Riding near Vegas/St George?

**joetron** · 02-04-2013, 06:13 PM

Headed down thataways for some riding at the end of the month(Feb). I've been to Bootleg a number of time for Interbike, but I'd like to check out some other zones. Blue DIamond? Anything else? Trail names, descriptions...gimme what you've got.

Also..its been years since I've been in the St George area. What are some zones/trails to check out down there? We'll be trail bike equipped, probably not bringing the DH bike.

Ultimately looking for fun trails to blow out the cobwebs. Thanks!

**camlax** · 02-04-2013, 06:52 PM

a little north of st george but on the way from slc, check out gooseberry mesa

**brettf** · 02-04-2013, 11:09 PM

Hit Grafton Mesa if you're at Gooseberry. Hell, skip Gooseberry and ride Grafton a few times

Lots of other riding in the area and sounds like plenty of new stuff since I've been out there. What about that Twist trail - it's not called that, but something like that or ends in twist and supposed to be fun - I think it's closer to STG though?

**LeeLau** · 02-04-2013, 11:29 PM

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/south-w...trip-2010.html

**crashtestdummy** · 02-05-2013, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by LeeLau

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/south-w...trip-2010.html

I think you can cross Virgin River Rim and Thunder Mountain off of the list for this month.

There is a lot of riding in the Santa Clara Reserve, also not yet mentioned, Guacamole and Green Valley trails.

Good trail info here: http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/
click the trails header, then St George area.

**El Chupacabra** · 02-05-2013, 01:26 PM

We went down to Gooseberry last year -- fun riding, but it was a surprisingly long drive on 4WD roads to get to the trails, from the Springdale (Zion N.P.) side. Seems like someplace that you'd want to go camp at, then ride from camp, rather than trying to drive in for a day's ride. We were there in June, and didn't want to camp at that elevation (too hot).

Didn't ride at Grafton, but when I go back, I'll go there -- Rockville/Grafton is a lot easier access.

**dfinn** · 02-05-2013, 02:01 PM

I was just down there a couple of weeks ago and I didn't time it but I don't remember it being that long of a drive from Gooseberry down to Springdale. Maybe 15 minutes. I also made it fine in my rear wheel drive van, downhill though but I think I could've made it uphill just fine. Maybe the road has gotten better? Regardless, if I was camping then there's probably no reason to drive down off of Gooseberry. We went down to grab dinner and meet some friends in Springdale.

I haven't ridden it but this trail looks interesting:
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/featu...aign=spotlight

**powder4breakfast** · 02-05-2013, 02:03 PM

Get on MTBR and go to the Utah section. lots of good info and the St. George guys are good people. You'll get plenty of answers. There is also a St. George hook-up thread if you want to ride with anyone.

I met up with some great people a few years back through MTBR. They showed me Grafton and several other trails. I made good friends and still meet up when I'm down for work and want to ride with someone.

Also, you can check:
http://utahmountainbiking.com/
This site gives pretty detailed info on each trail.

Click St. George for the close trails. Bear Claw Poppy and Barrel Roll are popular rides with several others in the same area.

Click the Hurrican/zion etc... link for trails a little farther out. Farther out means less than an hour away for most. Gooseberry would be a really popular trail out here along with J.E.M.

**El Chupacabra** · 02-05-2013, 02:04 PM

We didn't know where we were going, and were following Directions From The Internet (Utah mtn biking website was one of them) -- IIRC, took like 30-45 minutes of dirt road driving to get to the trailhead.

**brettf** · 02-05-2013, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by dfinn

I haven't ridden it but this trail looks interesting:
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/featu...aign=spotlight

Boom. That's the one I was thinking of.

And since we're talking about it, I didn't make it up the road from Springdale/Rockville to Grafton and Gooseberry mesas without low range gearing on my vehicle. Low was fine. But that was a 4-banger pickup with relatively high gear final drive. YMMV. The long way around through Hurricane is easy cruisey roads to get there.

**powder4breakfast** · 02-05-2013, 05:09 PM

One more plug for Grafton...

Grafton is one of my very favorite rides anywhere. It is found on the same mesa as Gooseberry. However, to make this an awesome ride, you connect to Grafton from a few other single track trails. This is where meeting up with a local would come in handy.

The lower section (Grafton) is a steep techy section that is really fun on a gravity bike. However, coupled with the above connecting trails, this is a fun trail to be enjoyed on a lesser bike. The Grafton section just wouldn't be too fun on an XC bike.

