![]() Long story short, I flew over the handlebars and had dinner early. I hit the jump OK and the airborne part seemed fine, but the landing proved problematic. My plan seemed reasonable: hit a small jump, grin from ear to ear as I flew by the camera and pretend I was all that. Or, more accurately, straight down into the dirt. Nearing the end of the trail, we came to a scenic section where an action shot seemed like the logical thing to do. Plunging through a maze of dry-as-a-bone washes – with berms, drops and jumps around every turn – the Bearclaw Poppi trail was an outstanding grand finale. Thankfully, given the challenging nature of this terrain (this is where they host the infamous Red Bull Rampage, check it out on YouTube), I didn’t start there.Īfter meeting my guide Todd Goss, owner of Paragon Adventures, we warmed up with a two-hour spin on the west side of town in the Green Valley region, which boasts a brilliant network of desert trails ideal for intermediate riders. Gooseberry Mesa, just east of town near Virgin, is generally considered the cream of the crop. George is also known for its fantastic golf, quiet and peaceful ways (this is Mormon country) and, of course, its awesome single-track trails. Provided you’re not afraid of heights, scrambling to the top of Angel’s Landing is a bucket-list hike you’ll never forget.īesides Zion, St. The soaring red-purple cliffs and narrow slot canyons are simply stunning. Although you can’t ride in nearby Zion National Park, when you’re good and tired – or have swallowed enough sand at the single-track smorgasbord – it’s certainly an amazing place to explore. So it’s ideal for winter and early-season riding. George boasts, first and foremost, a warm, desert climate. Located at the far southwest corner of the state, just two hours north of Las Vegas, St. But first on my itinerary was one of the hot, new up-and-comers in the sport: St. Obviously, a few days riding in Moab was a priority. Epic single-track trails, such as Porcupine Rim, The Whole Enchilada, White Rim and Slickrock, which is probably the most famous mountain biking trail in the world, have legendary status with serious riders.Īlthough I’m not quite in the ‘serious’ camp (although, apparently, you get better after every wipeout, so I’m damn near a pro now), on my recent trip to Utah I wanted to visit at least a couple of hot spots to see what all the fuss was about. ![]() There isn’t a finer place on the planet if you’re into the sport. It is, for good reason, the destination that gets the bulk of the love. While folks who run outside of the tight-knit mountain biking circles may not be familiar with the world-class riding in Park City, Provo or Panguitch, to name a few, they’ve most likely heard of Moab. Even people who have never ridden a bike, never swerved around on slickrock, never fed on a face-full of Gooseberry Mesa grits, would tell you that Utah, just based on its natural beauty alone, must be heaven on Earth for mountain bikers. Utah, thanks in large part to Moab, is really the undisputed mecca for the sport.
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