Mountain Biking Trails In Mountain West

[DrNed]

I'm begun planning next years adventures.

I would like to do a 100-150 mile trip over the course a week.

So I need places to camp along the way. Someplace where a support vehicle could be used.

Willing to travel to any of the mountain west states.

And epic scenery along the way.

The White Rim trail is the only thing on my list of possibilities so far.

If you have suggestions Id love to hear them.

Thanks

 

[DrNed]

Just realized that I didn't write that up very well.

I'm looking to do a mountain bike trip of 100-150 miles.

I've found one trail here in Utah that seems to have exactly
what I want.

The Skyline Drive. Appears to be 75-100 miles of dirft road
depending on where you start and stop. Elevations averaging
10k with great country, wildlife and accessible to vehicles.

I only know what I've read online. Surely some of our central
Utah people have done some time here. Maybe some who
do off roading in their jeeps, etc?

@Udink @DAA @IntrepidXJ have any of you spent any time on the Skyline?

Thanks - Ned

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Can't help you with the Skyline, but there is always the Grand Loop or parts of it. The Kokopelli Trail, Paradox Trail and Tabeguache Trail. Maybe an option to look into?

 

[DrNed]

Can't help you with the Skyline, but there is always the Grand Loop or parts of it. The Kokopelli Trail, Paradox Trail and Tabeguache Trail. Maybe an option to look into?

I did look at the Kokopelli. I'll look into the others.

Thanks Randy!

 

[Udink]

I've been on most of Skyline Drive over the course of several trips, the longest single stretch being from above Joe's Valley all the way to US-6 at Tucker during a 320-mile ATV trip. It might make for an excellent supported mountain bike ride. The only hesitation I have in recommending it is that it can become a muddy mess just about any time of year. At best there will probably be a few mud holes to deal with, but they might be easily bypassable on a mountain bike.

 

[Outdoors24]

I live close by Skyline Drive and I agree with Udink I think it would be great for a supported mountain biking trip. I have never mountain biked on Skyline Drive but I don't think it would be to difficult. It might take some time to get adjusted to the elevation though.

 

[DrNed]

I've been on most of Skyline Drive over the course of several trips, the longest single stretch being from above Joe's Valley all the way to US-6 at Tucker during a 320-mile ATV trip. It might make for an excellent supported mountain bike ride. The only hesitation I have in recommending it is that it can become a muddy mess just about any time of year. At best there will probably be a few mud holes to deal with, but they might be easily bypassable on a mountain bike.

I've read in several locations about the muddy mess it can be. With that in mind, do you think something like a Razor or other ATV pulling a trailer would be a better support vehicle?

From what I've read it seems like the window is pretty narrow too, in that being at 10k feet snow can hang on until July and then monsoon season a few weeks later and then hunting season.

I don't know who to believe when it comes to weather forecasts, but let's say it's an average snow year, in your experience what would be the ideal window in the calendar to have everything mostly dry?

Much thanks!

 

[Udink]

I've read in several locations about the muddy mess it can be. With that in mind, do you think something like a Razor or other ATV pulling a trailer would be a better support vehicle?

Nah, I think a plain-old HC 4WD vehicle would be fine. My worry about the mud was for the mountain bikes--might mean a lot of walking the bike if there are long stretches of mud.

what would be the ideal window in the calendar to have everything mostly dry?

I don't really know 'cause I don't have a wide range of experience in that area, but I'd guess toward the end of monsoon season. The second week of September in 2010 was pretty nice & dry, but a bit frosty at night.

 

[DAA]

Can't add any value to Dennis' comments. I've driven the whole thing a few times, but never even looked at it with any thought to mtn biking. Agree with early Sep. as a good time to do it though, re: mud.

- DAA

 

[Udink]

Here's an option. It's roughly 100 miles from Wellington to Goblin Valley, right through the middle of the San Rafael Swell.

Hopefully this will work: Map Link

It's almost all good dirt/gravel roads (with 8 miles of pavement at the very end), and there are plenty of roads along the way to add variation/length if desired.

 

[Venchka]

What am I missing? 100-150 miles and support? Couldn't you just do that type of trip as a 2-4 day bikepacking trip? I'm just trying to learn.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

 

[DrNed]

Here's an option. It's roughly 100 miles from Wellington to Goblin Valley, right through the middle of the San Rafael Swell.

Hopefully this will work: Map Link

It's almost all good dirt/gravel roads (with 8 miles of pavement at the very end), and there are plenty of roads along the way to add variation/length if desired.

Awesome Dennis, Thanks! This gives me 3 good options to decide from.

Do you have any experience with this road? What can you tell me about the country?
Thanks again!

 

[DrNed]

What am I missing? 100-150 miles and support? Couldn't you just do that type of trip as a 2-4 day bikepacking trip? I'm just trying to learn.

Wayne
Sent from somewhere around here.

Wayne,

I definitely could do it as a 2-4 day bike packing trip, but that's not the point.

Also, bike packing has it own set of gear and extras that I'm not really interested
in getting into.

Thanks for commenting.

 

[Venchka]

Fair enough. Have a great ride.

Wayne


Sent from somewhere around here.

 

[Udink]

Do you have any experience with this road? What can you tell me about the country?

I've driven the entire stretch, just not all at once. It's all well-maintained gravel/dirt but not heavily-traveled (so traffic shouldn't be a big problem). The northern section isn't spectacular, but when you get near the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry turnoff there are some interesting spherical concretions along the road. Beyond that you pass between Cedar Mountain and Little Cedar Mountain and there are some petroglyphs on boulders not far off the main route. Past that is a possible side trip to the Wedge Overlook/Little Grand Canyon that would be well worth the detour, in my opinion. From there it's a short stretch of boring road across Buckhorn Flat, but then there's a long stretch of interesting stuff through Buckhorn Wash (dinosaur track, amazing pictograph panel).

South of Buckhorn Wash (after you cross the swinging bridge over the San Rafael River), it's a somewhat long, boring stretch of road until you hit I-70. Actually, south of I-70 isn't terribly special right along the road, but the closer you get to Temple Mountain, where the road passes through South Temple Wash, the more interesting it gets.