Mountain Biking RV Destinations?

[RedRocket204]

Not sure how many MTB'rs view this forum...but wanting to hear of your MTB RV destinations.

I am 1 year back to CO and do plan on making the Moab/Fruita plans but summer is not the right time for those two destinations.

We are headed up to Jackson and Yellowstone shortly but was not planning on bringing my MTBs with me but wondering if I should change that plan. Don't get me wrong, I am bringing bikes just not my real MTBs. I bought an older craigslist bike for RV park duty which is capable of single track duty, just not up to par with my other bikes. The kids also have older trail worthy MTBs we are bringing.

My only requirements would be a decent place for the RV TT with access to good singletrack trails.

So, let's see if this thread falls off the map quickly...however, lets hear those MTB destinations.

Thanks.

Latest ride to 11,500 feet:

[RedRocket204]

Rice wrote:
When you say you want access to trails, I'm not sure if that means riding from your campsite, or just being in the vicinity.

Riding from campsite = best'est (but not realistic)

<30 minutes drive from campsite = great and expected

<60 minutes drive from campsite = do'able


I've not been to Curt Gowdy but that certainly is a day trip for me and something to do soon.

BTW, my real bikes are a '12 Yeti SB95 race version and a classic Schwinn Homegrown HT w/ XTR. I would be very sad if either of those bikes got lifted and since this Jackson/Yellowstone trip is more for the family, it will keep me from obsessing on wanting to ride all the trails in the vicinity. 🙂

EDIT: BTW, nice blog. Took a quick peek at the blog and at the Gowdy link. My heart started racing :C

[Rice]

When you say you want access to trails, I'm not sure if that means riding from your campsite, or just being in the vicinity. We've been fulltiming for about 10 years and MTB factors heavily into where we go.

We like it best when we can camp where you can ride from the RV. Despite our 40-foot motorhome and towed sports car (but a roof covered with solar panels), we actually manage to pull it off sometimes.

Here's a website (not a blog! advertising free!) that has a map of all our riding locations and some ride reports. Don't be fooled by the 20" wheels--this is real MTBing, admittedly by a maniac. In fact, if you follow the MTBR Front Range forums, you'll recognize FoldsInHalf--we regularly pass through your area.

Have you been to Curt Gowdy State Park near Cheyenne? We stopped there on our way from Denver to Yellowstone, but that was in September; it might be too hot when you go. Excellent trail system accessible from campsites.

Actually, here's a page describing the riding in Curt Gowdy as well as Jackson and Yellowstone.

This, in Jackson, sounds like it might appeal to you:

In contrast to old-school Phillips Canyon, Phillips Ridge is a definite new-school descent, with minimal technical challenge but incredible "flow". Much of it was recently designed and built specifically for mountain bikes and it really shows. There's nothing but grins and giggles on a perfect downhill grade that stretches for almost 10 miles. It's almost comical how long this descent goes on, and how it somehow just keeps getting better and better. Awesome trail building, and highly recommended!

In Yellowstone, bikes aren't allowed on the trails so we weren't planning for that to be a biking highlight, but we were proved wrong. Go to the bottom of the page linked to above to see how the bikes on dirt roads made for a great day seeing Lone Star Geyser and Prismatic Spring. You'll definitely be able to do those even if you don't bring your "real" bike.

[RedRocket204]

I really wish I would have taken advantage of places like Bend and Whistler before moving back to CO from the north Oregon coast. Was a lot closer 🙂

[profdant139]

Good point about Bend, Oregon -- great trail all along the Deschutes. Kind of rocky and rooty -- you have to time your pedal strokes to miss the obstacles. Sort of technical. I liked that stuff when I was younger, but it takes a long time to come back from sports injuries when you get older. Please don't ask me how I know this.

There is another great and very long trail out of McKenzie Bridge, all the way up to Clear Lake. Some parts are easy, some are not.

[4runnerguy]

crosscheck wrote:
Red Canyon SP. Rode the Thunder Mt. Circle route. We had snow in May so it should be fine in the summer. Higher than Bryce.

Red Canyon isn't an SP but rather on NFS lands just west of Bryce. Thunder Mountain is definitely a must do ride. Snow in May is pretty rare, and I'd still get an early start in the summer.

One more area not mentioned yet is Bend, OR. Besides lots of mountain biking opportunities, there are also lots of other activities and an interesting variety of landscapes.

[crosscheck]

Moab should be fine in the summer if you ride in the La Sals. Much cooler than the lower areas although with an early start, it can be manageable.

Flagstaff. Drop into a bike shop and get the trail maps for the local areas. We rode in May and above 8000' was actually cool. Good boon docking ares in forest above town.

Ride up Schutz creek and after that lots of trails.

Red Canyon SP. Rode the Thunder Mt. Circle route. We had snow in May so it should be fine in the summer. Higher than Bryce.

