Places to Bike/See coming back from Flagstaff AZ to BC

[DougW]

Going to do back packing trip South Rim Grand Canyon and for return trip , just burning down on way there, was wondering good places to go for mtn biking and some good day hikes. Out of the hike on April 21. back in Golden by May 8th

Was thinking of :

Zion/St George
Bryce Canyon
Moab ( have been there but 5 years ago and liked riding)
Fruita
Grand Junction
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Keystone ( have people to see)
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teton
Yellowstone ( could give it a miss as went through last time on way to Moab)

[Shredhead]

Lake Powell is really nice!

[Meadow Skipper]

Great Basin NP. Have dinner at Kerouac’s in Baker.

Zion NP is a fucking zoo.

[rideit]

Not usually much to ride at that time here, FWIW. I would skip it, personally.

[DougW]

Not usually much to ride at that time here, FWIW. I would skip it, personally.

Which place would be too early??

[evdog]

The Natl parks listed are all a zoo, but each is really only worth half a day unless you want to do some hiking. But I'd say worth it if they fit into your route home.

Biking wise anything higher up is likely still under snow. Some of Flagstaff should be rideable, possibly even AZT over San Francisco peaks in a low snow year (tbd). Thunder mountain might be out. Hurricane/St George would be prime if not getting too hot. Gooseberry camping can be a zoo but trails would be fine. Moab/Fruita/GJ will be a zoo but trails except for whole enchilada will be prime unless they get a storm.

You could head over to Vegas and/or Death Valley. DV would be getting warm but still doable. New Mexico probably would have stuff opening up. Stuff in central Utah would be getting in season...Bears Ears, Capitol Reef NP, Grand Staircase, Canyonlands NP etc. Lots of hiking and exploring possibilities in those. Going over to Socal and up the coast would also be pretty prime.

[alive]

Don’t know very much about these areas but Sedona was amazing for two weeks back in 94. Have some friends that keep on posting amazing pictures from that area. Might be worth starting there as it is so close.

[toast2266]

Great riding --> Moab / Fruita / GJ. Trails will be prime around that time.

Avoiding crowds --> go through Nevada, hit some hot springs, check out Great Basin NP, hit some of the small towns that have trail networks.

[DougW]

The trip was planned so that the hiking in canyon would not be too hot ( not my idea as would have wanted to finish off ski season here) so I'm getting that to avoid shoulder season stay south , flaggstaff, sedona and maybe go west and north rather than east to get better biking conditions.