Road Trip

[Ginny_Tory]

Time for another spontaneous road trip…

Decided to go on a road trip yesterday to Colorado for some riding. Was going to save the trip till after 2015, but my friend bugged me and won. So, will be getting there by next Thursday night and will leave the Friday after that.

Basic idea is to cover as many National Parks and cool spots as we can and camp around in between. Ideas, suggestions, tips?

& anyone up for a ride?

Thanks 😀

[Gdb49]

"Ginny_Tory" wrote

Time for another spontaneous road trip…

Decided to go on a road trip yesterday to Colorado for some riding. Was going to save the trip till after 2015, but my friend bugged me and won. So, will be getting there by next Thursday night and will leave the Friday after that.

Basic idea is to cover as many National Parks and cool spots as we can and camp around in between. Ideas, suggestions, tips?

& anyone up for a ride?

Thanks 😀

Live in Colorado Springs, ride most all of the Front Range, happy to either recommend or show you some of our great trails. How long are you here? AM, DH, or what?

[Ginny_Tory]

We really want to hope around and see the National Parks. Do you know if they allow riding there? How much do they have in ridable trails?

[Gdb49]

"Ginny_Tory" wrote

We really want to hope around and see the National Parks. Do you know if they allow riding there? How much do they have in ridable trails?

Our National Parks tend to be off limits or at best very minimal access. Great riding out here just not in our NationalParks. Hike the parks and ride our killer trails.

[Jeff Barber]

Right, off-road riding in US National Parks is extremely limited, though it’s slowly starting to open up a bit. I believe Big Bend NP (in Texas) was one of the first to allow MTB, though from what I can tell much of the "trail" is actually doubletrack/gravel roads. But who wants to visit Big Bend anyway? 😀

Here are some specific ideas that will take you to the best National Parks AND some of the best trails in the USA. Most of these trails are within an hour drive of the respective parks.

Grand Canyon & Zion NP -> Ride Gooseberry Mesa and Little Creek (north side of the canyon)
Arches NP -> Ride Slickrock and Porcupine Rim in Moab
Smoky Mtns. NP -> Ride Tsali
Yosemite NP -> Ride Mammoth Mountain (resort w/ gondola service!)
Rocky Mountain NP -> Ride Buffalo Creek (probably a 2 hour drive from the park but it’s one of the most well-known Colorado MTB trail systems that’s closeby)

Hmm… maybe this list would make a good article in the future. 😀

Edit: Just saw that you’ll be in Colorado so I’ll add some more Colorado National Parks (though Arches in Utah is still a good one to target).

Mesa Verde National Park -> Ride Phil’s World
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (have no idea if this is a good park but…) -> Ride Trail 401 in Crested Butte and Monarch Crest

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

Right, off-road riding in US National Parks is extremely limited, though it’s slowly starting to open up a bit. I believe Big Bend NP (in Texas) was one of the first to allow MTB, though from what I can tell much of the "trail" is actually doubletrack/gravel roads. But who wants to visit Big Bend anyway? 😀

So a little off topic, but word on the street here in Salida is that Terlingua, TX (just outside of Big Bend) is an EPIC winter mountain bike destination. I’d never heard much about riding there and we don’t have good trail coverage on Singletracks of Terlingua, but after hearing several different guys tell stories… I really want to go!

[Gdb49]

"jeff" wrote

Right, off-road riding in US National Parks is extremely limited, though it’s slowly starting to open up a bit. I believe Big Bend NP (in Texas) was one of the first to allow MTB, though from what I can tell much of the "trail" is actually doubletrack/gravel roads. But who wants to visit Big Bend anyway? 😀

Here are some specific ideas that will take you to the best National Parks AND some of the best trails in the USA. Most of these trails are within an hour drive of the respective parks.

