“Before heading out to ride the Salt Lake City to Sacramento section of the Pony Express route I wanted to verify the single track option leading into Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, it’s not ride-able. It’s hardly hike-able. Reminded me of the TourDivide and the section where you walk your bike through a river that’s basically snow melt and take a hike up a muddy wall with a bike in tow. Lots of deadfall. Lots of rocks. Lots of mud. Amazing beauty in every direction, though.
The hike-a-bike will remain on the route for those who wish to keep as true as possible to the original route. I aim to have two GPX files. One that includes a handful of hike-a-bike sections that stays true. Another GPX file that bypasses those hike-a-bikes for easier, sometimes paved, alternatives.
For this section there is a paved alternative that happens to also be a favorite for local road cyclists. Drivers through here are aware of this and have been courteous to those cyclists every time I’ve passed through. The decision on which route to take, and the level of adventure that you’re looking for, is all yours!”
[N.B. the paved alternative seems to be Highway 65; the cutoff is just before Mile 1299]