RECOMMENDED ROUTE Difficult. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Kokopelli Trail - Bikepacker 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 Kokepellis Trail is part of the Grand Loop, a much larger bikepacking routethat utilizes Kokopellis Trail system, The Paradox Trail, and Tabegauche Trail. We look forward to sharing the natural splendor of Crosswinds through our interpretive programming, activities and future exhibits. The road is scheduled to open on weekends after May 27th. 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. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs world famous Slickrock area. 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. 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. 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. The trail runs through Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County in Utah. Aid stations rough every 8 miles. Celebrate your thru-hiking class with the Class of ___ T-shirt! There is amazing camping here, awesome slick rock riding, and stunning Colorado Plateau rock formations. See REIs Food Storage story or REIs Bear Canister story for more information on Bears and food storage. I would have gladly traded out for either of those bikes when it the trail started getting a little chunkier. A section of the trail, the Kokopelli Singletrack, begins just outside the . Transportation Services. 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. We then met in Moab, loaded into one vehicle, and drove back to the Loma Trailhead. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { There are unmarked turns, and its not always easy to see the brown carsonite trail markers at junctions. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. I brought an Ultimate Direction Ultra Rain Jacket for this trip. Bikers most commonly ride the Kokopelli Trail southbound, starting at the Loma Trailhead and finishing in Moab. For some time now the Kokopelli was without an official race on the calendar. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Kokopelli 140 MTB Relay A choice your own adventure. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. The Grand Loop - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro We are proud to be independent and reader-supported. From there, the trail traverses through the Cottonwood Canyon, Beaver Mesa, and all La Sal Loop sections leading up to your final stretch. Starting with the Ruby Canyon Section, youll continue on through Rabbit Valley, Westwater, Fish Ford, and Yellow Jacket Canyon sections. Kokopelli 140 MTB Two-day Stage Event (Individual) The 144 miles spilt into two days of racing, instead of one. 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. Route notes: the giant tarmac descent from fischer overlook and giant tarmac climb up to the porcupine rim trail suuuucked. An epic view point along the Kokopelli Trail. There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. We only want the same thing as youthe best gear at the best price. The Kokopelli symbol guides travelers along a trail of ~ 140 miles between Fruita (Loma actually) and Moab. 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! Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails. 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. Use the Brave browser for an entirely ad free web experience. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_name_field_wrapper { Moab Express provides shuttle service from Moab to the start of the Kokopelli Trail at Loma Trailhead. I would probably avoid doing it on anything skinnier than 2" tires, But some of you gravel grinders are pretty hard core so IDK. 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. Moab Motorsports does ask that you let them know youre leaving your car with them ahead of time. Expect the route to take the average person 3-5 days, with many strenuous sections. Like any adventure, the Kokopelli Trail is not a trail to trifle which. The last time I was there, I was told that the pipes were contaminated with E. Coli. Part of the magnificent 142-mile Kokopelli Trail. When you click on the links to purchase gear, we may get a commission without costing you an extra cent. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moab's Slickrock area. For Issue 08, we invited several contributors to return and pick up where earlier trips and ideas left off and also feature a handful of first-timers whose perspectives weve long been eager to share Issue 07 Issue seven is a celebration of courage and discovery of what were capable of when we dont let others expectations define us Issue 06 examined a diverse range of topics, including embracing aloneness, rekindling a sense of adventure, grappling with failure, and many more Kaitlyn Boyle and Kurt Refsnider both set new FKTs (fastest known times) on the 140-mile Kokopelli Trail over the weekend. In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide, CTR, and AZTR again. 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. 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. Kokopelli Trail, the long way into Moab (trip report & packing list in comments) 1 / 3 73 11 comments Add a Comment halfearup 2 yr. ago Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. The desert environment can be unforgiving. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. Petzl Bindi, which is a favorite of other Treeline Review writers and featured in our Backpacking Guide to the South Dakota Centennial Trail. Our Best Mountain Bike Lights guide also covers other mountain bike-specific lights. As mentioned above it does allow one to sight see along the way. Guided Mountain Biking on Kokopelli Trail | 57hours If youre not from the area and want to see the Rocky Mountains you can fly into Denver International Airport (DIA), and rent a car. 