TAKE A CULTURAL ECO TOUR
Preserving the Future since 1990
try a new way up
Utah Open Lands' Bonanza shuttle
Free Weekend Shuttle to Bonanza Flat Conservation Area
Utah Open Lands' Bonanza Shuttle is free and connects the Big Cottonwood Canyon Park & Ride in Cottonwood Heights with the Bloods Lake and Bonanza Flat trailheads.
Saturdays and Sundays through September 27
Free - First come, first served
Protecting Bonanza Flat Conservation Area was a choice.
How we reach it is one, too.
Leave your car in the valley and let someone else handle the canyon road. A shared ride saves gas, reduces emissions, takes away the stress of driving and parking, and leaves one more car behind.
If you have never visited Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, let this be your way in.
If you already love it, try a new way up.
Plan Your Ride
Saturdays and Sundays through September 27
Uphill shuttles leave the BCC Park & Ride hourly from 7:30 a.m. through 2:30 p.m.
For time on the trails, choose a departure between 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
The 2:30 p.m. departure still travels uphill, but riders must return directly on the shuttle or arrange another way down.
The final shuttle down leaves Bonanza Flat Conservation Area at 3:30 p.m. and returns to the BCC Park & Ride around 4:30 p.m.
Know Before You Go
Where do I catch the shuttle?
At the Big Cottonwood Canyon Park & Ride in Cottonwood Heights
Where does the shuttle stop?
At Bloods Lake Trailhead and Bonanza Flat Trailhead.
Do I need a reservation?
No. The shuttle is free and first come, first served.
How many people can ride?
The shuttle carries up to 11 passengers.
Can I bring my bike?
Yes. The shuttle can carry up to seven bikes
Can I bring my dog?
Only service animals are permitted on the shuttle this year.
Can I use the shuttle to ride the Wasatch Crest?
The shuttle does not stop at the top of Guardsman Pass and is not a direct Wasatch Crest drop-off.
Riders can connect to the broader trail network from Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, including 9K and routes toward Blazing Saddles, Scott's Pass and the Crest.
If your route continues into upper Millcreek Canyon, bikes are permitted on those trails only on even-numbered days. Please plan your route before boarding.
What should I know before heading into the mountains?
Please plan ahead with water and be prepared for changing mountain weather.
And give yourself time. Bonanza Flat Conservation Area is worth lingering in, whether you come for the trails, a picnic or simply a few hours in the mountains.
July through September is the only time of year the entire trail system is open. For the rest of the year, the Bonanza Loop Trail and the portion of the WOW connection within the conservation area are closed to give wildlife something increasingly rare in the Wasatch: long stretches of time without us in it.
photo courtesy: Jim Shuler
Why Ride the Shuttle?
We know that every year, 100,000 people travel from the Salt Lake Valley to Bonanza Flat.
Utah Open Lands’ Bonanza Shuttle gives people another way to reach this treasured landscape without each person needing to drive a separate car all the way to the top.
Riding the shuttle helps:
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reduce the number of individual vehicles headed up the canyon
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ease parking pressure at popular trailheads (which also have a parking fee)
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lower emissions when riders choose the shuttle instead of driving separately
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improve access for people who may not want to drive canyon roads or whose vehicles are not well suited for the trip
Utah Open Lands led the community effort to permanently protect Bonanza Flat Conservation Area alongside Park City, regional partners, and broad community support. Park City owns the land, and Utah Open Lands holds the conservation easement that keeps it protected forever.
Protection is only the first step in the work we do. Stewardship is how we keep our forever promise.
After Bonanza Flat Conservation Area was protected, Utah Open Lands launched a shuttle service from Park City to Bonanza Flat Conservation Area to help address parking, access, and congestion challenges. The service proved its value, and Park City incorporated Bonanza Flat service into its regular public transportation system through the Purple Line in 2025.
Now, we’re running a pilot program again, this time from the Wasatch Front. Utah Open Lands’ Bonanza Shuttle will help people reach Bonanza Flat from the Salt Lake Valley while leaving more individual cars behind.
Utah Open Lands’ Bonanza Shuttle is operated by Utah Mountain Shuttle.
With Funding from:
