Salida or Moab at end of May.

[Ldstruckn]

my 18th wedding anniversary is on May 25th. It also corresponds to a sweet 4 day weekend for me.
I am trying to decide between a family trip to moab for some offroading with our 11 yr old son and dog or a couples trip to Fruita/ Grand Junction for some mountain biking.
Any advice on overlanding trails, hot springs, swimming holes, and camping spots are greatly appreciated.
We did fins and things and hells revenge in January so any trail that is not worse than Hells is a welcome recommendation.

 

[Cendee]

my 18th wedding anniversary is on May 25th. It also corresponds to a sweet 4 day weekend for me.
I am trying to decide between a family trip to moab for some offroading with our 11 yr old son and dog or a couples trip to Fruita/ Grand Junction for some mountain biking.
Any advice on overlanding trails, hot springs, swimming holes, and camping spots are greatly appreciated.
We did fins and things and hells revenge in January so any trail that is not worse than Hells is a welcome recommendation.

So you have a couple of options here.
1. you can join us for our memorial day event @ capital reef.

Camping and Exploring Capitol Reef NP – Utah – Look for OB Flag off Notam-Bulldog road

Camping Memorial Day weekend - BLM land off Notam-Bullfrog Road on the East side of Capitol Reef NP - Check GPS Coords We'll be traveling the Cathedral Valley Loop

www.overlandbound.com

2. You can contact @Anchor Mtn he lives in the Moab, Ouray and is the Member Rep for that area he has a wealth of knowledge.

 

[Ldstruckn]

i have been using the search tool for days trying to find info..Never saw anything about that capitol reef event. shouldn't that show up in rally point or on the map? especially since I have been searching words in the title.

 

[Cendee]

i have been using the search tool for days trying to find info..Never saw anything about that capitol reef event. shouldn't that show up in rally point or on the map? especially since I have been searching words in the title.

It was just posted today.

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Come to Fruita and do it all.
We have Mtn Biking, hiking and wheeling all here in town.

Bikes:
Kokopelli/Loma Trails(My favorite - everything from flowy to techy),
18rd trails(flowy and fast),
Palisade Rim(lots of climbing but worth it)
Grand Junction Trails(mostly techy but still fun)

Hiking:
Mt Garfield
Mica Mine Trail
McDonald Canyon
Rabbit Ears
Rattlesnake Canyon(largest collection of Arches outside Arches NP)

Wheeling:
Kokopelli Trail/Rabbit Valley section. Fun and scenic. Theres a few small places technical spots but nothing bad.
Tabeguache Trail ~30 miles with one technical-ish boulder field.
Bangs Canyon area. Network of fairly easy trails and Billings Canyon(37" tires+)
21rd. Starts off fairly mild and fun until the "Alcove". From there you need to be pretty well built as it gets bad quick.

Swimming:
The nearest hot springs are in Glenwood Canyon or Ouray(both just under 2hrs away)
Theres a pool in Fruita with showers for like $7/person if you want to get out of the heat.
Theres probably no swimming holes that will be warm enough to swim in by then.

Camping:
LOTS of options.
18rd camprgound - $15/night, no electric, pit toilets
18rd Desert - Free, no facilities but you can walk/bike/drive to the pit toilets at the trailhead
Rabbit Valley - closer to the highway there are some RV/camper accessible sites or Follow the Kokopelli trail a few miles and take a left to Knowles Overlook Campground. Its pretty nice, perched on a cliff overlooking the Colorado River.
Campgrounds: James M Robb, Colorado National Monument are probably the best bets for not a standard RV park

I would say I could show you around.... But Ill be in Moab that weekend. ;)

 

[Ldstruckn]

Do you think i could mnt bike and head to knowles overlook after dinner and get a place? I have a rtt so if i pull out to go somewhere to ride trails i will be taking camp with me.

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Do you think i could mnt bike and head to knowles overlook after dinner and get a place? I have a rtt so if i pull out to go somewhere to ride trails i will be taking camp with me.

You can camp at Knowles and ride the Rabbit Valley singletrack trails.
Find maps here:
Www.copmoba.org

 

[Ldstruckn]

We were really trying for moab but will not arrive until friday afternoon and cant find any camping spots to reserve..so now we are back in planning stages.

 

[Ldstruckn]

Knowls on friday, 18 rd shuttling all day saturday, marriot sat night(dont judge, i needed a shower), horsethief bench sunday morning, and home sunday night to beat the storms...

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Knowls on friday, 18 rd shuttling all day saturday, marriot sat night(dont judge, i needed a shower), horsethief bench sunday morning, and home sunday night to beat the storms...View attachment 100460View attachment 100461View attachment 100462View attachment 100463View attachment 100464View attachment 100465

Now thats a perfect Fruita Weekend!! Hope Knowles wasnt too windy at night. Thats some amazingly dark sky out there though.

 

[Ldstruckn]

I got up around 2am and just watched the sky for a good 10mins. Almost no wind compared to chyenne.