138 ft |
| Big Springs Hollow loop, Provo Canyon | 4.0 mi | 856 ft | about 214 ft |
| Rock Canyon Trail | 5.8 mi | 1,712 ft | about 295 ft |
| Grove Creek and Battle Creek loop | 8.0 mi | 2,585 ft | about 323 ft |
| Slate Canyon | 7.7 mi | 3,231 ft | about 420 ft |
| Top of the Y | 2.4 mi | 1,072 ft | about 447 ft |
| Dry Canyon, Orem | 5.7 mi | 2,874 ft | about 504 ft |
As a rough guide, under 150 feet per mile runs like rolling terrain for most fit runners; above about 300, most people are power-hiking parts of it.
The runnable dirt: Bonneville Shoreline segments
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail traces an ancient lakeshore along the foothills, and in Provo and Orem it is the closest thing to a flat dirt trail. Our Utah County BST guide maps every segment from the Point of the Mountain to Payson, including the gaps; our Provo and Orem BST guide covers the local trailheads.
For running, three segments stand out on AllTrails:
- Hellspot Tower: 2.5 miles round trip, 226 feet, rated easy. The gentlest dirt run in Provo.
- Orem East: 3.9 miles, 416 feet, rated easy, dogs on leash, listed by AllTrails in the Timpanogos State Wildlife Management Area.
- Y Mountain to Rock Canyon: 5.1 miles, 652 feet, rated moderate. The classic Provo bench run, linking the two busiest trailheads in town. Add the Johnson's Hole loop (4.5 miles, 620 feet) for a variation.
The BST is shared with mountain bikers and hikers, often with dogs. On blind corners, assume someone is coming.
Shade: Big Springs Hollow in Provo Canyon
Big Springs Hollow loop: 4.0 miles, 856 feet, AllTrails tags it with forest, river and wildflowers and lists dogs on leash. It starts from the Big Springs area in the South Fork of Provo Canyon. A shorter combination, Grassy Field Cruise, Shingle Mill and Big Springs Hollow, is 2.6 miles with 610 feet.
This is the summer answer for a runner who cannot start at dawn: the foothills above town are mostly open scrub oak and grass, and the canyon is not. Our Provo Canyon guide to Vivian Park and Nunns Park covers the canyon's parks and parking.
The climbs above town
Rock Canyon Trail: 5.8 miles round trip, 1,712 feet, moderate. The canyon floor is a long, steady grade on rocky doubletrack, busy with hikers, climbers and bikes. AllTrails also lists a short 2.8-mile, 830-foot out-and-back to the Rock Canyon cave. Our Rock Canyon guide covers parking at the trailhead, which fills early.
Top of the Y: 2.4 miles round trip, 1,072 feet. Short, switchbacked and steep, about 447 feet of climbing per mile, which makes it the town's standard hill workout. Our Y Mountain trail guide covers the trailhead and the route.
Slate Canyon: 7.7 miles round trip, 3,231 feet, rated hard. The longest steep run starting in Provo city limits. Our Slate Canyon guide covers it.
Dry Canyon, Orem: 5.7 miles, 2,874 feet, rated hard, the steepest of the group at about 500 feet per mile.
Grove Creek and Battle Creek loop, Pleasant Grove: 8 miles, 2,585 feet, rated hard, past waterfalls on both creeks. The shorter Grove Creek trail is 1.8 miles with 646 feet. Our Battle Creek Falls guide covers the lower half.
Kyhv Peak: AllTrails lists the Kyhv Peak Trail at 7.5 miles round trip with 2,752 feet and tags it for hiking rather than running; it is a strong runner's power-hike. Our Kyhv Peak guide explains the road and gate.
The long days
- Deer Creek Trail, Deer Creek State Park: 15.2 miles out and back, 1,145 feet, moderate, no dogs. The longest moderate dirt route near Provo, and gentle enough to run most of it. The state park charges entry; our Deer Creek and Jordanelle guide covers the park.
- Big Baldy and the Y-to-Rock Canyon traverse: a big link-up above town, covered in our traverse guide.
- The Timpanogos traverse: the two-car Timpooneke to Aspen Grove day, covered in our traverse guide. AllTrails lists the first section, Scout Falls via the Timpooneke trail, at 3 miles round trip with 813 feet if you want a shorter forested run in American Fork Canyon.
- Spanish Fork Peak via Maple Canyon: 11 miles, 4,619 feet, hard, the biggest climb on this page.
Heat: the reason Provo trail runners start at dawn
The foothill trails above Provo face west into the afternoon sun and carry little shade. We looked at five Julys (2021 to 2025) of hourly temperature readings from the Provo airport, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive:
- The reading just before 7 a.m. averaged about 67 degrees.
- By the reading just before 11 a.m., about 82.
- The readings just before 4 and 5 p.m. averaged about 92, and reached 90 degrees or more on about 74 and 81 percent of July days.
- After sunset it eased: about 83 by the reading just before 9 p.m.
The airport is on the valley floor by the lake, not on the bench, but the shape of the day is the point. In July, a 6 a.m. start buys you roughly 25 degrees over a late-afternoon run. Carry more water than the distance suggests, and on summer afternoons consider that ozone, not just heat, is the air-quality problem; our runner's guide explains why.
Altitude and other practical notes
- Provo sits at about 4,500 feet, and the canyon routes above climb well past 6,000. Newcomers from sea level feel it on the first few hard runs. Our Provo elevation guide explains what to expect.
- Dogs: AllTrails lists most foothill trails as dog-friendly, some leashed (Orem East, Big Springs Hollow), and the Deer Creek Trail as no dogs. Follow the posted sign.
- Shared trails: the BST, Rock Canyon and the canyon loops are multi-use. Common trail etiquette gives uphill traffic the right of way, but nobody wins a collision on a blind switchback.
- Winter: the bench routes stay runnable on many winter days, but snow and ice change them fast, and AllTrails lists Rock Canyon for cross-country skiing as well as running. Our guide to indoor tracks and winter running covers the plowed and indoor options.
- Mountain biking crossover: our Corner Canyon guide covers the trail system in Draper with its directional rules, worth knowing before you run there.
A first month on Provo dirt
- Week 1: Hellspot Tower or Orem East, easy, to learn the surface.
- Week 2: Y Mountain to Rock Canyon on the BST.
- Week 3: a Rock Canyon out-and-back, turning around when you have had enough.
- Week 4: the Y as a hill session, walking the steep parts without shame.
After that, Slate, Dry Canyon and the Grove Creek loop are waiting, and so is the Timpanogos traverse in late summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I trail run in Provo?
What is the easiest trail run near Provo?
What is the hardest trail run close to Provo?
When should I trail run in Provo in summer?
Is there a shaded trail run near Provo?
Can I run with my dog on Provo trails?
Is there a long flat-ish trail run near Provo?
Where are road and paved running routes in Provo?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Bonneville Shoreline Trail: Y Mountain-Rock Canyon, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Bonneville Shoreline Trail: Orem East, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Bonneville Shoreline Trail: Hellspot Tower, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Rock Canyon Trail, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- AllTrails: Top of the Y, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Slate Canyon Trail, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Dry Canyon Trail, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Grove Creek and Battle Creek Loop, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Big Springs Hollow Loop, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Deer Creek Trail, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Kyhv Peak Trail, AllTrails. Checked October 19, 2026.
- Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) hourly observations, 2021-2025, Iowa Environmental Mesonet, Iowa State University. Checked October 19, 2026.
