Big Cottonwood Canyon and Guardsman Pass by motorcycle
SR-190 starts at the edge of Salt Lake City and climbs Big Cottonwood Canyon past Solitude and Brighton (Wikipedia). In summer you can carry on over Guardsman Pass, a paved road to a 9,717 ft high point, and drop down the other side to Park City or the Heber Valley (Visit Utah). It is the quickest mountain crossing from the airport side of the Wasatch to the back.
The route at a glance
- Road: SR-190 up Big Cottonwood Canyon, then the Guardsman Pass road over the top. The state route ends at the Salt Lake–Wasatch county line; the link over the pass to SR-224 (Park City) and SR-222 (Midway) is not state-maintained (Wikipedia). Visit Utah lists the whole pass road as paved (Visit Utah).
- Start: 6200 South (Big Cottonwood Road) at I-215, Holladay (Wikipedia).
- Length: SR-190 is 19.9 miles by the mileposts, Holladay to the county line (Wikipedia). Visit Utah gives 24.2 miles for its Guardsman Pass byway, measured from the Marsac Avenue turnoff near Deer Valley (Visit Utah).
- Height: 9,717 ft at the high point (Visit Utah).
- Time: about an hour for the pass at an easy pace (Visit Utah); add the canyon on top.
- Season: the canyon is open all year; the pass is closed all winter (Wikipedia). UDOT says it is typically open June to November (UDOT Cottonwood Canyons). In 2025 it closed at midnight on November 2 (KUTV); in 2026 the Park City side opened in mid-April and the Big Cottonwood side on May 11 (KPCW). Check UDOT before you go.
- Big vehicles: semi-trucks and trailers are not allowed over the pass because the road is narrow with tight turns (Visit Utah).
- Fees: none of our sources list a fee for the road.
Mileposts
| Milepost | Place |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | 6200 South / SR-152, Holladay |
| 0.0 to 0.2 | I-215 interchange |
| 1.8 | SR-210 (Wasatch Boulevard) south toward Little Cottonwood and Alta; the canyon starts east of here |
| 19.9 | Salt Lake–Wasatch county line; end of SR-190 |
Mileposts from Wikipedia's junction list. Solitude, Brighton and the pass turnoff have no mileposts in our sources.
Up the canyon
SR-190 climbs the canyon past Solitude Mountain Resort to Brighton (Wikipedia). Both resorts run parking reservation systems in ski season (UDOT Cottonwood Canyons). In winter the canyon can close for avalanche control, and UDOT may hold uphill traffic at Cardiff Fork when parking is full (UDOT Cottonwood Canyons). For a summer ride, neither applies.
Over Guardsman Pass
Near Brighton the pass road turns off the canyon road and climbs to the high point (Visit Utah). It is steep: Visit Utah gives cyclists an average grade of 8.5%, with pitches of 10 to 18% (Visit Utah). Take the hairpins in a low gear, and expect cyclists on the climb. The Guardsman Pass Overlook is at the top, and the road passes the Bonanza Flat Conservation Area on the east side (Visit Utah).
Down to Park City or Midway
On the east side the road splits. One way drops to Park City by Deer Valley (SR-224); the other runs down Pine Canyon Road to Midway and the Heber Valley (SR-222) (Wikipedia, KPCW). In 2026 Wasatch County opened Pine Canyon Road on May 11, the same day as the Brighton side (KPCW).
Before you ride
- Fuel: none of our sources list gas in the canyon or on the pass. Fill up in the valley, or in Park City or Heber.
- Cold: close to 10,000 ft at the top. Bring a warm layer, even in July.
- Cyclists: the climb is popular with road cyclists (Visit Utah). Give them room on the hairpins.
- Rules for visiting riders (helmets, eye protection, lane filtering): Riding in Utah.
Join it up
- From Salt Lake City: the canyon starts minutes from I-215. Salt Lake City by motorcycle.
- The canyon next door: Little Cottonwood Canyon (SR-210) to Snowbird and Alta starts on Wasatch Boulevard.
- A Wasatch loop: up Big Cottonwood and over the pass to Midway, down Provo Canyon, then up the Alpine Loop past Sundance and out to I-15 at Lehi (summer only, when both are open).
- From Park City or Heber: Park City and Heber, and the Mirror Lake Highway to the east.
Rent a bike
Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.