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. Our inflatable packrafts are lightweight, durable, and very easy to transport. The Kokopelli Trail is a 143-mile desert bikepacking route that connects Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. 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. There is some concern with possible theft but it worked out fine for me. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The La Sal Loop Road is currently undergoing construction this spring/summer/fall, 2017 and portions of it is closed, including a section of it that is used by the Kokopelli Trail. After a hot, exposed climb to Top of the World road, youll descend Rose Garden Hill and wonder how anyone could drive a Jeep over that. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Get your FREE backpacking checklist PDF here! Planned for 3 nights but the first half went quicker than I expected! During my thru-bike I left my car at the Loma trailhead parking lot for Marys Loop Trails. I think with as much sand and slickrock that I encountered my answer to you in short would be, yes, foolish to try this on a gravel bike, coming from a mountainbiker who has no idea what a gravel bike is capable of. From the Loma exit (exit 15) off of I70 you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. The Loma Trailhead is west of Fruita, Colorado, along Interstate I-70. 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). Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews. width:100%; The Jeep trail and dirt roads can sometimes be very sandy, challenging, and slow-going. I think the Gaia GPS app is the most useful for backcountry navigation. I recommend caching water at Rabbit Valley trailhead, near Dewey Bridge by the road along Highway 128, and Fisher Valley.
Kokopelli Trail - Backcountry MTB // Industry Nine - Pivot Pro Thanks for your support! The second time was so good that I bikepacked the Kokopelli again. Checkout all our available products in our store,and thanks for the support! The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moab's Slickrock area. } This only adds about 4 miles extra overall to your trip, but youll ride slick rock along the edge of a canyon rim overlooking the Colorado River instead of the less scenic route not along a cliff. Thanks, me too!! Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs world famous Slickrock area. Westwater Ranger Station is a short detour away at the T-junction after the short pavement section through Coal Draw. 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.. What about wind breaker?
How to Get Lost in the Utah Desert? Bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail At the top, youll get great views of Moab and the surrounding landscape.
Discover Kokopelli's Trail, which pioneered 'bikepacking' - Magazine The . In spite of the fact that this route, associated GPS track (GPX and maps), and all route guidelines were prepared under diligent research by the specified contributor and/or contributors, the accuracy of such and judgement of the author is not guaranteed. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! That first ride took him 23 hours, and soon after, he rode the trail in the opposite direction in just 17 hours. RECOMMENDED ROUTE Difficult. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. These are primitive campsites so dont expect much as far as amenities go. This Kokopelli Trail Guide was put together for people like you, in hopes it would make taking that first step of planning easier and get you on the trail faster. 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. Food resupply on the Kokopelli doesnt exist. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_name_field_wrapper { 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. Cheers! The following page is broken down into sections highlighting The Project's main categories. Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. 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. Expect the route to take the average person 3-5 days, with many strenuous sections. Shopping with our affiliates helps fund the development of content like this. Ive used the National Geographic Maps Moab North and Colorado National Monument for paper maps. We look forward to sharing the natural splendor of Crosswinds through our interpretive programming, activities and future exhibits. For other backpacking tents we recommend, see our Best Backpacking Tents guide. This story may contain affiliate links, which help fund our website. The Kokopelli Trail starts out on some single track affording beautiful views of the Colorado River. It's our goal to supply the best resources, guides, gear lists, data sheets, town lists, and more to help others realize and follow their passion. The closest large airport to the Kokopelli Trail is the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Kokopelli Trail - Bikepacker Fingerless bike gloves. Part of the magnificent 142-mile Kokopelli Trail. Colorado River is too silty to filter, and some of the only other water sources along the route arent safe to drink due to the waters arsenic levels. Over 143 miles, you climb about 14,000 feet/4,144 meters and descend about the same. Stretches can be particularly sandy, but never for too long at a time (and there's no need for a fat bike). This Kokopelli Trail Guide will give you everything you need to know. A huge to congrats to Lael, Kaitlyn, and Kurt for getting out there and making it happen. There are also ways to filter silty water using alum. 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! Use the Brave browser for an entirely ad free web experience. 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. In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the Tour Divide, CTR, and AZTR again. Group size must be limited to 12 people or less. Indian Trails. 