#fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_email_field_wrapper { There are some pretty steep climbs on this trail with the payoff being some exhilarating descents. We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. We cover other lighting options in our Best Headlamps guide. 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. Ive always dropped my bikepacking bags and ridden this section unloaded since its a quick ride along highway 128 to get to either end of the section. 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. There are a couple of options for staging and parking; as advised by folks at Over The Edge bike shop, we chose to leave a vehicle in the parking lot behind Suds Brothers Brewery in downtown Fruita. Racing the sunset into Moab on the Porcupine Rim Trail and I didn't see a single person on the descent (probably because I started around 6pm on a Tuesday). This Site and our mobile application contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Transportation Services. There are some steep climbs on this trail with the payoff being some exhilarating descents. The last time I was there, I was told that the pipes were contaminated with E. Coli. We completed the Kokopelli trail in three challenging, rewarding days of bike riding. Kokepellis Trail is part of the Grand Loop, a much larger bikepacking routethat utilizes Kokopellis Trail system, The Paradox Trail, and Tabegauche Trail. Kokopelli's Trail | Bureau of Land Management Also, the Hot Tomato in Fruita has some of the best pizza Ive ever eaten, and they have great beers on tap. Patagonia Womens Nylon Capri Pants cut into shorts (discontinued). A section of the trail, the Kokopelli Singletrack, begins just outside the . Kokopelli 100 MTB Individual Same as the 140 but doesnt include the first 40 miles. To schedule an appointment for your school or for more information, please call Crosswinds Marsh at: (734) 654-1220. Know your body and how much water you require and plan carefully. Click here for more info. Most of your riding will be on dirt and paved roads, with some singletrack thrown in for good measure. Mile 10.6 Salt Creek NOT suitable for drinking, Mile 48 Westwater Ranger Station Water has been reported to have been shut off (get water from Colorado River), Mile 59.9 Colorado River (strain and filter), Mile 73.6 Colorado River (stain and filter). Traveling through remote canyon country, White Rim Road makes a 100-mile loop through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. We are proud to be independent and reader-supported. This section is beautiful though; theres nothing like moving in and out of desert and mountain terrain and skirting along the Estrada Bluffs. Packing: I learned a lot from my first trip last year and made it work without a seat bag which was so nice to have full use of my dropper post on the descents. NO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ARE ALLOWED IN CROSSWINDS MARSH. Kokopelli Racing LLC put on a mountain bike and running ultra marathon race on the classic Kokopelli Trail. Bikepacking on the Kokopelli Trail - Joel Caldwell Although this trail has been completed in less than 11 hours and 14 minutes by pro cyclist Lachlan Morton, for the rest of us, we can expect to be out from 2-6 days depending on how many miles you want to cover each day. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. 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. There is some concern with possible theft but it worked out fine for me. You and your friends, split the course into 2 to 6 segments. I recommend caching water at Rabbit Valley trailhead, near Dewey Bridge by the road along Highway 128, and Fisher Valley. Also only split up in 2-4 segments. Starting in the east, the route becomes richer and the landscapes more Mars-like with each mile you travel towards the canyon lands of the high Utah desert. Moab Motorsports does ask that you let them know youre leaving your car with them ahead of time. There is amazing camping here, awesome slick rock riding, and stunning Colorado Plateau rock formations. Water can be found at miles 48, 70, 83, and 126. You can get to Rabbit Valley and Dewey Bridge with a 2-wheel drive vehicle. The ride is not for the novice rider, the climbs and technical sections alone make it more for those with a bit more experience. } The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. Be sure to stop at Milts as you enter town for a milkshake. Sawyer Squeeze, which is the overall winner in our Best Water Filters and Purifiers guide. I love the Bar M Trails just outside town for their flowy singletrack trail goodness. The trail ends in the Sand Flats section which takes you from Porcupine Rim to Slickrock. The Kokopelli Trail A Bikepacking Adventure. - Get Terrestrial 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. Happy planning! I think the Gaia GPS app is the most useful for backcountry navigation. Youll cross highway 128 and then ride through Yellow Jacket Canyon, a highlight of the Kokopelli. Auto Repair. These are primitive campsites so dont expect much as far as amenities go.Salt Creek OverlookCastle RockCold SpringPorcupine RimKnowles CanyonBitter CreekMesa CreekCowskin Campground near Cotton CanyonHideout CanyonRock CastleBull DrawNorth Beaver Mesa CampgroundDewey BridgeRabbit Valley. If you enter this way, and depending on the time of day you may have to pay a $2 entrance fee, or 5$ vehicle fee. The old railroad follows beautiful waterways, weaving around Allegheny mountains and hills. If you were to start in Moab and ride north, you would begin with a nearly 20-mile, 4,000-foot climb. Fruita and Moab are full-service towns with grocery stores, restaurants, and cafes. After the first 20 miles of singletrack, youll ride about 30 miles of dirt roads through Rabbit Valley, Castle Rocks, and Coal Draw. I did it last fall on a rigid MTB with 29x2.3 tires. Top 10 Bikepacking Routes in the US - Mountain bike trails & Mountain } Although the route can be ridden in either direction, but most prefer a southwest flow from Fruita to Moab which enables a legendary finale down Porcupine Rim. The Rando is a favorite in our Touring Bike Gear List. r/bikepacking - Kokopelli Trail, the long way into Moab (trip report Part of the magnificent 142-mile Kokopelli Trail. Kokopelli's Trail - Wikipedia At times the Kokopelli Trail can serve up demanding single track and steep climbs, makingit a trail not to be underestimated. One consideration is to bring a, 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. 