True Grit
Lil' Gritty top to bottom, one of the park's two expert lines: the steepest lap off the Giant Steps chair, finishing at the lodge.
Your timesno timed runs yet
Ride mode times every run on its own: the clock starts when you roll out of the start and stops at the finish, with splits at each marked spot. Leave Ride mode on between laps and it re-arms when you're back at the start. Times stay on this phone.
Right now at the trailhead
Get the GPS file
Scan with a friend's phone, or tap below. Then open it in your ride app.
- iPhone: tap Download, open it from the Downloads bar, then Share → Trailforks, Strava or Garmin.
- Android: tap Download, then open the file and pick your app.
- Garmin: or drag it into Garmin Connect → Courses → Import on a computer.
https://bsqrd-designs.com/dirt/true-grit/
Getting there
Park at Giant Steps Lodge (Brian Head Resort base)
329 S Highway 143, Brian Head, UT 84719
- Resort base lot by the Giant Steps Lodge and the Giant Steps Express chair. Lift tickets, rentals and bike tech are at the lodge. Pin is approximate; follow the resort signs.
- Start and finish are the same spot. Follow the cue sheet and the arrows on the map.
Cue sheet
| 0.0 | Upper Lil' Grittysingletrack via Giant Steps chair top · Lil' Gritty | 0.9 mi |
| 0.9 | Lower Lil' Grittysingletrack via Giant Steps Lodge | 0.4 mi |
| 1.3 | Back at Giant Steps Lodge (Brian Head Resort base) |
Know before you go
- Lift-served only: ride the Giant Steps Express up and pedal nothing but the descent. A bike park lift ticket is required; the resort uses variable pricing, so buying ahead is cheaper.
- Lil' Gritty is one of the two Expert trails on the resort map. We list it as advanced because that is our top rating; treat it as the hardest thing here after Wildflower.
- About 1.3 miles and 1,100 ft of drop, so it is the steepest lap in this set. The lower section briefly shares Lower Timberline; watch for riders merging.
- A full-face helmet and pads are strongly recommended.
- The resort's summer rules: helmets required (full-face and pads recommended, even on the green), ride only in the posted direction, no uphill travel of any kind on the bike trails, and no e-bikes on the bike park trails or chairlifts.
- 2026 season ran Jun 12 to Sep 20: Friday to Sunday in June and September, daily from late June through Aug 30, lifts 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2027 calendar is not published yet; check brianhead.com before you go.
- The top of the lift is above 10,900 ft. Thunderstorms build most summer afternoons; ride early and get off the mountain when you hear thunder.
Ride smart
- Water: plan on about 0.5 L for this ride. There's none on the trail.
- Signal is spotty. Tell someone your route and your time back.
- Emergency: call 911 and say "True Grit ride, parked at Giant Steps Lodge (Brian Head Resort base), Brian Head Bike Park", plus the coordinates from Locate me.
- Wildlife: give horses, burros and anything with horns room, and never feed them.
- Stay on trail. Desert crust and mountain soil take decades to heal.
Report a problem or share a photo
Washout, closure, new fence or a missing sign? Got a great shot of a junction? Send it. It goes straight to Ryan; photos he approves show up on this page with your credit.
Trail photos
End ride?
Turn calls, the timer and your recording stop when the ride ends.