The Kokopelli Trail is a good first test. Ive used the National Geographic Maps Moab North and Colorado National Monument for paper maps. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_name_field_wrapper { The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. The true scale of this landscape is only appreciated after much concentrated, technical riding on so called dirt roads, long descents and climbs out of the smallest of canyons, and by peering off the edge of the rim into an endless void of night. Skyler Des Roches (OffRoute.ca). If you want to execute a successful trip, it would certainly behoove you to do some checking and planning during the weeks leading up to your trip. One consideration is to bring a portable water filter and tank up from the Colorado River whenever possible. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { There are many steep, exposed climbs throughout the route. Knowing what to expect as far as water sources, weather forecast, trail condition, and detours, are going to be key to having the best possible outcome. Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE KOKOPELLI. One group dropped water at Rabbit Valley and Dewey Bridge, the other group drove the dirt road in an SUV to Fisher Valley and left a cache there. This bucket-list bikepacking trip is an adventure of the soul and a test of your commitment. At the top, youll get great views of Moab and the surrounding landscape. Indian Trails, 28685 Smith Rd, Romulus, MI, Transportation Services The Kokopelli Trail is a popular ride between the Western Slope of Colorado and Moab in Utah. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moab's Slickrock area. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. Read more on the About Me page. Find out what makes bikepacking the Lower Deschutes River Trail unique and why its Oregons best trail for your first overnight mountain biking trip. The Kokopelli Trail is a special route, and whether youre looking to tackle it in a single day or spread it out over a long weekend, its definitely one worth adding to the bucket list. Water: I stashed in Rabbit Valley and filtered from the Colorado (tasted only sliiightly of mud) which really was fine and clear after wrapping a bandanna around the intake. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. Tired of seeing ads on every web page you visit? I have experienced extremely high winds and snowstorms in the high desert regions of Colorado and Utah, and this tent always holds up well. It really is ATV road the entire way between fruita and moab, some sections were very desolate with no trees where I would not have wanted to camp but found great spots both nights that were off the road a bit and felt remote enough for a nice backcountry site. Kokopelli's Trail - Wikipedia During my thru-bike I left my car at the Loma trailhead parking lot for Marys Loop Trails. As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. There are plenty of camping options along the way including the BLM campgrounds listed below; some may require a small fee. In 2017 that changed. width:100%; to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. Traveling through remote canyon country, White Rim Road makes a 100-mile loop through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. One group member attempted to ride the trail on a drop bar gravel bike with 2-inch tires. Copyright 2023 Treeline Review LLC. Get on the trail with detailed maps shared by riders like you. Website Take me there. I have attempted the Kokpelli 3 times and completed it twice. The first 15 miles of the Kokopelli are technical singletrack. Where do you start? These bikepacking routes in and loads of others can be found at bikepacking.com. The Kokopelli Trail starts out on some single track affording beautiful views of the Colorado River. Stretching along public lands, Kokopelli's Trail is an epic journey on the Colorado Plateau. Xmas Valley Epic 17.5 mi 28.2 km 2,685' Up 818.24 m Up 2,704' Down 824.08 m Down. There will be small sections of optional singletrack along the way, but the jeep roads youll be riding through here are loose and sandy enough that you probably wont want more of a challenge. Find Related Places. Over the Edge bike shop suggests people park behind Suds Brothers Brewery at 127 E Aspen Ave, Fruita, CO 81521. Its a condensed version of my bigger bikepacking guides, which include the Arizona Trail, Tour Divide and Colorado Trail. I would probably avoid doing it on anything skinnier than 2" tires, But some of you gravel grinders are pretty hard core so IDK. Its a high-quality down quilt that has reliably kept me warm for 1000s of trail miles. On the 142-mile Kokopelli's Trail, a group of bikepackers race against dusk on Porcupine Rim, a. Order Online. Bikepacking is exciting and rewarding form of off-pavement, adventure bike touring. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Dirt roads, paved roads, and singletrack with some technical areas. They did say you can leave your car at Moab Motorsports located at25 E Center St, Moab, UT 84532. width:100%; With 150 miles of gravel hike-and-bike trail, the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP Trail) is one of the Easts best pathways, perfect for leisurely bike rides. Kokepellis Trail is part of the Grand Loop, a much larger bikepacking routethat utilizes Kokopellis Trail system, The Paradox Trail, and Tabegauche Trail. Bike Inn; Needles 2 Moab Canyonlands; Bears Ears Mnt. Starts at the Westwater Airstrip. The route is popular as a 2- to 3-night bikepacking trip, a 3- to 4-day vehicle-supported trip, and as a . Elevation gain: 13,595 feet/ 4,144 meters, Elevation loss: 14,058 feet/ 4,285 meters. There is a reliable stream in Castle Valley, just before the road climbs into the La Sals. Over the next 50 miles, youll do a lot of climbing, but the next ten miles will be the steepest. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. I was thinking about this quite a bit while riding as I saw this question posed a few times elsewhere - I am not a gravel rider so my opinion on whether you can or cannot do it may not be the most educated, but there were long stretches of sand and slickrock and chunky jeep roads that I don't think would be too much fun on a gravel bike. Riding the trail on a fat bike, I hardly noticed the extensive sections of sandy desert Jeep roads. Find our Kokopelli Trail route guide here. The Kokopelli's Trail (also known as the Kokopelli Trail) is a 142-mile (229 km) multi-use trail (but primarily used by mountain bikes) in Grand County, Utah and Mesa County, Colorado in the western United States. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. Directions Advertisement. 28685 Smith Rd Romulus MI 48174 (734) 326-9801. The trail was created by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA) in cooperation with the Bureau of . From Westwater, youll ride more desert Jeep roads through a vast desert expanse with red rock formations in the distance. