Between the river and the top of ride at 8200ft I quickly realized there were not as many water sources as I had thought there would be, and this was the only time I got a little worried the morning of day 3 with 2000ft of climbing ahead of me and only 2L on me. The summer months can be extremely hot so plan to tackle it during the shoulder months for a more enjoyable trip. Read more on the About Me page. Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. In terms of ride-a-bility the Kokopelli offers plenty of it and very little HAB. But theyre even farther than you think. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. The following year I returned to the Kokopelli Trail more prepared. There are some steep climbs on this trail with the payoff being some exhilarating descents. 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. Ride, Eat, Sleep, Repeat Arizona Trail Race. For more recommendations of puffy jackets, see our Best Down Jackets or Best Synthetic Jacket guides. Kokopelli Racing LLC put on a mountain bike and running ultra marathon race on the classic Kokopelli Trail. What puffy jacket do you use? This is certainly not a trip for bringing your dog or someone just starting out with biking. The closes airports to fly into would beMoab (CNY) itself, but the cost would be extremely high. They did say you can leave your car at Moab Motorsports located at25 E Center St, Moab, UT 84532. width:300px; Over the next 50 miles, youll do a lot of climbing, but the next ten miles will be the steepest. I was very happy to have my 27+ tires in the sand and front suspension on the big drops required on some sections of the ATV roads as well as the fast descents that necessitated careful line choices and were still quite rattling on my hardtail. That was my fools attitude in spite of pedaling and adventuring in that corner of Utah for decades. What about wind breaker? Kokopelli Trail - Bikepacker Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. I rode the Kokopelli Trail as my first multi-day bikepacking trip. Enlightened Equipment Torrid puffy jacket. After at least 6 failed attempts in the mid-1990s, Gary became the first to ride the 140-mile-long Kokopelli Trail self-supported in one day. I personally cached water at Rabbit Valley, Colorado River/Dewey Bridge and at the bathrooms at the Fisher Valley Overlook. I used a Tarptent Aeon Li tent for the Kokopelli Trail. The Kokopelli Trail is a classic bikepacking route that spans 140 miles of rugged jeep roads and singletrack through some of the most captivating terrain in the area. Best Trails & Maps near Romulus | TrailLink I'm going to be riding into Moab towards the end of June or early July. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. Bikepacking The Kokopelli Trail Treeline Review The Kokopelli Trail is a vintage route ridden and raced long before doing stuff like this was popular. Kokopelli Trail - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small percentage of any purchase you make at no additional cost to you. Hot on the heels of Lachlan Mortons record that was just set in May of this year, Kurt set a new mens fastest known time as well, knocking 19 minutes off of Lachlans already impressive ride. It connects some of the best singletrack around in Fruita and Moab with 100 miles of ATV roads. From the Loma exit (exit 15) off of I70 you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. Claim this business (734) 326-9801. On my most recent Kokopelli bikepacking trip, my group drove from Denver in two vehicles. Discover Kokopelli's Trail, which pioneered 'bikepacking' - Magazine There is great camping in this area, too. Guided Mountain Biking on Kokopelli Trail | 57hours 7 Things to Do in Californias Alabama Hills: Movie Road, Hiking, Stargazing & More! I feel comfortable riding easier "blues" on my gravel bike and try to incorporate singletrack into my rides - but I'm just not sure how technical the riding gets on the trail. } Fruita and Moab are full-service towns with grocery stores, restaurants, and cafes. Since it was first designed the Porcupine Rim Trail has been built which means you have the option of making it 150+ miles. Bikepacking with dogsIs this a good idea? It's a marin pine mountain 2 but I don't think they make the purple anymore sadly. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. I rode the latter half on a Monday and Tuesday and I think this really helped with traffic, not sure what this would have looked like on a weekend but I think it's worth it if you can go during the week! The Koko box is checked and we've got our sights on searching for what is next. A true western adventure with tough climbs and rewarding descents. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. Copyright 2023 Treeline Review LLC. 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. Another option is to check Craigslists ride share page for various cities where you think someone might be travel to or from Moab. I'm not a road rider, never will be, thumbed it at every truck that passed but no one picked me up, probably looked too dirty and smelly by this point! Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails. I was being silly: the Kokopelli is a tremendously satisfying and fun bikepack, from the mildly technical and impossibly beautiful singletrack out of Fruita, to soaring grinding climbs, red desert canyons, rugged sandstone ridges, to the must-not-skip roaring bucking descent on Porcupine Rim down to Moab. Top 10 Bikepacking Routes in the US - Mountain bike trails & Mountain The Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. With more than 10,000 feet of total climbing, the highest point on the trail tops out at over 8,000 ft above sea level. 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. The Kokopelli Trail is a popular ride between the Western Slope of Colorado and Moab in Utah. Petzl Bindi, which is a favorite of other Treeline Review writers and featured in our Backpacking Guide to the South Dakota Centennial Trail. The route is an epic medley of singletrack, doubletrack, sand and tarmac technical climbs, rugged descents, and graded terrain. 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. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { This story may contain affiliate links, which help fund our website. We didnt cache any water, either. The second time was so good that I bikepacked the Kokopelli again. The Grand Loop - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro Do you have a zipper or pull over? 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). 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). Image via Bureau of Land Management 1.Kokopelli Trail Trail Length: About 150 miles one-way Days to complete: 3-5 Riding : Mostly doubletrack and singletrack 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. In 2017 that changed. You need to be logged in to use these features. Three mountain bik. The closest large airport to the Kokopelli Trail is the Salt Lake City International Airport. The desert environment can be unforgiving. seeing another biker's footprint along the route where I had to hike-a-bike, going solo this felt like a small bit of camaraderie on the trail and always made me smile! Its a good idea to do some research (I read current trip reports) or make a few calls to check the flow of streams and rivers to be sure you know how much water to carry at each point you fill up. We create reader-supported, objective, independently-selected gear reviews. Checkout all our available products in our store,and thanks for the support! You can access the Colorado River from here, though. The . Coconino 250 Guide - Bikepacking - One of Seven Project Kokopelli Trail Bikepacking Route - BIKEPACKING.com At Treeline, we want you to buy right the first time. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Bikepacking has taken the mountain bike world by storm, with the upper echelon of bikepackers continuing to shatter time barriers and pioneer incredible . 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. The Kokopelli Trail is a good first test. New for 2023 Cleaned up the sheets and adjusted the colors for better viewing. There is some concern with possible theft but it worked out fine for me. The lack of suspension limited my speed on rough downhill, meant a good deal of discomfort on washboard and rocky sections, and my gravel bikes drop bars just weren't very forgiving on my shoulders as it was a bit of an aggressive riding position. Cheers! While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. We completed the Kokopelli trail in three challenging, rewarding days of bike riding. Press J to jump to the feed. Classics have a way of seeming passalmost a clichand you might therefore be tempted to skip it. Starting with the Ruby Canyon Section, youll continue on through Rabbit Valley, Westwater, Fish Ford, and Yellow Jacket Canyon sections. 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. Kokopelli Trail Guidebook from Bikerpelli, Trip Ideas, Where to Go, Backpacking Trip Guide, Backpacking Trip Ideas, Backpacking Trips, backpacking, backpacking trips, oregon trips, oregon, oregon coast, corvallis to sea, c2c trail, c2c, Backpacking Trip Ideas, Backpacking Trip Guide, Trip Ideas, Where to Go, where to go, Backpacking Trips, backpacking, backpacking trips, colorado, colorado backpacking, brandon lampley, Bikepacking the Lower Deschutes River Trail, Guide to Cycling the Great Allegheny Passage. } An epic view point along the Kokopelli Trail. After a climb to the infamous Castle Valley Road to the summit, youll be graced with an amazing descent with stunning views of Castle Valley as you make your way into Moab. The Kokopelli Trail is an 136.4 milemulti use recreational trail that goes from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. We were granted access by the weather up and over the La Sals unlike our previous attempt. Ive even seen some water flowing in the fall around here. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Moab has a small regional airport you can fly to from either Salt Lake City or Denver. As you get near the top of the final climb, the number of tourists youll see will make you feel like youre already in Moab. Rock formations including arches and windows are a highlight of bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail.