Experience a multitude of terrains and landscapes on a trail that links two of the most coveted mountain biking areas in the country. Read these next or checkout the main resource page. The road is scheduled to open on weekends after May 27th. The second time was so good that I bikepacked the Kokopelli again. Bikepacking on the Kokopelli Trail Photos and words by Joel Caldwell The Kokopelli Trail is a beautiful route winding from Fruita, Colorado to Moab, Utah. Many of the BLM campgrounds lining the trail do not have water, or if they do its not potable. Over the Edge bike shop suggests people park behind Suds Brothers Brewery at 127 E Aspen Ave, Fruita, CO 81521. The first 15 miles of the Kokopelli are technical singletrack. Planned for 3 nights but the first half went quicker than I expected! The last time I was there, I was told that the pipes were contaminated with E. Coli. The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. Kokopelli's Trail - Wikipedia Ive used the National Geographic Maps Moab North and Colorado National Monument for paper maps. Youll need to cache water on the Kokopelli. Location: The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles from Grand Junction. Do your own research, know the route, options, and use proper judgement when out there. 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. We then met in Moab, loaded into one vehicle, and drove back to the Loma Trailhead. You can camp almost everywhere along the route, too. For more recommendations of puffy jackets, see our Best Down Jackets or Best Synthetic Jacket guides. If you're interested in a dedicated sleeping bag instead of a quilt, see our Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags guide. I have experienced extremely high winds and snowstorms in the high desert regions of Colorado and Utah, and this tent always holds up well. Stretching along public lands, Kokopelli's Trail is an epic journey on the Colorado Plateau. Parts of the trail are used by jeeps, ATVs, and motorcycles. This Kokopelli Trail Guidebook from Bikerpelli is also helpful for planning your trip. Another option is to have friends deliver water to you along the route or stash some yourself beforehand wherever possible. The other person in our group did not bring a storm-worthy shelter. 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.. YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE KOKOPELLI. It connects some of the best singletrack around in Fruita and Moab with 100 miles of ATV roads. More technical singletrack sections are on the descent into Moab and scattered throughout the route. While riding, obey all public and private land use restrictions and rules, carry proper safety and navigational equipment, and of course, follow the #leavenotrace guidelines. Take the Loma exit (exit 15), then travel west on gravel frontage road south of the interstate. Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. Looking up from Fischer Valley to the top of the climb next to the la sals, giving myself a goal of making it there in 5 hours, and getting up in 5 hours to look back down at the valley. Westwater Ranger Station is a short detour away at the T-junction after the short pavement section through Coal Draw. Stretches can be particularly sandy, but never for too long at a time (and there's no need for a fat bike). If you were to start in Moab and ride north, you would begin with a nearly 20-mile, 4,000-foot climb. I did it last fall on a rigid MTB with 29x2.3 tires. Over 143 miles, you climb about 14,000 feet/4,144 meters and descend about the same. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! But, store your food off the ground to prevent rodents from getting into it. 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. Bike 3-Day; Bears Ears Backcntry 4-Day; Grand Staircase-Escalante; Moab Bikepacking 101; Vehicle Support Services; . I am a bikepacking addict who also happens to be an above knee amputee. Get your FREE backpacking checklist PDF here! The Kokopelli Trail is relatively well marked, but you still need strong navigation abilities. 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. Our Best Mountain Bike Lights guide also covers other mountain bike-specific lights. So, long story short yes I bet you could absolutely do it, but no I probably wouldn't recommend it. We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. 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. 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. There is great camping in this area, too. If you can ride intermediate-level mountain bike terrain, the Kokopelli Trail will be a rewarding experience. width:100%; A huge to congrats to Lael, Kaitlyn, and Kurt for getting out there and making it happen. Revelate Saltyroll on Oveja Negra handlebar harness, food: tortillas, dried fruit, pb packets, tuna packets, summer sausage. I'm just curious what the best is for bikepacking. 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. 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. I recommend riding the Western Rim Trail, a 6-mile trail parallel to the official Kokopelli route near Fruita. I think the Gaia GPS app is the most useful for backcountry navigation. One consideration is to bring a portable water filter and tank up from the Colorado River whenever possible. The Jeep trail and dirt roads can sometimes be very sandy, challenging, and slow-going. The allure of the bigger Grand Loop caught Dye's intrigue. If youve learned a few things or have been entertained, consider becoming a Patreon member. Do you have a zipper or pull over? ONE SHOULD ASSUME ALL WATER SOURCES TO BE DRY AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Thank you for supporting us! 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). This page is divide up in simple sections to give you information in easily digestible bites. Also only split up in 2-4 segments. I recommend using an Ursack as well, just in case. On my most recent Kokopelli bikepacking trip, my group drove from Denver in two vehicles. The experience was humbling and quite challenging. Bikepacking has taken the mountain bike world by storm, with the upper echelon of bikepackers continuing to shatter time barriers and pioneer incredible . You can rent a full bikepacking setup from Bike Fiend in Moab. #fca_eoi_form_1856 .fca_eoi_layout_15.fca_eoi_layout_widget div.fca_eoi_layout_submit_button_wrapper { 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. For more recommendations, see our Best Mountain Bike Helmet guide. Water can be found at miles 48, 70, 83, and 126. A true western adventure with tough climbs and rewarding descents. From here, the climb into the La Sal Mountains starts in earnest. The Kokopelli symbol guides travelers along a trail of ~ 140 miles between Fruita (Loma actually) and Moab. From the Loma exit (exit 15) off of I70 you travel west on the gravel road to the trailhead on the left. Help could behours or days away! Coconino 250 Guide - Bikepacking - One of Seven Project With that said, you can find food at either end. Looking to start bikepacking? Find an extra-long weekend and do this ride. Joe Cruz (Pedaling in Place), Kokopelli taught me the length of a desert mile. Kokopelli Trail Bikepacking Route - BIKEPACKING.com There was some water new Onion Creek Hideout CG during my attempt the end of April 2016. To learn more Click Here. 7 Things to Do in Californias Alabama Hills: Movie Road, Hiking, Stargazing & More! width:300px; 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. Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. 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). . 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. Repair Shops & Related Services NEC. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Petzl Bindi, which is a favorite of other Treeline Review writers and featured in our Backpacking Guide to the South Dakota Centennial Trail. You can get to Rabbit Valley and Dewey Bridge with a 2-wheel drive vehicle. 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