Thunder Mountain Loop is a 15.6 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Panguitch, Utah that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until November. Horses are also able to use this trail.
Kid friendly
Hiking
Horseback riding
Mountain biking
Nature trips
Road biking
Walking
Bird watching
Partially paved
Views
Wild flowers
Wildlife
Rocky
No shade
No dogs
We started off from the Red Canyon Campground along SB12, and rode the paved bike trail to Coyote Hollow and then started the loop at the Coyote Hollow TH. The initial ascent is slow going and quite a good warm up before hitting the main trail. The first part of the trail is an up/down ride with some good climbs, but very doable in the right gears. At the midpoint, the ride becomes a little more level with some great views and a few steep climbs. As you descend the mountain, you encounter some tight switchbacks, and then a really nice bomb downhill (no pedaling needed) for over a mile, that dumps you right back into the Red Canyon campground. Fantastic ride.
Mon Jun 08 2020So this app says it’s a loop but it’s really not a loop for horses. However, we continued on the bike trail in order to make it a loop. It’s a gorgeous trail that has some very rocky parts. My daughter and I did it and absolutely loved it. The view is spectacular with shade on a good majority.
Mon May 25 2020Fun trail, more climbing than downhill until the very end, but it’s super fun with beautiful views especially on the top and backside. Moderate to difficult ride, probably not a beginner trail. Early morning is the best time to ride of course, but good anytime of day unless it’s super hot. :) Bring a good amount of water, camera and be prepared for a good workout.
Sat May 23 2020Riding out the Equestrian Campground this is a 9.4 mile, 4 hour ride to the Thunder Mountain Trailhead at the bottom of Red Canyon where our truck and trailer were waiting. Riding out from the campground we followed the road 1.2 miles to the Coyote Hollow Trailhead. There is plenty of room at the trailhead for trailers. I would stage trailers and drop off at the top and pick-up at the bottom of the trail. 3.6 miles from the Coyote Hollow trailhead are hitching posts and an outhouse (outhouse is missing it’s door). This first section winds through the trees with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, the second half of the ride, after the hitching posts is what this trail is know for, breathtaking hoodoos and sandstone rock formations. It’s so beautiful, I felt like I was riding through a theme park ride or on another planet. It’s just unreal and I personally feel like there isn’t a better way to experience this trail than on horseback! Notes on the Coyote Hollow Equestrian Campground. The campground has three hitching posts and plenty of trees to secure a highline. The camp ground has water (non-pottable) for the horses. The water ran dry on our second day, apparently ranchers use the same well for their cattle so we had no notice that we wouldn’t have water for the horses. Our trailer has a tank which we were able to fill at the gas station just up the highway. This campground is first come first serve with no priority given to equestrians even though this is an equestrian campground. We arrived Wednesday and had our choice of the four campsites. There is some movement to set aside one or two sites for equestrian use like they have at other equestrian campgrounds in the Dixie National Forest, please contact or email https://www.fs.usda.gov/contactus/dixie/about-forest/contactus to let them know how important this campground is for equestrians.
Fri May 22 2020One of the most beautiful trails I’ve ever ridden
Thu May 21 2020Perhaps my fav in Utah!
Fri May 08 2020One of the best trails!
Sun May 03 2020This is a premier bike trail. Don't think of hiking it on a weekend or you'll get mowed down and make all the bikers mad. Golden Walls is the neighboring trail and is hiking only (it is more beautiful and photogenic). Thunder Mountain is a serious gig. I prefer the uphill portion to the down. The fast pace, steep descent, and hairpin turns are not for the faint of heart. I have hiked a lot, and I would say this is moderate/difficult. It's a workout.
Thu Apr 30 2020Biked it.
Tue Apr 28 2020Fun trail will go again next time
Sun Apr 26 2020Bottom line up front - beautiful hike! This is an easy hike but made moderate due to length. Highly recommend for hikers to hike counter-clockwise. Also, recommend hikers leave bikes at the eastern trailhead so you can bike the last 5 miles back to the west end trailhead as the bike path is nice but would not be an enjoyable walk.
Sat Apr 11 2020Simply smashing!!! Quite lovely.
Wed Oct 09 2019Awesome trail -uphill both ways lol
Sat Jun 15 2019Really nice trail. Pack all your water in because there aren’t any springs along the trail. Most people use it for mountain biking but it’s easy to step off trail to let them pass. We backpacked in a few miles the night before and stayed the night but you could easily do it in a day.
Wed Jun 05 2019Great trail, but it seems to be rarely hiked. We ran into several friendly mountain bikers and a horseback tour. The hoodoos and the Pune forest trail are incredible, but the 5 or so mile walk back to the truck on the asphalt bike path wasn’t what we were expecting. Awesome trail nonetheless and I’m sure incredible for mountain biking!
Fri May 31 2019Sun May 26 2019really good trail and beautiful views
Thu May 02 2019An absolutely amazing hike I did with my dogs. Just like Bryce, but without the crowds, and pets are allowed can't get better than that.
Tue Apr 23 2019Beautiful views. Met a group of bikers as this is a bike trail as well. Saw 2 antelope and spectacular hoodoos
Sun Apr 21 2019Hiked 4.5 miles from the trailhead near the visitor center to the clearing with the hitching posts and doorless outhouse. Thunder Mountain looks to be covered in snow, but the trail to where I stopped was almost completely snow-free and only muddy in short places. Just me, and one mountain biker all morning.
Tue Apr 09 2019Trail is pretty much impassable with deep snow in some parts. Couldn’t bike very far.
Mon Apr 01 2019Awesome trail. Traffic was non-existent for my cold sunrirse run. Portions of the trail were covered in 1-2' of snow and the only way to stay on the trail was to follow footprints. Still had an excellent run.
Tue Jul 10 2018I just did this as an out and back starting from the clearly marked trailhead at milepost 3 on Hwy 12, just before the Red Canyon Visitor Center. The trailhead has a restroom, but no water. Truly wonderful hike. Some of the same wonderful rock formations you would see at Bryce, but without the crowds. I also like that it was uphill on the way out and downhill on the way back, which is the opposite of hiking in Bryce Canyon.This trail is obviously used for mountain biking and horseback riding, which is more practical if you are going to do the whole loop. I was the only one on the trail this morning. Evidence of the past presence of horses is abundant, but not bothersome. For the first 1.4 miles you are walking gradually uphill on a nice path, with pleasant but not spectacular scenery. After reaching a junction, and continuing on the Thunder Mountain trail, things get really interesting. There is a slightly steep uphill with switchbacks and then you are walking along a ridge, rolling up and down, with beautiful views in all directions. At about 2.4 miles, there is a side trail for Inspiration Point, which goes up to a wonderful viewpoint in about .3 miles. It's absolutely worth the extra effort.
Thu Jul 05 2018Beautiful hike! If hiking we think it is better to do counter clockwise. We were the only hikers, two mountain bikes and 6 people on horse back. Loose rock and some steep climbs make somewhat technical. Would do it again.
Fri Jun 15 2018Amazing!! A good mix of fairly short/easy climbs and fun downhill sections. Initial descent loose, technical, and rocky.....final descent to highway fast and fun!!! Would recommend for sure!!
Fri Dec 22 2017more for mountain biking
Tue Dec 19 2017The first 9 miles are suitable for road bikes as it's a paved pathway. Top notch views, short but sweet!
Wed Jul 26 2017Exceptional MTB Trail. I would not recommend for inexperienced riders.