I couldn't even begin to try and explain where the other trails start or how to connect to Grafton without being there in person. I am already heading there to work this weekend or I would otherwise love to show you the trail in person later in the month.

For questions once you're in town... over the Edge in Hurricane or Bill at Zion Cycles in Springdale can tell you all you want to know in the Zion/Grafton/Goosberry area

**Particle** · 02-05-2013, 06:00 PM

Another vote for Goose and Grafton. There are some fun XC trails down by Red Cliffs campground if you want some lower elevation (warmer) pedaling.

**Catch22** · 02-05-2013, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by flowtron's ghost

Headed down thataways for some riding at the end of the month(Feb). I've been to Bootleg a number of time for Interbike, but I'd like to check out some other zones. Blue DIamond? Anything else? Trail names, descriptions...gimme what you've got.

Also..its been years since I've been in the St George area. What are some zones/trails to check out down there? We'll be trail bike equipped, probably not bringing the DH bike.

Ultimately looking for fun trails to blow out the cobwebs. Thanks!

Give Quentin a call at Over the Edge in Hurricane to see what they have going. He's good friends with all the old Fruita crew who I think you may know(think I met you in GJ one time while I was out riding with Kevin?). Q's an awesome rider, big Knolly fan, great tour guide, etc. I'd do everything you can to talk him or Jordan into getting out for a ride with you on Goose, they're masters of finding all the off the beaten path fun lines down there and Goose is by far my favorite off or early season place to ride to get my legs and tech skills back. There might be a chance that Little Creek could be rideable by then too. I love LC but it's not a good option without a guide, trailhead is really hard to find and it's an area where you can get really lost in a hurry.

**Arty50** · 02-05-2013, 10:22 PM

LC is the bomb. Definitely hard to find though. As mentioned before, the guys at Zion Bikes are awesome.

Also, p4b, aren't a couple of the trails you mentioned still shhhhhhh when it comes to the intertubes...or did that change?

**rideit** · 02-05-2013, 10:42 PM

Those trails are not the droids that you are looking for.

**powder4breakfast** · 02-06-2013, 12:44 AM

Arty, I don't believe those trails are on the shhh list. I know of several other shhh list trails in the area. Non the less, post edited to be safe in case I am mistaken. The builder of previously listed trails is who introduced me to them.

**Arty50** · 02-12-2013, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by powder4breakfast

Arty, I don't believe those trails are on the shhh list. I know of several other shhh list trails in the area. Non the less, post edited to be safe in case I am mistaken. The builder of previously listed trails is who introduced me to them.

Ah, cool. I know they were; but I haven't been down there in a couple of years, so I'm not sure anymore. Just checking.

**smmokan** · 03-01-2013, 11:31 AM

Bump for some more recommendations... I'll be down in St. George for 4-5 days between 3/23 and 3/30 and want to do at least a couple decent rides. It looks like Gooseberry Mesa is high on the list, and maybe the JEM trail system as well? I'm probably looking for something a little less tech than Flowtron's Ghost, given I broke my ribs back in October and will probably be out there solo.

Also, what about a decent 60-90 minute ride closer to town? I'm staying with family in Ivins, and it would be cool to get out for a couple hours when we have some downtime.

If anyone is going to be in the area during that stretch and wants to ride, let me know.

**dfinn** · 03-01-2013, 11:58 AM

Should probably add guacamole to that list, especially if you're looking for things on the mellower side. I really enjoyed that trail and so did the GF.

**crashtestdummy** · 03-01-2013, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

Also, what about a decent 60-90 minute ride closer to town? I'm staying with family in Ivins, and it would be cool to get out for a couple hours when we have some downtime.

Do the Santa Clara Reserve trail system, Barrel Roll, Sindwinder, and a couple of others. Good trail info here: http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/

**joetron** · 03-02-2013, 06:40 PM

We ended up just going to Moab. Rode new and new-to-me sections of trail for three days. Moab is bringing it hard.

**dfinn** · 03-02-2013, 08:36 PM

It really seems like they are making a push to create new trails down there which is pretty rad.

**deepsquat** · 03-02-2013, 09:20 PM

Seems like they want to be the next big MTB destination spot, or something.

**deepsquat** · 03-02-2013, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

...I'm probably looking for something a little less tech than Flowtron's Ghost, given I broke my ribs back in October and will probably be out there solo....

Be honest, you dumped your Nomad for circus wheels, didn't you?