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 for 2-6 days depending on how many miles you want to cover each day. 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). Stretches can be particularly sandy, but never for too long at a time (and there's no need for a fat bike). Hi, Im Phil. A true western adventure with tough climbs and rewarding descents. I personally cached water at Rabbit Valley, Colorado River/Dewey Bridge and at the bathrooms at the Fisher Valley Overlook. Our inflatable packrafts are lightweight, durable, and very easy to transport. The houdini is a tiny little windbreaker with DWR that I felt would be enough for the small chance of rain in my forecast and chillier mornings riding. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. The trail is posted with the flat brown flexible fiberglass posts and marked with blue and white Kokopelli stickers. Enlightened Equipment Torrid puffy jacket. The trail was created by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA) in cooperation with the Bureau of . This ride is definitely not for the novice rider, the climbs and technical sections alone make it more for those with experience. 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. But maybe you can be the fool who rides it and has a great time despite what other people say? The route is popular as a 2- to 3-night bikepacking trip, a 3- to 4-day vehicle-supported trip, and as a . The Kokopelli Trail ends in the Slickrock area on the east end of Moab, UT. YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE KOKOPELLI. We met at the Loma Trailhead and split the caching duties between cars. Traveling through remote canyon country, White Rim Road makes a 100-mile loop through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. If you finished on a weekend you could try and hitch but finding a ride with an open rack and empty seat could prove difficult. This was Kaitlyns first ultra since a devastating car accident that had her questioning her ability to ride or walk again, but after a long and inspiring recovery, she managed to best Rebecca Ruschs 2013 record by 25 minutes. Thank you for supporting us! Top 10 Bikepacking Routes in the US - Mountain bike trails & Mountain Water options while bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail: There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. 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. 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. In terms of ride-a-bility the Kokopelli offers plenty of it and very little HAB. I love having a one-bike-fits-all quiver. New Kokopelli Trail FKT - BIKEPACKING.com A huge to congrats to Lael, Kaitlyn, and Kurt for getting out there and making it happen. The Kokopelli Trail starts outside Fruita, Colorado, on some of the best singletrack in the Mountain West. More here. With hubs at the airport, United and Southwest will have the most flight options. There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. Food resupply on the Kokopelli doesnt exist. There are unmarked turns, and its not always easy to see the brown carsonite trail markers at junctions. Looking to start bikepacking? This route follows singletrack trails, Jeep roads, and dirt roads, mainly on BLM land. With more than 61 trails covering 486 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. 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. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from, Although this trail has been completed in less than 11 hours and 14 minutes by pro cyclist. 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 southern end of Yellow Jacket Canyon crosses Highway 128 and passes Dewey Bridge before the most substantial climbing of the Kokopelli starts. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The race includes the following categories: Kokopelli 100 Ultra Marathon Individual 104 miles with 11k of climbing, Kokopelli 100 Ultra Marathon Relay same course as the individual but with 2 to 4 people. But it also took some planning so it went off without a hitch. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. *This video is for the AZTR but the information is universal. } This is certainly not a trip for. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. The Kokopelli Trail is relatively well marked, but you still need strong navigation abilities. The information found herein is simply a planning resource to be usedas a point of inspirationin conjunction with your own due-diligence. You can find the Kokopelli Trail on Ride With GPS. UPDATE (November, 2017): Apparently work is still going on and way behind as of 11/18/2017. The Kokopelli Trail ends in Moabs Slickrock. Kokopelli's Trail Phone: (435) 259-2100 Email: utmbmail@blm.gov Address: Moab Field Office 82 Dogwood Ave. Moab, UT 84532 Latitude/Longitude: 39.177737, -108.827444 Directions: From Grand Junction, travel west on Interstate 70 about 15 miles. Technical sections will challenge your mountain biking skills. We test. Find an extra-long weekend and do this ride. Joe Cruz (Pedaling in Place), Kokopelli taught me the length of a desert mile. Copyright 2023 Treeline Review LLC. Bikepacking Packrafts | Inflatable Packrafts - KOKOPELLI 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. The Kokopelli Trail is relatively well marked, but a mountain biker still needs strong navigation abilities.