Grand Canyon & Zion NP -> Ride Gooseberry Mesa and Little Creek (north side of the canyon)
Arches NP -> Ride Slickrock and Porcupine Rim in Moab
Smoky Mtns. NP -> Ride Tsali
Yosemite NP -> Ride Mammoth Mountain (resort w/ gondola service!)
Rocky Mountain NP -> Ride Buffalo Creek (probably a 2 hour drive from the park but it’s one of the most well-known Colorado MTB trail systems that’s closeby)

Hmm… maybe this list would make a good article in the future. 😀

Edit: Just saw that you’ll be in Colorado so I’ll add some more Colorado National Parks (though Arches in Utah is still a good one to target).

Mesa Verde National Park -> Ride Phil’s World
Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (have no idea if this is a good park but…) -> Ride Trail 401 in Crested Butte and Monarch Crest

Wow, great list and very thoughtful! Might add Curt Gowdy, think it might be closer than Buff Creek when you are at Rocky Mtn Nat Park. Can’t go wrong both are epic!

[Gdb49]

Wow, great list and very thoughtful! Might add Curt Gowdy, think it might be closer than Buff Creek when you are at Rocky Mtn Nat Park. Can’t go wrong both are epic![/quote]
And Hall Ranch is even closer and one of the best trails in the state, can’t match the other areas, but as a single trail it rocks!

[Ginny_Tory]

Thanks guys! Our first stop’d Rocky Mountain NP. Will definitely head to one of those trails to ride!

I got three CO friends and all I hear from them is blah blah colorado rockies this colorado rockies that blah blah blah our rockies are the best. Growing up with the Canadian rockies, I’ve gotten into a few arguments with them about which is better. lol, so first on my to do list when there is to find out what the hell they keep talking about 😛 lol

[Ginny_Tory]

The National Forests at least have a ton of MTBing trails through them. Thinking about White River NF around Aspen and pike NF…unless there’s a better spot.

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"Ginny_Tory" wrote

The National Forests at least have a ton of MTBing trails through them. Thinking about White River NF around Aspen and pike NF…unless there’s a better spot.

San Isabel National Forest and Gunnison National Forest… although that area is a lot further away from RMNP

[Ginny_Tory]

"mtbgreg1" wrote

[quote="Ginny_Tory":2sq265tr]The National Forests at least have a ton of MTBing trails through them. Thinking about White River NF around Aspen and pike NF…unless there’s a better spot.

San Isabel National Forest and Gunnison National Forest… although that area is a lot further away from RMNP[/quote:2sq265tr]

Yeah, those are just a bit far. This won’t be the last time I go through CO, I’m sure. I’ll get to everything else eventually.

[abegold]

"Ginny_Tory" wrote

Time for another spontaneous road trip…

Decided to go on a road trip yesterday to Colorado for some riding. Was going to save the trip till after 2015, but my friend bugged me and won. So, will be getting there by next Thursday night and will leave the Friday after that.

Basic idea is to cover as many National Parks and cool spots as we can and camp around in between. Ideas, suggestions, tips?

& anyone up for a ride?

Thanks 😀

If you go as far as Yellowstone I consider it the World’s greatest nation park, it’s that diverse. I’ve travelled far. This park has huge animal diversity, saw 25 species in first 2 days, perhaps as many species as I’ve seen my whole life. With geysers, mud pots, thermal lakes, pretty Virginia Cascade (a waterfall on a 25% slope), another lake that’s on the Continental Divide and drains to both oceans (although it’s not obvious), awesome Mammoth Hot Springs, animal rich Lamar Valley (take beautiful highway MT #212), world class fishing and much more. Roads are legal to bike, some dirt and a couple boardwalks (heard) but expect traffic in the park. Jackson Hole is a favorite big town, biking, dancing at the fun Cowboy Bar and killer skiing!
Rocky Mountain National Park is awesome, but I prefer highway #14, less crowded by far and biking trails.
You’re already driving far so concentrate on just a few areas and not driving as much. Anywhere above 7000′ will have pretty mild weather, be mindful of afternoon storms. All the high mountain areas are much different and more rugged than most of the eastern US mountains.

[Ginny_Tory]

Well. Desert, sand, rocks. That was different, lol.

And I think Fruita is my perfect town to live in, ignoring the climate.

Had loads of fun. Must go back for more eventually.

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