Must-do trails in Moab / Grand Junction / Crested Butte?

As above really – group of us out there next month, and wondered what people think are the “must-do” trails. Oh – and what tyres??!!

Navajo Rocks
Capt. Ahab
Kokopelli Trails at Fruita/Loma

Capt Ahab/Amasa back trail, there’s now a link trail from the carpark.
Navaho rocks.
Whole Enchilada (just because it’s such a short window of availability) and I’ve only managed to ride from UPS both trips.
Loads more in and around Moab, ask the lbs staff, they’re great for trail info.
Tyres? Take something tough for rocky trails, but the rock is SUPER grippy.

“The Ribbon” in Grand Junction.
Thank me later! 😉

Whole Enchilada in Moab

Kokopelli Trails at Fruita/Loma

This – it’s on the road out of Grand Junction towards Moab.

In Moab, obviously Slickrock; Bartlett Wash is a fun playground type area; Poison Spider is a step up in skill and exertion but worth trying.
There are also a few routes up in the hills/ forests from Moab – kinda “climb for an hour, descend for 20 minutes”, but I can’t remember their names.

The Alaska trail on Klondike Bluffs
Moab Brand Trails for a more chilled out ride
Portal…… 🙂

Some random photos to wet your appetite…

Trail 401, Crested Butte: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157607441614853

Slick Rock, Moab: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157607585573838

Amasa Back, Moab: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157622566047530

Kokopelli Trails, Moab / Fruita: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157622551826910

Sovereign Trail, Moab: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157622466754883

The Kessel Run, Fruita: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/albums/72157622551655006

Crested butte: 401 is good with awesome views but doctors park was better from a tech standpoint. Flg/bear/reno also good.

Amasa & Ahab.
Whole Enchilada.
Magnificent 7.
The Ribbon – there’s lots more at the bottom too. Get a shuttle to the top. Ride the Ribbon then the trails at the bottom until you collapse.
If you have never been to Moab, do Slickrock, probably as the first trail you do when you get there.

If you have never been, start with a day at Kokopelli. It is a nice introduction to Western Slope riding.

I find 18 Road a bit Mleh.

Based purely on me and my girlfriends tastes…

Crested Butte – 401 is touted as ‘a classic’ (long a flowy with awesome views) but I preferred Doctors

Grand Junction – we found Lunch Loops great for that ‘just arrived and need to shake down the bikes’ – very compact trail system but loads and loads of varied technicality.

Fruita – we enjoyed both Kokopelli but also the flowy trails at 18 Road just because they are different.

Moab – we use Klondyke Bluffs or Brands to get our eye in on easy stuff but the ‘whole’ Whole Enchilada is still all-time favourite trail.

<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Crested Butte</span>

Point to Point – Shuttled rides (Note : A lot of effort and pedalling is still required for rides below)

Monarch Crest Trail (1 hours drive away) but one of the best high level point to point trails I’ve done (Leave 1 car at PS vistor  centre and then drive up to Monarch Pass

403 – 401  (Shuttle – Leave 1 car at 401 top of 403 and one at middle of 401)

go down 403 then up the road to start of 401, then when 401 gets to mid point cut back to road ride down road to start of 401 and then ride back up 401 (ait rides so much better that way))

Flag Creek -> Beer Creek -> Drs Gulch -> Doctors park bonus -> Dr Park (Pretty epic hard ride in this combo)

(Again leave a car at bottom of Dr Park and drive to start of Flag

Non – Shuttled Rides

Strand hill -> Strand Bonus -> back up strand and then down canal

Teocalli Ridge Loop

Cement Creek -> Crystal Peak -> Doubletop -> Huiner Creek and back down cement creek (Epic Hard ride)

Strand hill -> fs 736 -> Farris Creek -> Canal Trail

Hartmans Rocks – 45 min drive from CB lost of riding in the rocks – handy for if the weathers bad up at Crested Butte

<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Moab</span>

Whole Enchilda from the moonlight meadows

Captain Ahab (Excellent night ride)

Najao Rocks

Dinoflow trails

Slickrock trail (I only ride this as a night ride when i visit nowadays

Depending on temperate the full mag 7 exiting down the portal is a great ride (But very easy to run out water if its very hot)

<span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Furtia</span>

Kokopelli trails

Western Rim Trail

18-Road Trails

Grand Jucntion

The Ribbon as a night ride

Lunch Loops Trails

check out site ww.mtb-hol.com for pics maps etc ,, trailforks and mtb-project will have gpx downlaods for all the trails

All mentioned above, but for Moab my faves were:

Mag 7 (spectacular views as you ride along the edge of the ridge!) *Shuttle run

Navajo (relaxed but fun singletrack)

Capt Ahab is cool too, you can link it with a few extra sections of varying degrees of deathly gnar -locally only type trails.

Whole Enchilada (note that the mid section of this is a bit shit though, ie fire road type stuff). Really feels like a massive day out, you start pretty high in an alpine feeling area and descend into the desert. Take lots of spares! *Shuttle run

Bartlett wash (dont go if it may rain, you’ll get stuck. Really great fun area, you can pretty much ride on any of the rock, a giant bmx park style fun zone with natural hits and pump zones all over. Just be sure you know what’s over each ridge before you jump it.)

Moab is all kinds of awesome, but it’s super easy to get yourself into trouble out there, with either the heat or the terrain (oh so many places to fall off the edge of stuff and die/maim yourself) so take it easy at 1st and when on new trails.

Make sure you download trailforks and take a phone with you, some of the trails aren’t that well signed, there’s a small local guidebook available in the bike shops too.

It’s great!

Also, worth hiring an SUV/pick up over a car as some of the access roads are loooong washboards that’ll rattle a wee hyundai to pieces!

Have fun!

As for tyres, I rode minion and they were great.

Make sure whatever you take is new though as you’ll wear them down fast on the hot rock (although lots of sandy stuff too).

And if you do the Whole Enchilada, just about where the Kokopelli Trail joins there is another loop – I can’t remember the name. Don’t do this. Your enthusiasm will not balance the pure distilled hate of your riding buddies companions.

“And if you do the Whole Enchilada, just about where the Kokopelli Trail joins there is another loop – I can’t remember the name. Don’t do this. Your enthusiasm will not balance the pure distilled hate of your riding buddies companions.”

That will be Jimmy Keen – its rather pedelly isint it – and only worth doing if

1) Your not doing days of back to back to riding and have energy to waste

2) You had to start from Hazard county and want some extra miles

3) Its dry – otherwise its a real sticky death march mud fest with mud which turns to concrete on your bike

4) You like endless switch backs which slow your down whenever you might start enjoying the trail  , and want to do extra climbing for the sake of it.

JMHO….

Monarch Crest Trail (1 hours drive away) but one of the best high level point to point trails I’ve done (Leave 1 car at PS vistor centre and then drive up to Monarch Pass

+1

Monarch Crest is pretty amazing, but hard work if you’ve just come from sea level in the UK, riding at 4500m IIRC….

Assuming you are coming into Denver try popping up to Carbondale on the drive over, if you like huge wall rides you’ll love “Father of Ginormous” amazing trail which is part of the Prince Creek trail network

Similar to the Crested Butte trails without the huge altitude, which will kill you!

“Father of Ginormous”

Although i didnt start this tread thanks for that suggestion , im also heading out to USA this sept flying into seattle and ending up in Denver – I’ll do as one of my last rides (after riding in aspen) before flying home from denver

Awesome feedback all – much appreciated!