FRUITA & GRAND JUNCTION, CO
Physical Exertion: Intermediate+ / Technical Ability: Intermediate+
Trip Category: Desert Tech
What to Expect in Fruita: Technical singletrack, lots of small climbs, and wide open views
For the last several years, Fruita has been an up-and-comer on the list of top mountain bike destinations in the United States. Trust us, not only is it on the list, it’s near the top. Fruita has more diverse riding than you can shake a stick at, with the main trail areas of Kokopelli/Loma, 18 Road, the Lunch Loops in Grand Junction, and Rabbit Valley offering enough to keep you busy for days on end.
The sleepy town of Fruita caters well to mountain bikers, with not much going on after hours except time to tell riding stories, clean bikes, and get ready for tomorrow’s ride. It’s not unusual to see more bikes than cars on Aspen Avenue, and some of the in-town haunts (Over the Edge, Hot Tomato) are world famous. In the spring and fall, Fruita is a must-visit destination. Our trip leaders- and our local Colorado Backcountry guides– know Fruita like the back of their hand, so be prepared to ride the best of the best and then some.
Airport Options: Grand Junction (10 min) – Denver (4 hrs) – Salt Lake City (4 hrs)
“We had a ton of fun, food and riding on our recent private trip to Fruita with Chasing Epic! We kicked it off with a half day of ripping down the 18 road trails. This gave us all a chance to get a feel for the bikes and get to know the guide. We had a bunch of opportunities to work on skills, chat about bikes, and get in touch with our dirtier sides over the next two days. Every night we celebrated with a gigantic meal in the local restaurants and went to bed completely wiped. I loved the personal touch of being guided and cared for in a different town along with the comraderie shared with my coworkers over post ride beers. Huge thanks to Chasing Epic for taking care of all the details and giving me a chance to focus on what’s important: mountain biking.”
INTERACTIVE FRUITA/GRAND JUNCTION TRAIL MAP
WHAT TO EXPECT
Day One: On the first day of our trip, plan to meet at our designated lodging around 5-6pm that evening. We’ll do a quick introduction, followed by bike setups, a welcome dinner and drinks. The first night is meant to be social and relaxing, as we’re getting ready for four big days on the bike!
Please note: the itinerary listed below is for our Fruita/Moab combo trip.
Day Two: Be sure to eat a whole lotta food for breakfast, because you’ll need it. Today is a big day in the saddle: we’re heading over to the Kokopelli Loops. Our ride today will be a combination of the famous Horsethief Bench Trail, Mary’s Loop, and several other trails in the area, combining for almost 25 miles (with over 2000 feet of climbing). We’ll start with a gentle climb from the trail head up Mary’s, which is sure to get your lungs and legs burning. After a couple miles, we’ll break off left and drop down to Horsethief Bench… Horsethief is one of the best loops in the west, with 4 miles of fast singletrack, fun technical sections, and amazing views of the Colorado River valley.
Once we carry our bikes out of the drainage and back onto Mary’s, we’ll head west and take on a combination of Steve’s Loop, Mack Ridge, Moore Fun and Troy Built. How techy do you want it?
Day Three: Today’s ride takes us to the Lunch Loops in Grand Junction, an easy 15 minute drive from town. Often overlooked for the big-name Fruita trails, the Lunch Loops are just as fun as any trails we’ve ridden in Colorado. Ever hear the phrase “fun tech“? That’s what the Lunch Loops are all about. We’ll start with a shuttle drop at the top of the Ribbon, where we’ve got a 3 mile descent where it’s likely you’ll be riding over 30 mph at points!
The rest of today’s ride will combine tech trails like Gunny Loop, Holy Cross and Eagle’s Wing… 18+ miles and around 2,000′ of climbing (but 4,000+ of descending) and we’ll wrap up our day.