Biking

I’ve been biking in Fruita for over two decades, yet there are a few classic rides I have not checked off the list. The Zion Curtain finally got it’s check mark last fall. This ride is a little less technical than some others near the Colorado River. But, that doesn’t detract from the fun. Not to mention, a good chunk of his ride is actually located in Utah. Unlike the Interstate though, you won’t be finding signs at the border.

While we probably won’t return to some of these trails, others might be worth a return a trip and Sink Creek and Throughline certainly fall into that category. Unfortunately, both of these trails have to be ridden as out and backs, since the legal riding ends at the West Elk Wilderness boundary.

October is the magic time for the desert. Temperatures are usually perfect – 60’s or 70’s in the day, and not too cold at night. Living in Colorado, I feel incredibly lucky to have access to some of the nations highest peaks, yet only a few hours drive from some of the best desert around. The public lands around Fruita offers some fantastic mountain biking, and the Kokopelli Loops out of Loma are among my favorite.

These trails? Well, they’re all west of the West Elk Wilderness, about halfway between Gunnison and Crawford. On paper, it’s a good loop. What we would find on the ground? That was still a bit of a mystery,

We would have to say that we were pretty impressed overall with the mountain biking at Red Hill. The riding is high quality, and so are the views. This is also a great place to go once the high country has some snow- Carbondale isn’t quite as warm and dry as Fruita or Moab, but the season is certainly longer than other areas and you don’t have to drive all the way to the desert to get there. I’m sure we’ll be back.