 | ||
Similar Neota Wilderness, Specimen Mountain, James M Robb – Colorado, Two Ponds National Wildlife R, Cache La Poudre Wilderness | ||
The Kokopelli Trail is a 142-mile (229 km) multi-use trail in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. The trail was named in honor of its mythic muse, Kokopelli. The trail was created by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA) in cooperation with the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service in 1989.
Contents
Map of Kokopelli Trail, Mack, CO 81525, USA
General information
The Kokopelli Trail begins near Loma, Colorado in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. The trail follows Mary's Loop through the Mack Ridge mountain biking area before crossing Salt Creek and entering Rabbit Valley. From Rabbit Valley, the trail winds South roughly following the Colorado River until it crosses Utah State Route 128, where it begins the uphill section, eventually looping around the La Sal Mountains, then descending into Moab, Utah, via the Porcupine Rim Trail.
The trail is widely varied in difficulty, terrain, and elevation. It has intense downhill sections and steep climbs, but several gently sloping road sections help to balance the trail and make it accessible to advanced and beginning mountain bikers alike. The terrain mostly consists of either single track, 4x4 roads, or country roads. The elevation changes can be daunting, with the lowest point near 4,000 feet and two massive climbs reaching elevations of 8,500 feet. The lush Colorado River valley is seen several times from high cliffs and the beautiful La Sal Mountains grow in size as riders continue on the trail.
Because of a lack of drinking water on the trail, support vehicles must be used to meet riders at certain camping spots in order to replenish their water supply. The trail normally takes about 5 to 6 days to finish, but more advanced riders can do it in much less time.
The trail descends into Moab, Utah, via Sand Flats Road, passing the SlickRock Trail. Riders may elect to finish via Porcupine Rim - and many do - although this is not the official end to the trail as mentioned in the above description.