Come on up to BC. Rossland has the seven peaks circuit. Revelstoke has McPherson trails as well as Frizzbee ridge and Keystone basin as well as many downhill areas

Sun Peaks near Kamloops is a high altitude ski area that has both downhill and cross country MTB.

Silver Star in Vernon is also a great downhill/cross country area and there are good riding area at Elison PP and Kalamalka PP..

Salmon Arm is near the start of the Larch hills Traverse, from Canoe to Sicamous. A knarly 4 to 6 hour climb through the mountain forest.

Pass through Kelowna, good riding on the Kettle railway to Myra Canyon from the cross country ski area plus great riding in West Kelowna.

Whistler/Pemberton area, world famous downhill/cross country riding in spectacular coastal scenery.

On to Vancouver with the North Shore, where it all started more than 30 years ago. Something for everyone.

Dave

[4runnerguy]

If you want to try the ski lift option, check out Telluride. The gondola from town is FREE, even for your bike. For a trail map, click here. When we were there a couple of weeks ago, the upper trails weren't open due to elk calving. But we did enjoy the River trail, esp. once you get out of the main part of town. Simple, easy flowing singletrack heading west. For more trails, check out this snippet of the Lat40 map for Telluride. We also rode the Galloping Goose trail west of town. One of those gentle rails-to-trails that goes from near Telluride, past Trout Lake to the top of Lizard Head Pass. Part singletrack, part gravel road. We also did the grunt up the Black Bear pass road to the top of Bridal Veil falls and about a mile up the trail above that. Very, very scenic.

[Aloha_K]

Grand Targhee resort has crated a great family friendly lift fed dual track mountain biking run on one of their ski runs. Watched adults and kids alike flying down the hill with big smiles, then hop on the lift for more fun. For those family members that didn't bike there was a grass area to eat lunch on or several restaurants with views of the mountain activities were right there. I'm not sure there is camping close, but you can camp at Gros Ventre in southern Grand Teton park and drive over.

This weekend Sun Valley/Ketchum Idaho, about 5hrs from Jackson, is holding a big mountain biking competition and there are trails of every variety throughout the area. There are ample forest service campgrounds and boon docking opportunities. In fact we are riding everyday while we camp this week.

[bikendan]

if you love downhilling, doing a ski resort should be exactly what you want.
long, steep runs and you simply ride the chair lift back up again.
you'd be amazed how many runs you can get in a day.

[RedRocket204]

When I started reading your response, I immediately started thinking the fire at BC was the most recent one, from about 2 weeks ago which was just east of BC. Yes, they did have another fire there :(. Fortunately, that one appears to be completely contained and now out(?).

Good news is Jeffco has a complete fire ban right now.

[4runnerguy]

RedRocket204 wrote:
One place I love to MTB close to where I live is Buffalo Creek.

Ah yes, the Buffalo Creek area. Allison and I were mountain biking there the day of the Buffalo Creek fire. We probably rode within 1/4 mile of the campfire that started the whole thing that morning. Later in the day, we come around a corner to see trees fully involved with flames 30' to 50' high between us and where we need to go to get out. Although we were already quite tired, we rode like heck to get out of there, falling on the singletrack as we tried to ride too fast. Scared?? Oh Yeah!!

It's interesting to see that they have some of the trails back open that they had closed for several years after the fire. We've never gone back there again to ride and haven't even visited the area in a decade.

During the years I had a place in Conifer, I could look down at the Buffalo Creek, Hayman, and Hi Meadow fire scars. I can tell you it changed one thing about our camping -- we rarely have a fire, and if we do, it's a small one to warm ourselves typically in the early spring or late fall. I think if every camper had the opportunity to see a forest fire up close and feel the fear, it would stop a lot of people from having these huge bonfires by their campers at night.

[RedRocket204]

To add to the mix of destinations...

One place I love to MTB close to where I live is Buffalo Creek. Mixed into the trail system there is the ability to also ride part of the Colorado Trail, the east section before entering the wilderness area of Lost Creek Wilderness where no mechanized travel is allowed. Near Buffalo Creek are great camping areas that will support RV access but there are no hook ups, you will be dry camping.

Buffalo Creek trails

[RedRocket204]

Some great ideas so far.

WhitehouseLV wrote:

bikendan wrote:
...
some of the ski resorts have mtn. biking in the summer months.
.

This is what I was thinking. Almost every major ski resort offers mountain biking.

I've not yet done shuttle riding but it is certainly something I have considered. I actually MTB because of the downhill sections...love to go fast. Just something about shuttle riding seems like cheating :B However, don't get me wrong, I will give it a go as some point.

[WhitehouseLV]

bikendan wrote:
...
some of the ski resorts have mtn. biking in the summer months.
.

This is what I was thinking. Almost every major ski resort offers mountain biking.