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. As an affiliate partner, One of Seven Project earns a commission for purchases made through any product, brand logo links, or banner ads on this page. Aid stations rough every 8 miles. To learn more Click Here. width:100%; The trail runs through Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County in Utah. You decide. Ultimate Arizona Trail Bikepacking Planning Guide, Gear Review If I Rode the Arizona Trail Race Again, Gear Review If I Rode the Colorado Trail Race Again, Gear Review If I Rode the Kokopelli Trail Again, Gear Review If I Rode The Tour Divide Again, Gear Review If I Hiked The Appalachian Trail Again, Gear Review If I Hiked The Long Trail Again, Gear Review If I Hiked the Pacific Crest Trail Again, Gear Review If I hiked the Continental Divide Trail Again, Gear Review If I Hiked the Colorado Trail Again. These bikepacking routes in and loads of others can be found at bikepacking.com. Since it was first designed the Porcupine Rim Trail has been built which means you have the option of making it 150+ miles. I dont recommend riding Porcupine Rim without a full-suspension bike. There are plenty of camping options along the way including the BLM campgrounds listed below; some may require a small fee. Starts at the Westwater Airstrip. width:100%; For some time now the Kokopelli was without an official race on the calendar. The Kokopelli Trail starts out on some single track affording beautiful views of the Colorado River. Prior to setting out check current local weather, conditions, and land/road closures. There are very few reliable water options available along the Kokopelli Trail. In 2017 that changed. More. It would also add another 1000 jolts to your wrists and spine, as this trail is very bumpy. Website Take me there. Location: The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles from Grand Junction. I would have gladly traded out for either of those bikes when it the trail started getting a little chunkier. The Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. A mix of dirt roads, desert Jeep tracks, and singletrack trails, Good fitness levels and intermediate mountain biking technical abilities required, The route is almost entirely on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land with lots of great camping on public land, Caching water is almost a requirement to bikepack the Kokopelli Trail self-supported, The Kokopelli trail connects singletrack, Jeep roads, and dirt roads following the Colorado River.
#fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_name_field_wrapper { We used collapsible water jugs like these so we can strap them to our bikes and easily carry them out, too. 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. sounds like a great trip! For more recommendations, see our Best Mountain Bike Gloves guide. Know your body and how much water you require and plan carefully. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_email_field_wrapper { There is one option for airlines and two car rental: GJT is the closest airport that has a reasonable cost and minimal logistics . There are some steep climbs on this trail with the payoff being some exhilarating descents. When coming into Moab, you can opt to ride the Porcupine Rim Trail to add a fun but technical singletrack descent into town. From the Loma exit (exit 15) you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. Kokopelli 140 MTB Two-day Stage Event (Individual) The 144 miles spilt into two days of racing, instead of one. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. Another option is to have friends deliver water to you along the route or stash some yourself beforehand wherever possible.
7 Incredible Bikepacking Trips in the US to Have on Your Radar 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. Gear lists from the AZT, TD and CTR; Pros & Cons; Things Id do different; and Tips. 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. 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. I found a trickle of cool, clear water at hideout spring (find the cottonwoods!!) We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Lastly, you could use two cars but this option means a lot of driving and extra time. } You and your friends, split the course into 2 to 6 segments. If you're interested in a dedicated sleeping bag instead of a quilt, see our Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags guide.
Guided Mountain Biking on Kokopelli Trail | 57hours Enlightened Equipment Torrid puffy jacket. This quick guide to bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail will give you the information and insight you need for a successful trip to one of the most spectacular bike trails out there. 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. Elevation gain: 13,595 feet/ 4,144 meters, Elevation loss: 14,058 feet/ 4,285 meters. As mentioned above it does allow one to sight see along the way. Once youre in the La Sals, youll probably find a stream or two to collect water from. We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Did you happen to see any of the folks attempting to set the FKT for it out there? Patagonia Womens Nylon Capri Pants cut into shorts (discontinued). If you can ride intermediate-level mountain bike terrain, the Kokopelli Trail will be a rewarding experience. Bikepack it, chase the FKT, ride it with vehicle support - experience it however you like. More here. 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). From here, the climb into the La Sal Mountains starts in earnest. Also only split up in 2-4 segments. Bikers most commonly ride the Kokopelli Trail southbound, starting at the Loma Trailhead and finishing in Moab. When you click on the links to purchase gear, we may get a commission without costing you an extra cent. } This trailhead is where the Kokopelli Trail starts and is even a location on Google maps now. The ride is not for the novice rider, the climbs and technical sections alone make it more for those with a bit more experience. Would it be foolish to try to ride the Kokopelli Trail on a gravel bike? Bike 3-Day; Bears Ears Backcntry 4-Day; Grand Staircase-Escalante; Moab Bikepacking 101; Vehicle Support Services; . Youll have to carry everything you need for the entirety of the trail. width:100%; Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. The Kokopelli Trail is a vintage route ridden and raced long before doing stuff like this was popular. There are long stretches of challenging desert riding, and those new to the sport will find it very challenging. More flag On Ute Land Distance 158 Mi.
Looking Back: The Kokopelli Trail - Cycling West - Cycling Utah Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. Most rideable parts require at most intermediate-level mountain biking abilities. It combines a variety of primitive roads with surprisingly technical single track that kept us guessing around each bend.