I rolled my Trek 6700 mountain bike onto Main Street in Coalville, the western sky glowing with the last light of the day. Pulling up in front of Bunny’s, I felt — if only for a fleeting moment — like a Hell’s Angel on a Harley, rolling to a stop at the curb.

It marked the culmination of a 17-mile ride from our home along the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail — a journey of solitude and sweeping scenery. As we stepped into Bunny’s, the saloon buzzed with chatter and laughter. I was ready. A cold beer and a burger were calling my name.

Like most of our recreational adventures, history often plays a key role. Rides or hikes with my wife, Carole, often include side attractions like the historic Pace Ranch, underneath where I-80 enters Silver Creek Canyon.

George Pace settled in the area around 1865, about the same time as Willard Atkinson. The two of them were among the primary landholders in the area. Pace’s Silver Creek Livestock Company grew to over 1,000 acres of beef, dairy and sheep. As the railroad expanded in western America, Union Pacific acquired land from Pace, creating Atkinson Station to facilitate the transportation of his livestock to market.

The railroad continued to serve ranchers, mining interests and even skiers until it was abandoned in 1989. Enter noted Parkite Sally Elliott, who banded together supporters to preserve the 28-mile trail from the old mining sites of Prospector in Park City all the way to Echo, via Wanship and Coalville. The new state park became Utah’s first non-motorized recreational trail in 1992.

Living in Silver Creek Estates, we dropped straight down onto the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail from home, pausing for a moment to admire the architecture of the old bank barn at Pace Ranch — a unique structure built into the hillside, where gravity once helped lift and haul hay in and out of the barn with ease.

On the ride through Silver Creek Canyon, I dropped into high gear and let it roll, wind in my face. Along I-80, you’ve probably noticed those jagged redrock spires — remnants of Utah’s volcanic past some 35 million years ago.

My mind also raced back to Utah skiing history. The first snow trains into Park City came in 1936, shuttling eager skiers into the mountains until 1971. When the rail line through Parley’s Canyon was decommissioned, trains were rerouted to loop the long way around from Ogden to Park City via Weber and Silver Creek canyons.

Riding well below the traffic lanes of I-80, the roar of cars and semis was muted as we followed meandering Silver Creek. Past the mouth of Alexander Canyon, the trail straightened for the sprint to Wanship. Riding through town past the old Spring Chicken Inn, I recalled the time I suggested snowshoeing from home to Wanship for chicken. We didn’t make it.

Hitting the old Wanship Station, I found myself thinking, “We should’ve dropped the car here.” But onward it was — toward Coalville — past farm fields, tangled beaver dams, and the gentle confluence of Silver Creek and the Weber River, all bathed in the golden hour glow. The fields lit up in a vivid Irish emerald, vibrant under the setting sun.

It was then my mind wandered to a ride from years past — one that has never quite left me. I had an encounter on the trail that day with something I could never identify. As I passed under Judd Lane, the memory sharpened. A sleek, black figure darted across the trail — a runaway mink, I figured, from one of the nearby farms — slipping quickly into the underbrush.

With Coalville drawing near, I was down to counting the quarter-mile markers, legs tired but heart light. Soon, it was back on pavement with the finish line in sight.

Not long after, I had a cold, freshly poured Cali Squeeze Blood Orange wheat beer in hand, paired with a gargantuan $10 burger and fries. It was a ride well ridden. And thankfully, this time, we had the car for the journey home.

DETAILS

Trailhead: You have several options, including riding all the way from Park City. However, for this ride, I suggest the Pace Ranch Trailhead (located on Google Maps), which is accessible via the Silver Summit exit off US-40. From there, it’s 14.2 miles to Coalville, dropping 889 feet in elevation, mostly from Pace to Wanship. You can ride back or drop a shuttle car in advance.

Dining: Bunny’s is a great stop for a drink and a burger. If you have under-21s, consider Annie B’s Pizzeria next door or the delightful Mix Place for ice cream or sodas. Coalville is actually filled with cool little hometown restaurants.