Fingerless bike gloves. There is great camping in this area, too. 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. 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. Read more on the About Me page. Find Related Places. This bucket-list bikepacking trip is an adventure of the soul and a test of your commitment. 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. On my most recent Kokopelli bikepacking trip, my group drove from Denver in two vehicles. From the parking lot for the Marys Loop trail system the Kokopelli winds its way southwest over improved roads, four-wheel-drive roads, pavement, and single-track. 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). Be sure to stop at, Powered by red Starbursts and Fat Tire Amber Ale, 6 Bikepacking Routes in Southern California | Year-round Fun, 11 of the Most Popular Bikepacking Trails in the US, Colorado Bikepacking Trails A Bikepackers Dreamland, How to Prepare For the C&O Canal and GAP Trail. 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. The Kokopelli Trail is a good first test. 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. A section of the trail, the Kokopelli Singletrack, begins just outside the . With hubs at the airport, United and Southwest will have the most flight options. We cover other lighting options in our Best Headlamps guide. The Kokopelli Trail is an 136.4 milemulti use recreational trail that goes from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT. } The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles from Grand Junction. Starts at the Westwater Airstrip. 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! Fisher Creek was flowing at mile 107.4 as well. 150 miles. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs world famous Slickrock area. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moabs Slickrock area. At times the Kokopelli Trail can serve up demanding single track and steep climbs, makingit a trail not to be underestimated. Once youre in the La Sals, youll probably find a stream or two to collect water from. This route follows singletrack trails, Jeep roads, and dirt roads, mainly on BLM land. 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. The trail presses on through Fish Ford and the ride becomes more arduous as you climb away from the Colorado River. More. There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. 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. I used a Thermarest Neoair Xlite for this trail. If you were to start in Moab and ride north, you would begin with a nearly 20-mile, 4,000-foot climb. That was my fools attitude in spite of pedaling and adventuring in that corner of Utah for decades. width:300px; From there, youll be closer to the start of 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. Our first time bikepacking the Kokopelli trail was a humbling failure, but also an appreciative win.This short bikepacking documentary shows the metaphorical. If youre like me and have a passion for riding your bike, then read on. Read these next or checkout the main resource page. Moab Motorsports does ask that you let them know youre leaving your car with them ahead of time. 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! 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. Bikepacking: Off-Pavement Bicycling and camping where you would if you were to go backpacking. Its June. We met at the Loma Trailhead and split the caching duties between cars. See REIs Food Storage story or REIs Bear Canister story for more information on Bears and food storage. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. I rode the Kokopelli Trail as my first multi-day bikepacking trip. The Kokopelli Trail begins with ~15 miles of singletrack above the Colorado River before a few dozen miles of 44 tracks, gravel roads, and two-tracks through badlands and over ledgey mesas before crossing the Colorado River at Dewey Bridge. 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. Kokopelli Racing LLC put on a mountain bike and running ultra marathon race on the classic Kokopelli Trail. Riding the trail on a fat bike, I hardly noticed the extensive sections of sandy desert Jeep roads. On the 142-mile Kokopelli's Trail, a group of bikepackers race against dusk on Porcupine Rim, a. Help could behours or days away! Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! The trail is posted with the flat brown flexible fiberglass posts and marked with blue and white Kokopelli stickers. You can access the Colorado River from here, though. The trail ends in the Sand Flats section which takes you from Porcupine Rim to Slickrock. Grand Junction also has a regional airport and car rental options for caching water. This bucket-list bikepacking trip is an adventure of the soul and a test of your commitment. 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. width:100%; 28685 Smith Rd Romulus MI 48174 (734) 326-9801. What about wind breaker? I used a Tarptent Aeon Li tent for the Kokopelli Trail. Planned for 3 nights but the first half went quicker than I expected! If you're interested in a dedicated sleeping bag instead of a quilt, see our Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags guide. 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). Moraine Full Meal Deal 12.5 mi 20.1 km . Despite reports you can leave a car at the Moab Information Center, you CAN NOT. The Kokopelli Trail spreads from Loma, Colorado, to Moab, Utah, over 142 exciting miles! Expect the route to take the average person 3-5 days, with many strenuous sections. 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. You might be able to get water from a spigot here, but dont count on it. There are long stretches of challenging desert riding, and those new to the sport will find it very challenging. 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. Bedrock Cairns, which is the overall winner in our Best Hiking Sandals gear review. By entering your email address, you agree to receive our weekly newsletter in accordance with our Privacy Policy. There are no resupply options along the route. Traveling through remote canyon country, White Rim Road makes a 100-mile loop through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. From there, the trail traverses through the Cottonwood Canyon, Beaver Mesa, and all La Sal Loop sections leading up to your final stretch. The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles west of Grand Junction. The Kokopelli Trail crosses the Colorado River and ends at Moab's Slickrock area. All rights reserved. Over the next 50 miles, youll do a lot of climbing, but the next ten miles will be the steepest. Its best to ride the Kokopelli Trail in the Spring and Fall. Continuing on 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. Starting with the Ruby Canyon Section, youll continue on through Rabbit Valley, Westwater, Fish Ford, and Yellow Jacket Canyon sections. The Kokopelli Trail starts outside Fruita, Colorado, on some of the best singletrack in the Mountain West. When coming into Moab, you can opt to ride the Porcupine Rim Trail to add a fun but technical singletrack descent into town. At the top, youll get great views of Moab and the surrounding landscape. 