The trail ends in the Sand Flats section which takes you from Porcupine Rim to Slickrock. This section is beautiful though; theres nothing like moving in and out of desert and mountain terrain and skirting along the Estrada Bluffs. I have attempted the Kokpelli 3 times and completed it twice. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget { Most rideable parts require at most intermediate-level mountain biking abilities. From there, the trail traverses through the Cottonwood Canyon, Beaver Mesa, and all La Sal Loop sections leading up to your final stretch. 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. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. The Kokopelli Trail is a difficult bikepacking trail. Unless youre camping in the La Sals, you likely wont encounter bears on the Kokopelli Trail. Riding the trail on a fat bike, I hardly noticed the extensive sections of sandy desert Jeep roads. 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! The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Elevation gain: 13,595 feet/ 4,144 meters, Elevation loss: 14,058 feet/ 4,285 meters. Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. Aid stations rough every 8 miles. 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. Lastly, you could use two cars but this option means a lot of driving and extra time. Timing bikepacking the Kokopelli trail with the weather can be a challenge. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. Also only split up in 2-4 segments. You may try and see if one would drop you back off in Fruita. You decide. By entering your email address, you agree to receive our weekly newsletter in accordance with our Privacy Policy. The first 15 miles of the Kokopelli are technical singletrack. Top Rated Routes. 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. Website. Dirt roads, paved roads, and singletrack with some technical areas. I used a Cedar Ridge Outdoors Leconte 20* quilt. Kokopelli 140 MTB Two-day Stage Event (Individual) The 144 miles spilt into two days of racing, instead of one. } That was my fools attitude in spite of pedaling and adventuring in that corner of Utah for decades. From the trailhead at Loma, after a quick gravel traverse, the route starts with 10+ miles of mesa singletrack overlooking the Colorado River. They did say you can leave your car at Moab Motorsports located at25 E Center St, Moab, UT 84532. This route follows singletrack trails, Jeep roads, and dirt roads, mainly on BLM land. There is amazing camping here, awesome slick rock riding, and stunning Colorado Plateau rock formations. The Ogre is one of our favorite bikepacking bikes in our Best Bikepacking Bikes guide, MYOG clone of the Swift Industries Zeitgeist, Our tent set up for bike camping on the Kokopelli Trail, MSR Pocket Rocket 2 stove, which is the overall winner in our Best Backpacking Stoves guide, Toaks 750 mL pot, which is the overall winner in our Best Backpacking Cookpot guide. It's my one and only and it's so fun everywhere I take it. 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. 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. It connects some of the best singletrack around in Fruita and Moab with 100 miles of ATV roads. Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. In terms of ride-a-bility the Kokopelli offers plenty of it and very little HAB. The Kokopelli Trail is a vintage route ridden and raced long before doing stuff like this was popular. You risk getting caught in a winter storm if you go early in spring or late in fall. 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 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. Use the Brave browser for an entirely ad free web experience. sounds like a great trip! } Then youll be in Fisher Valley, where Ive always cached water by the road. } Unfortunately, there is no way around it and riders will need to exit out Castle Valley (mile 128) to get to Moab. } Non-stop vistas of far away mountains and canyons might lure one into a sort of topographic pomposity. Thank you for supporting us! You dont need any permits to bikepack the Kokopelli Trail. I rode the Kokopelli Trail as my first multi-day bikepacking trip. Kokopelli Trail (Bikepacking Route + Porcupine Rim) location Utah, USA We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. But theyre even farther than you think. Our first time bikepacking the Kokopelli trail was a humbling failure, but also an appreciative win.This short bikepacking documentary shows the metaphorical. 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. 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. I am a bikepacking addict who also happens to be an above knee amputee. Planned for 3 nights but the first half went quicker than I expected! Westwater Ranger Station is a short detour away at the T-junction after the short pavement section through Coal Draw. If you can ride intermediate-level mountain bike terrain, the Kokopelli Trail will be a rewarding experience. On the 142-mile Kokopelli's Trail, a group of bikepackers race against dusk on Porcupine Rim, a. There are unmarked turns, and its not always easy to see the brown carsonite trail markers at junctions. There is one option for airlines and two car rental: GJT is the closest airport that has a reasonable cost and minimal logistics . There is great camping in this area, too. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. However, Kokopelli's Native American origin has other meanings such as a fertility deity, and among Hopi, a humped-up . Ive used the National Geographic Maps Moab North and Colorado National Monument for paper maps. The first time I attempted the trail in a group, we werent fully prepared and bailed. I love having a one-bike-fits-all quiver. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! I did it last fall on a rigid MTB with 29x2.3 tires. This is the way to enter Moab! Joel Caldwell (joelcaldwell.com) Grand Junction also has a regional airport and car rental options for caching water. The Kokopelli Trail is an 136.4 milemulti use recreational trail that goes from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT. 