I spent 3 months biking all over the states and Monarch Crest was the best ride I’ve done period.

As others have said the others have to porcupine rim in moab. Range flag ranch at created butte. Hermosa trail Durango. Downieville and Toads in California.

If I had a holiday back there I’d fly to Denver and do Moab then go back Salida and do monarch. Motel in both and hit the hot springs in Salida!

I though Fruita good but over rated.

Yep Monarch Crest is superb. I’d ride Colorado trails, Utah, New Mexico.

Me in 2008:

crest ben cyn by rockymtnway, on Flickr

Muddy Ground

Bend, Oregon wasn’t much fun when I rode bits of it a few years ago – even the magazine I think that the second OP referred to said it was non-technical, aka slightly dull, which it was. Brilliant place to go to otherwise though – if you avoid the strip malls on the highway side of town and just stick to the Ralph Lauren bits, or play in the lava fields and calderas.

Jasper in Canada was way cool. Somehow the riding is made more ‘real’ at the prospect of being eaten by a bear when up in the mountains.

Muddy Ground

Ooooo, just saw the New Mexico post regarding food. Three words come to mind; green chili sauce. Fan-bloody-tastic ;¬)

Alaska?