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. I create technical resources, reviews, inspirational videos, how-to guides and more. We cached water at a few road crossings, brought bikes with high-volume tires, and generally respected the challenges of the trail more. You could plan to finish on a day a friend was driving back from Moab. Our Best Mountain Bike Lights guide also covers other mountain bike-specific lights. This incredibly scenic trail takes you along the Colorado Plateau and through colorful stretches of Utah as well as in and out of valleys. Find details on their records alongside a few photos taken by Rugile Kaladyte here, Photos by Rugile Kaladyte (@rugilekaladyte). Timing bikepacking the Kokopelli trail with the weather can be a challenge. One consideration is to bring a portable water filter and tank up from the Colorado River whenever possible. Kurts finish time was 10 hours and 56 minutes. Elevation gain: 13,595 feet/ 4,144 meters, Elevation loss: 14,058 feet/ 4,285 meters. 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 Bikepacking has taken the mountain bike world by storm, with the upper echelon of bikepackers continuing to shatter time barriers and pioneer incredible . This is certainly not a trip for. Checkout the Colorado Trail Transportation Guide for train options if you want to fly into Denver and take the train to Grand Junction. 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. A true western adventure with tough climbs and rewarding descents. 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. It is possible to leave a vehicle at the Loma trailhead, but may be a little more risky. Order Online. It connects some of the best singletrack around in Fruita and Moab with 100 miles of ATV roads. The final climb will be on a paved road, but by this point, youll probably be ready for easier riding. More here. But theyre even farther than you think. 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. The Kokopelli Trail ends in the Slickrock area on the east end of Moab, UT. I have attempted the Kokpelli 3 times and completed it twice. 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 NO PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ARE ALLOWED IN CROSSWINDS MARSH. That first ride took him 23 hours, and soon after, he rode the trail in the opposite direction in just 17 hours. Parts of the trail are used by jeeps, ATVs, and motorcycles. Did you happen to see any of the folks attempting to set the FKT for it out there? 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. 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: 100% ) { There are a ton of options out there. 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. Non-stop vistas of far away mountains and canyons might lure one into a sort of topographic pomposity. Thank you for supporting us! Website Take me there. width:100%; Since it was first designed the Porcupine Rim Trail has been built which means you have the option of making it 150+ miles. 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. Simply clicking on the links below with our affiliates supports the Project. 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. With more than 61 trails covering 486 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. The Kokopelli Trail is even marked on these maps. The Kokopelli Trail (AKA Kokopelli's Trail) is a classic bikepacking route connecting the two mountain biking nerve centers of Fruita and Moab (1/3 of the total Grand Loop). I would probably avoid doing it on anything skinnier than 2" tires, But some of you gravel grinders are pretty hard core so IDK. 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. Copyright 2023 Treeline Review LLC. Youll need to cache water on the Kokopelli. 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 Local Overnighters Project is a unified effort to document and map one-night bikepacking routes all over the worldby locals, in their own backyards. Do your own research, know the route, options, and use proper judgement when out there. Water options while bikepacking the Kokopelli Trail: There are not too many reliable water sources on this trail so its important to plan accordingly. The 142-mile multi-use trail stretches from Loma, Colorado all the way to Moab, UT. The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Its reliable, keeps me warm, and Thermarests lifetime warranty is no joke. The second time was so good that I bikepacked the Kokopelli again. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_email_field_wrapper { The trail runs through Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County in Utah. 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. These bikepacking routes in and loads of others can be found at bikepacking.com. With that said, you can find food at either end. There are several hike-a-bike sections of this trail. Bikepacking is generally in the backcountry, but you can backpack on local trails. I am a bikepacking addict who also happens to be an above knee amputee. Ive done this using collapsible water jugs, but it takes time and extra equipment. Sign up with your email address to be the first to know when we release new gear reviews! What puffy jacket do you use? The closes airports to fly into would beMoab (CNY) itself, but the cost would be extremely high. Thank you for supporting our work and mission of outdoor coverage for every body! Food resupply on the Kokopelli doesnt exist. 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. 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. 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. The other two in the party were on a hardtail and a rigid fatbike. Once you arrive in Moab, there are countless mountain bike trails to explore. 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. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_submit_button_wrapper { Bike Inn; Needles 2 Moab Canyonlands; Bears Ears Mnt. These are primitive campsites so dont expect much as far as amenities go. 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. The Kokopelli Trail is one of the most coveted bikepacking routes out there, and for good reason. It will take about half a day to cache water and drive back to either end of the Kokopelli. No stove helped with space and water. We completed the Kokopelli trail in three challenging, rewarding days of bike riding. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. RECOMMENDED ROUTE Difficult. The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. 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. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_submit_button_wrapper { This ride is definitely not for the novice rider, the climbs and technical sections alone make it more for those with experience. The next closest would be Grand Junction or Salt Lake City (SLC). Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. We used collapsible water jugs like these so we can strap them to our bikes and easily carry them out, too. and filtered from there before the big climbs. Sawyer Squeeze, which is the overall winner in our Best Water Filters and Purifiers guide. The Kokopelli Trail is a vintage route ridden and raced long before doing stuff like this was popular. Also, the Hot Tomato in Fruita has some of the best pizza Ive ever eaten, and they have great beers on tap. Checkout all our available products in our store,and thanks for the support! The trail runs through Mesa County, Colorado, and Grand County in Utah. This Kokopelli Trail Guide will give you everything you need to know.

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