150 miles. We used collapsible water jugs like these so we can strap them to our bikes and easily carry them out, too. 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). 7 Things to Do in Californias Alabama Hills: Movie Road, Hiking, Stargazing & More! Bikepacking The Kokopelli Trail Treeline Review Crosswinds Marsh | Public Services - Wayne County, Michigan There are no resupply options along the route. From the Loma exit (exit 15) off of I70 you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. But theyre even farther than you think. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. KOKOPELLI TRAIL 2021 (Documentary) | Our First Time Bikepacking - YouTube @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { *By clicking submit, you're also subscribing to our email list. Toward the end of the day I would start feeling like my bones were being rattled, but it was definitely doable. I create technical resources, reviews, inspirational videos, how-to guides and more. I have experienced extremely high winds and snowstorms in the high desert regions of Colorado and Utah, and this tent always holds up well. Camping along the Kokopelli is easy to find. The first 15 miles of the Kokopelli are technical singletrack. Group size must be limited to 12 people or less. 7 Incredible Bikepacking Trips in the US to Have on Your Radar This is the way to enter Moab! Joel Caldwell (joelcaldwell.com) Our Best Mountain Bike Lights guide also covers other mountain bike-specific lights. Bikepacking Alliance is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Are you looking for a reliable and efficient fat bike to conquer muddy and snowy terrain? For more recommendations, see our Best Mountain Bike Gloves guide. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. You dont need any permits to bikepack the Kokopelli Trail. and filtered from there before the big climbs. I'm on a small bike so not a ton of space in the frame, and I will die before I bike in a backpack, so I was able to put all my water on the frame, clothes and sleep setup on the handlebar, and food in the hip pack. A huge to congrats to Lael, Kaitlyn, and Kurt for getting out there and making it happen. Fully packed bikepacking set up for the Kokopelli Trail. In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide, CTR, and AZTR again. From there, the trail traverses through the Cottonwood Canyon, Beaver Mesa, and all La Sal Loop sections leading up to your final stretch. Kokopelli 140 MTB Two-day Stage Event (Individual), https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/rsz_ce61a8f9-0b12-4e41-b403-e902df8f4593.jpg, http://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/1of7-logo-lockup-grey-1132x212-300x56.png, https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/rsz_untitled_design_87.jpg, https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/AXOK3707.jpg, Gear Review - If I Rode the Kokopelli Trail Again, https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/rsz_untitled_design_81.jpg, https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Untitled-design-19.jpg, Gear Review - If I Rode the Arizona Trail Race Again, https://oneofsevenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Untitled-design-9.jpg, Gear Review - If I Rode The Tour Divide Again. If you are thinking about bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail this guide will give you the information and insight you need for a successful trip to one of the most spectacular bike trails out there. We didnt cache any water, either. Do you have a zipper or pull over? BIKEPACKING.com LLC, its partners, associates, and contributors are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other such situation that might happen to individual riders cycling or following this route. The Loma Trailhead is west of Fruita, Colorado, along Interstate I-70. What works for me is my Outdoor Research ultralight hoody (don't think they make it anymore, it's half-zip pullover), and a patagonia houdini windbreaker with full zip. Kokopelli 140 MTB Individual 144 miles, full course, alone! Read more on the About Me page. The Kokopelli has very few water sources along the route. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The trail ends in the Sand Flats section which takes you from Porcupine Rim to Slickrock. You decide. The closes airports to fly into would beMoab (CNY) itself, but the cost would be extremely high. } There are plenty of camping options along the way including the BLM campgrounds listed below; some may require a small fee. @media screen and ( max-width: 300px ) { More flag On Ute Land Distance 158 Mi. Checkout the Colorado Trail Transportation Guide for train options if you want to fly into Denver and take the train to Grand Junction. Bedrock Cairns, which is the overall winner in our Best Hiking Sandals gear review. It's my one and only and it's so fun everywhere I take it. This incredibly scenic trail takes you along the Colorado Plateau and through colorful stretches of Utah as well as in and out of valleys. Topeak multitool with tubeless repair kit, Kokopelli Trail info from the Bureau of Land Management. A true western adventure with tough climbs and rewarding descents. Kokopelli Trail - Bikepacker Bikepacking: Off-Pavement Bicycling and camping where you would if you were to go backpacking. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Press J to jump to the feed. sounds like a great trip! The Kokopelli Trail starts outside Fruita, Colorado, on some of the best singletrack in the Mountain West. 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. Grand Junction also has a regional airport and car rental options for caching water. Classics have a way of seeming passalmost a clichand you might therefore be tempted to skip it. The Kokopelli Trail is a good first test. One section requires a rider to lift your bike over car-sized boulders. Another option is to have friends deliver water to you along the route or stash some yourself beforehand wherever possible. 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! The Kokopelli Trail is relatively well marked, but you still need strong navigation abilities. Website Take me there. 142 Miles From Monday - Bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail 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. Moab Brewery is the only brewery in the town of Moab. Water options while bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail: There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. No stove helped with space and water. The trail is posted with the flat brown flexible fiberglass posts and marked with blue and white Kokopelli stickers. The Jeep trail and dirt roads can sometimes be very sandy, challenging, and slow-going. 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. Indian Trails, 28685 Smith Rd, Romulus, MI, Transportation Services Find out what makes bikepacking the Lower Deschutes River Trail unique and why its Oregons best trail for your first overnight mountain biking trip. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. During my thru-bike I left my car at the Loma trailhead parking lot for Marys Loop Trails. One should consider caching water along the route. Learn more. See a problem? Thank you for supporting our work and mission of outdoor coverage for every body! Kokopelli Trail Planning Aids Tour Divide Planning Aids Bikepacking Survey Results Data Collages Hiking Hiking Guides Pemi Loop Guide Hiking Gear My Proven Triple Crown Hiking Gear List If I Hiked Again Gear Review - If I Hiked The Appalachian Trail Again Gear Review - If I Hiked The Long Trail Again The following year I returned to the Kokopelli Trail more prepared. The best time to thru-bike the trail is from March/April to the end of October. What puffy jacket do you use? You might be able to get water from a spigot here, but dont count on it. YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE KOKOPELLI. 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. The final climb will be on a paved road, but by this point, youll probably be ready for easier riding. Ive even seen some water flowing in the fall around here. Help could behours or days away! The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. If you have a vital issue or opportunity regarding this route that pertains to one of the subjects below, please let us know: **Advocacy opportunities may include bringing awareness to a new trail project, conservation initiative, access potential, or local effort that we might help with or bring awareness to via our broad-reaching platform. There are many steep, exposed climbs throughout the route. It's a marin pine mountain 2 but I don't think they make the purple anymore sadly. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Possibly one of the most well-known bikepacking routes in the USA (if not North America), the Kokopelli Trail is one of the best ways to explore the beautiful Colorado and Utah desert on your own two Almost 20,000 feet of climbing. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know when we release new gear reviews! It would also add another 1000 jolts to your wrists and spine, as this trail is very bumpy. This variation would add approximately 14 miles to your trip. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. As the leading creator and publisher of bikepacking routes, BIKEPACKING.com endeavors to maintain, improve, and advocate for our growing network of bikepacking routes all over the world. Passing the torch: A Kokopelli Trail do-over - Rodeo Adventure Labs, LLC The BLMs webpage for the Westwater Station says explicitly, do not depend upon this water source for your trip's water needs as the system is not always operational.. The trail was named in honor of its mythic muse, Kokopelli. Kokopelli 100 MTB Relay Same as the 140 but doesnt include the first 40 miles. Youll have to carry everything you need for the entirety of the trail. The first time I attempted the trail in a group, we werent fully prepared and bailed. Stretches can be particularly sandy, but never for too long at a time (and there's no need for a fat bike). The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. 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. On the DiscoverMoab.com website there is a list of companies offering shuttle service to Grand Junction. Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails. Its reliable, keeps me warm, and Thermarests lifetime warranty is no joke. The trail starts in Loma, CO within the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, at the Marys Loop Trails. From the Loma exit (exit 15) you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. The White Rim Trail is one of the most iconic long-distance mountain bikepacking rides in the West. 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). From here, the climb into the La Sal Mountains starts in earnest. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! There are several hike-a-bike sections of this trail. The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles west of Grand Junction. The next closest would be Grand Junction or Salt Lake City (SLC). Sand, dirt, gravel, slick rock, creek crossings, you name it. Order Online. Lastly, you could use two cars but this option means a lot of driving and extra time. This requires a 9 mile pavement ride to the Kokepellis Trailhead, but offers a safe parking solution. Discover Kokopelli's Trail, which pioneered 'bikepacking' - Magazine For other backpacking tents we recommend, see our Best Backpacking Tents guide. No suspension, just a set of 50c tires squeezed on there, and man it was awesome but truth be told I think it would have been even more enjoyable on a hardtail with a front shock at the very least. Returning on 3-inch tires, I had a much more difficult time on those sandy sections. 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. 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). 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. Bikepacking with dogsIs this a good idea? Kaitlyns finish time was 13 hours and 7 minutes, the new womens FKT. Gear lists from the AZT, TD and CTR; Pros & Cons; Things Id do different; and Tips. I recommend riding the Western Rim Trail, a 6-mile trail parallel to the official Kokopelli route near Fruita. You risk getting caught in a winter storm if you go early in spring or late in fall. Two long climbs topping out at 8400 will test your fitness and the final descent along Porcupine Rim will blow your mind. Explore the best rated trails in Romulus, MI. The Kokopelli Trail is divided into nine sections, each with its own unique terrain and scenery. More. Find an extra-long weekend and do this ride. Joe Cruz (Pedaling in Place), Kokopelli taught me the length of a desert mile. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Petzl Bindi, which is a favorite of other Treeline Review writers and featured in our Backpacking Guide to the South Dakota Centennial Trail. One group member attempted to ride the trail on a drop bar gravel bike with 2-inch tires. Get on the trail with detailed maps shared by riders like you. Use the Brave browser for an entirely ad free web experience. Dont drink from Salt Creek or Onion Creek for this reason. Unless youre camping in the La Sals, you likely wont encounter bears on the Kokopelli Trail. The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be usedas a point of inspirationin conjunction with your own due-diligence. There is great camping in this area, too. The Kokopelli Trail is an 136.4 milemulti use recreational trail that goes from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT. Find Related Places. We cached water at a few road crossings, brought bikes with high-volume tires, and generally respected the challenges of the trail more. I personally cached water at Rabbit Valley, Colorado River/Dewey Bridge and at the bathrooms at the Fisher Valley Overlook. } UPDATE (November, 2017): Apparently work is still going on and way behind as of 11/18/2017. The Xlite is our overall winner in our Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads guide, Our loaded bikepacking bike on the Kokopelli Trail, Surly Ogre with 27.5 x 3 tires and wheelset. Bikepacking is one of The Project's main focuses. The road is scheduled to open on weekends after May 27th. I love having a one-bike-fits-all quiver. Simply clicking on the links below with our affiliates supports the Project. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. Bikepackers camping along the Kokopelli trail, The singletrack section youll start on is some of the best mountain biking in the country, Descending out of the La Sal Mountain range into Moab is a particularly fun downhill, Many of the dirt roads are impassable after heavy rains. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Claim this business (734) 326-9801. 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. I found a trickle of cool, clear water at hideout spring (find the cottonwoods!!) } These bikepacking routes in and loads of others can be found at bikepacking.com. The Kokopelli Trail ends in Moabs Slickrock. In total you will ride for 142 miles and there are a few bailout options along the way should you need to. Every time I reach this point of the trail, I wonder if Ive taken a wrong turn, but then I check a map, realize Im on the route and laugh at myself for choosing to do this. I have attempted the Kokpelli 3 times and completed it twice. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_email_field_wrapper { Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective, to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. The full list includes: DIA is the largest of the options but is also the furthest away. The Kokopelli is world-class bikepacking. MTB Project | Mountain Bike Trail Maps See our gear review of the Best Lightweight Rain Jackets for other recommendations. We create reader-supported, objective, independently-selected gear reviews. Our inflatable packrafts are lightweight, durable, and very easy to transport. The legendary Kokopelli Trail, 140 miles of desert and mountain riding between Moab and Fruita. There are very few reliable water options available along the Kokopelli Trail. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! 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. I went out to Fruita a few weeks ago with my mtb and car camped in Rabbit Valley and was really wishing i had brought my gravel bike to cruise around there (other than the deep sand pockets lol). We were granted access by the weather up and over the La Sals unlike our previous attempt. It is a pullover but has a zip on the side and at the front which makes it very easy to pull on and off keeping hats or helmets in place during the transition. The Kokopelli Trail is a vintage route ridden and raced long before doing stuff like this was popular.
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