Spruces Nordic ski trail is a 5K loop in the US Forest Service Spruces campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It is groomed several times each week. It is a very pretty track through the trees, with loops that are fun and challenging for experienced skiers and areas that are fun for children and novices.

This is watershed. No dogs on the trails or in your car.

Parking at Spruces

Cars parked in the Spruces must either have one of the following passes displayed, or pay on-site or online for the day/s parked.

  • Uinta-Wasatch-Cache 3 – Day Pass – $10.00
  • Uinta-Wasatch-Cache 7 – Day Pass- $20.00
  • Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Annual Pass- $60.00 
  • America the Beautiful National Parks Pass (Annual, Senior Annual or Lifetime, Military Annual or Lifetime, Interagency Access, Interagency 4th Grade Pass with a voucher).

3 and 7-day passes are valid for consecutive days and can be purchased online here, at a Uinta-Wasatch Cache National Forest District Ranger office, and there are posters with QR codes at Spruces that you can scan with your phone and pay.

The Spruces weather station is right next to the track. It has information on temperature and snow depth.

Most recent Grooming Report

  • Spruces
    by Chris Magerl
    Spruces skied great Monday from about noon to at least 2p. I had to leave at 2p, but with regret, as the skiing was still fun. Heard from another skier that it was frighteningly firm at 11a. Timing is everything for spring skiing. For Tuesday, the best window will likely be 9a to 11a. Unlike today, there will not be cloud cover, so the snow in the sun will soften considerably. There is less wind in the forecast, and the daytime high will be well beyond Monday’s high. The very strong winds Saturday night scattered dirt, pinecones and twigs in many places. Best to not bring your race skis, and stay off the main road (west/left side when heading uphill) whenever possible. Lest that sounds like too much bother, the skiing today was wonderful, and the heat dome will likely mean the end of coverage. Go get it! Bonus wax tip: In very dirty snow, paraffin can slow you down. Consider stripping your bases with wax remover, let the base dry, do NOT apply any new paraffin (No hot wax, no liquid paraffin spray) apply structure and a non-paraffin liquid or bloc topcoat. Toko Jet Liquid Yellow should rip. Spray it and go have fun.

Location

Click on image for Google Maps

To get to Spruces, head up Big Cottonwood Canyon. Spruces parking lot is on the south side of the highway, about one mile past the large parking area of Mill D summer trails.

Trail Map