FRUITA, CO & MOAB, UT
Physical Exertion: Intermediate+ / Technical Ability: Intermediate+
What to Expect in Fruita and Moab: Technical singletrack, incredible flow 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. Additionally, starting in 2023 we decided to combine Fruita with it’s close-by neighbor Moab, which offers a killer day on (most of) the Whole Enchilada to mix things up nicely!
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)
INTERACTIVE FRUITA/GRAND JUNCTION TRAIL MAP
Example Itinerary
Day One: Arrival Day! 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: 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: GJ Lunch Loops. 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! From there we’ll hit the Gunny Loop, a perfect combination of challenging tech and flow. After lunch we’ll shuttle back up to hit Eagle’s Wing (steep tech) and Holy Cross (flowy tech w/ lots of tough moves).
Day Four: The Whole Enchilada. Today is where the combo with Moab pays off… because we’re making the 90-minute drive into Utah for the Whole Enchilada! The Whole Enchilada needs no introduction, since it’s world famous and deservedly so. In the spring, there’s a good chance we’ll be dropping in from the Hazard County trail head, which means we’ll probably add in Falcon Flow to get a bit more mileage. You’ll get a bit of everything today, but rock and chunk is the overriding theme!
Day Five: 18 Road Laps. After three days of non-stop chunk and tech, we’re going to head to the 18 Road trails today… and because it’s departure day, we’ll make it a bit like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Want to do a single lap (about 6 miles) before calling it quits? No problem. Want to ride into the early afternoon until you can’t move the pedals anymore? We can handle that too. The 18 Road trails like Zippity, PBR, and Joe’s Ridge are a virtual flow-fest that will have you leaving with a huge smile on your face.