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. I recommend using an Ursack as well, just in case. One consideration is to bring a portable water filter and tank up from the Colorado River whenever possible. The road is scheduled to open on weekends after May 27th. 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 There are many steep, exposed climbs throughout the route. The Kokopelli Trail is a 143-mile desert bikepacking route that connects Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. 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 crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs world famous Slickrock area. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know when we release new gear reviews! The Kokopelli's Trail (also known as the Kokopelli Trail) is a 142-mile (229 km) multi-use trail (but primarily used by mountain bikes) in Grand County, Utah and Mesa County, Colorado in the western United States. Explore the best rated trails in Romulus, MI. This works only if you dont have any issues and show up on time. Looking to start bikepacking? We look forward to sharing the natural splendor of Crosswinds through our interpretive programming, activities and future exhibits. The Kokopelli Trail is even marked on these maps. I dont recommend riding Porcupine Rim without a full-suspension bike. Terms of Use: As with each bikepacking route guide published on BIKEPACKING.com, should you choose to cycle this route, do so at your own risk. It follows the Colorado River, and youll regularly get views of the river as it winds through the landscape below. 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. New for 2023 Cleaned up the sheets and adjusted the colors for better viewing. 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. What puffy jacket do you use? The other person in our group did not bring a storm-worthy shelter. Specialized Tactic bike helmet. Looking to start bikepacking? Some of the singletrack is unrideable, too. One section requires a rider to lift your bike over car-sized boulders. We test. Cant say much for Kokopelli but I just did the White Rim trail (which is quite close by) on my gravel bike. So, long story short yes I bet you could absolutely do it, but no I probably wouldn't recommend it. The closes airports to fly into would beMoab (CNY) itself, but the cost would be extremely high. Bedrock Cairns, which is the overall winner in our Best Hiking Sandals gear review. There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. (254 KM) Days 3-5 % Unpaved 85% % Singletrack 25% % Rideable (time) 99% Total Ascent 15,189' (4,630 M) High Point 8,580' (2,615 M) Difficulty (1-10) 6.5? For more recommendations, see our Best Mountain Bike Helmet guide. It's a marin pine mountain 2 but I don't think they make the purple anymore sadly. Ive used this inflatable pad for several years now. Bikepacking is one of The Project's main focuses. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the University/Parks Trail and Clinton River Park Trail. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. In total you will ride for 142 miles and there are a few bailout options along the way should you need to. We completed the Kokopelli trail in three challenging, rewarding days of bike riding. 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. The full list of serves includes: SLC is an international airport so there are a few options. I'm just curious what the best is for bikepacking. The southern end of Yellow Jacket Canyon crosses Highway 128 and passes Dewey Bridge before the most substantial climbing of the Kokopelli starts. There are unmarked turns, and its not always easy to see the brown carsonite trail markers at junctions. Checkout the Colorado Trail Transportation Guide for train options if you want to fly into Denver and take the train to Grand Junction. (mens and womens & nobo and sobo available). A section of the trail, the Kokopelli Singletrack, begins just outside the . 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. NO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ARE ALLOWED IN CROSSWINDS MARSH. I recommend riding the Western Rim Trail, a 6-mile trail parallel to the official Kokopelli route near Fruita. We met at the Loma Trailhead and split the caching duties between cars. Another option is to have friends deliver water to you along the route or stash some yourself beforehand wherever possible. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. 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. This Kokopelli Trail Guide will give you everything you need to know. This epic bikepacking adventure promises an incredible final descent as you wearily make your way into Moab. Heres what several members of our four-top riding group had to say: The Kokopelli Trail is a beautiful route winding from Fruita to Moab that combines primitive roads of all varieties with surprisingly technical single track to keep you guessing about what lies around each bend. Learn more. 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. The Kokopelli Trail is part of the larger Grand Loop. A big storm can leave you stranded on unrideable dirt roads of sticky, peanut butter mud that will stop your wheels from turning. Ride, Eat, Sleep, Repeat Arizona Trail Race. Fully packed bikepacking set up for the Kokopelli Trail. 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. Bikepacking has taken the mountain bike world by storm, with the upper echelon of bikepackers continuing to shatter time barriers and pioneer incredible . #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_name_field_wrapper { Kokopelli 140 MTB Relay A choice your own adventure. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_submit_button_wrapper { Another option is to check Craigslists ride share page for various cities where you think someone might be travel to or from Moab. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) {
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