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. RECOMMENDED ROUTE Difficult. The allure of the bigger Grand Loop caught Dye's intrigue. The Kokopelli is world-class bikepacking. Our first time bikepacking the Kokopelli trail was a humbling failure, but also an appreciative win.This short bikepacking documentary shows the metaphorical. After riding through the Kokopelli Loops trail network, youll get a taste of your first hike-a-bike down to Salt Creek (which isnt safe to drink). Toward the end of the day I would start feeling like my bones were being rattled, but it was definitely doable. You can get to Rabbit Valley and Dewey Bridge with a 2-wheel drive vehicle. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. Happy planning! Camping along the Kokopelli is easy to find. Kokopelli Trail - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. But it also took some planning so it went off without a hitch. Thank you for supporting us! On my most recent Kokopelli bikepacking trip, my group drove from Denver in two vehicles. In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide, CTR, and AZTR again. Moab Brewery is the only brewery in the town of Moab. Hi, Im Phil. Although they all had different intentions for their rides, both Kaitlyn and Kurt rode hard and fast to set two new fastest known times on the route. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. The Kokopelli Trail ends in Moabs Slickrock. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { The Grand Loop - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro If you want to execute a successful trip, it will certainly behoove you to do some checking and planning during the weeks leading up to your trip. The White Rim Trail is one of the most iconic long-distance mountain bikepacking rides in the West. Website. } When coming into Moab, you can opt to ride the Porcupine Rim Trail to add a fun but technical singletrack descent into town. Looking up from Fischer Valley to the top of the climb next to the la sals, giving myself a goal of making it there in 5 hours, and getting up in 5 hours to look back down at the valley. (mens and womens & nobo and sobo available). We look forward to sharing the natural splendor of Crosswinds through our interpretive programming, activities and future exhibits. Continuing through the Marys Loop area, youll leave the river and parallel Mack Ridge before the river returns along with views of the Black Ridge Canyons. One consideration is to bring a portable water filter and tank up from the Colorado River whenever possible. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. Look no further than the new 2023 Trek Farley 5, a sure-footed bike designed with strength and comfort in. (254 KM) Days 3-5 % Unpaved 85% % Singletrack 25% % Rideable (time) 99% Total Ascent 15,189' (4,630 M) High Point 8,580' (2,615 M) Difficulty (1-10) 6.5? The Kokopelli Trail is even marked on these maps. Highlights Marys Loop Trail System, Rabbit Valley, Yellow Jacket area (Dome Plateau) Roberts Bottom and Rose Garden Hill in Cottonwood Canyon, Blue Chief Mesa, views of the Fisher and Castle Valleys, and Manti-La Sal NF. Find details on the three most recent issues below, join the Bikepacking Collective to get it in the mail (anywhere in the World), or click here to find a collection of selected stories in digital format. Its reliable, keeps me warm, and Thermarests lifetime warranty is no joke. More flag On Ute Land Distance 158 Mi. Bikepacking: Off-Pavement Bicycling and camping where you would if you were to go backpacking. Rock formations including arches and windows are a highlight of bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail. Lael Wilcox, Kaitlyn Boyle, and Kurt Refsnider set off together early Friday morning on the Kokopelli Trail for a self-supported time trial between Loma, Colorado and Moab, Utah. I think 3 riders have done it under 10.5 hours in the past few weeks. There are no resupply options along the route. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. 7 Incredible Bikepacking Trips in the US to Have on Your Radar If youre flying from out of town, I recommend you rent a car and spend a day caching water (or pay a guiding company to cache water for you, though I dont know of any that specifically offer that service). A big storm can leave you stranded on unrideable dirt roads of sticky, peanut butter mud that will stop your wheels from turning. Part of the magnificent 142-mile Kokopelli Trail. From the Loma exit (exit 15) you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. Enlightened Equipment Torrid puffy jacket. Read these next or checkout the main resource page. *By clicking submit, you're also subscribing to our email list. The Kokopelli Trail is relatively well marked, but you still need strong navigation abilities. We are proud to be independent and reader-supported. So, long story short yes I bet you could absolutely do it, but no I probably wouldn't recommend it. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_email_field_wrapper { How to Take Care of Your Feet on a backpacking trip, How to take care of your backpacking tent, Backpacking Little lakes Valley to Gem Lakes, Best Freeze Dried Backpacking Meals for 2023, Top 10 Things to Do in Redwood National & State Parks, Climbing Mt Whitney in A Day (Or Two): Hiking the Mt Whitney Trail, Californias Rae Lakes Loop: The Complete Backpacking Guide, How to Make the Most of One Day in Death Valley: A Quick Itinerary, 10 Creative Things to Do in Crescent City, CA. Moab has a small regional airport you can fly to from either Salt Lake City or Denver. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Three mountain bik. The dancing flautist image is now common throughout the southwest, generally embodying carefree and joyous adventure. At times the Kokopelli Trail can serve up demanding single track and steep climbs, makingit a trail not to be underestimated. Since it was first designed the Porcupine Rim Trail has been built which means you have the option of making it 150+ miles. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget { Moab Bikepacking 101 - Rim Tours This incredibly scenic trail takes you along the Colorado Plateau and through colorful stretches of Utah as well as in and out of valleys. All rights reserved. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs world famous Slickrock area. width:100%; The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. NO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ARE ALLOWED IN CROSSWINDS MARSH. The best time to thru-bike the trail is from March/April to the end of October. There are some steep climbs on this trail with the payoff being some exhilarating descents. There are unmarked turns, and its not always easy to see the brown carsonite trail markers at junctions. CNY is closest airport but also the most expensive and with the most limited options. Also, the Hot Tomato in Fruita has some of the best pizza Ive ever eaten, and they have great beers on tap.

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