kokopelli trail bikepacking

Once you arrive in Moab, there are countless mountain bike trails to explore. Stretching along public lands, Kokopelli's Trail is an epic journey on the Colorado Plateau. There are many steep, exposed climbs throughout the route. Unless youre camping in the La Sals, you likely wont encounter bears on the Kokopelli Trail. 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. 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. Finished this classic route in 3 full days, 2 nights out on the trail, 10-12 hours riding per day. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Go out with a spirit of excitement and return with a sense of accomplishment. To schedule an appointment for your school or for more information, please call Crosswinds Marsh at: (734) 654-1220. 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. From the trailhead at Loma, after a quick gravel traverse, the route starts with 10+ miles of mesa singletrack overlooking the Colorado River. As such, our editorial team, route creators, and Route Stewards serve as mediators for route improvements and opportunities for connectivity, conservation, and community growth around these routes. Would it be foolish to try to ride the Kokopelli Trail on a gravel bike? Elevation gain: 13,595 feet/ 4,144 meters, Elevation loss: 14,058 feet/ 4,285 meters. This incredibly scenic trail takes you along the Colorado Plateau and through colorful stretches of Utah as well as in and out of valleys. The full list includes: DIA is the largest of the options but is also the furthest away. If it werent for that snowstorm after the first day, we would have found ourselves far out there, fruitlessly attempting to filter water from the silty Colorado River, slowed down immensely by the gravel bike that wasnt enough bike for the terrain. Click here to login, or start an account if youre not yet a member of the Bikepacking Collective, to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. CNY is closest airport but also the most expensive and with the most limited options. Also only split up in 2-4 segments. Location: The Kokopelli Trail starts near Loma, Colorado which is about 15 miles from Grand Junction. This incredibly scenic trail takes you along the Colorado Plateau and through colorful stretches of Utah as well as in and out of valleys. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Transportation Services. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! Find our Kokopelli Trail route guide here. 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 are plenty of primitive and a few developed options for camping or one can usually sleep along the trail side but please use LNT practices when doing so. I'm just curious what the best is for bikepacking. Food resupply on the Kokopelli doesnt exist. Get your FREE backpacking checklist PDF here! The trail ends in the Sand Flats section which takes you from Porcupine Rim to Slickrock. This requires a 9 mile pavement ride to the Kokepellis Trailhead, but offers a safe parking solution. Its a high-quality down quilt that has reliably kept me warm for 1000s of trail miles. Sand, dirt, gravel, slick rock, creek crossings, you name it. There was some water new Onion Creek Hideout CG during my attempt the end of April 2016. There is great camping in this area, too. The route is an epic medley of singletrack, doubletrack, sand and tarmac technical climbs, rugged descents, and graded terrain. 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. This Kokopelli Trail Guide will give you everything you need to know. On my most recent Kokopelli bikepacking trip, my group drove from Denver in two vehicles. Water is a big challenge on the Kokopelli Trail. Bikepackers camping along the Kokopelli trail, The singletrack section youll start on is some of the best mountain biking in the country, Descending out of the La Sal Mountain range into Moab is a particularly fun downhill, Many of the dirt roads are impassable after heavy rains. More technical singletrack sections are on the descent into Moab and scattered throughout the route. } Start at our worldwide routes map to dig into our detailed guides with GPS maps and inspiring photography. Or toss some spare change inthe PayPal tip jar. 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). This is certainly not a trip for bringing your dog or someone just starting out with biking. What about wind breaker? 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. The riding is primarily non-technical dirt roads and Jeep double track, but it is about 15% singletrack. You can get to Rabbit Valley and Dewey Bridge with a 2-wheel drive vehicle. 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. Despite reports you can leave a car at the Moab Information Center, you CAN NOT. Read more on the About Me page. Most of your riding will be on dirt and paved roads, with some singletrack thrown in for good measure. It's a marin pine mountain 2 but I don't think they make the purple anymore sadly. Like any adventure, the Kokopelli Trail is not a trail to trifle which. We were caught in a late March snowstorm and spent the day in a cave, watching the snow pile up. Patagonia Womens Nylon Capri Pants cut into shorts (discontinued). YOUR ULTIMATE BIKEPACKING GUIDE TO THE KOKOPELLI. The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile desert bikepacking route linking the mountain biking epicenters of Fruita, Colorado, and Moab, Utah. You need to be logged in to use these features. Copyright 2023 Treeline Review LLC. From there, the trail traverses through the Cottonwood Canyon, Beaver Mesa, and all La Sal Loop sections leading up to your final stretch. 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 White Rim Trail is one of the most iconic long-distance mountain bikepacking rides in the West. Three mountain bik. The desert environment can be unforgiving. 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. Grand Junction also has a regional airport and car rental options for caching water. I am a bikepacking addict who also happens to be an above knee amputee. Indian Trails. width:100%; 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. Nowhere else can you find scenery quite like this! In total you will ride for 142 miles and there are a few bailout options along the way should you need to. I rode the Kokopelli Trail as my first multi-day bikepacking trip. Mile 10.6 Salt Creek NOT suitable for drinking, Mile 48 Westwater Ranger Station Water has been reported to have been shut off (get water from Colorado River), Mile 59.9 Colorado River (strain and filter), Mile 73.6 Colorado River (stain and filter). I found a trickle of cool, clear water at hideout spring (find the cottonwoods!!) This bucket-list bikepacking trip is an adventure of the soul and a test of your commitment. @media screen and ( max-width: 100% ) { The Kokopelli Trail is an 136.4 milemulti use recreational trail that goes from Fruita, CO to Moab, UT. We completed the Kokopelli trail in three challenging, rewarding days of bike riding. There is some water along the route, but not enough to forego caching water unless you can carry enough water for 2 days. With our tough and long-lasting Kokopelli bikepacking packrafts, you can explore gravel roads and winding rivers on your next bikepacking expedition in the wilderness. Read these next or checkout the main resource page. 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 You need to be logged in to use these features. Then youll be in Fisher Valley, where Ive always cached water by the road. 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. It follows the Colorado River, and youll regularly get views of the river as it winds through the landscape below. Each issue features a collection of inspiring writing and beautiful photography. Kokopelli Trail (Bikepacking Route + Porcupine Rim) location Utah, USA We recognize Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land. So, long story short yes I bet you could absolutely do it, but no I probably wouldn't recommend it. 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 Kokopelli Trail starts out on some single track affording beautiful views of the Colorado River. Shopping with our affiliates helps fund the development of content like this. 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 Bikepacking Journal is our biannual printed publication. Experience a multitude of terrains and landscapes on a trail that links two of the most coveted mountain biking areas in the country. Moab Express provides shuttle service from Moab to the start of the Kokopelli Trail at Loma Trailhead.