Utah is chock full of sweet mountain biking areas, yet some are totally overlooked. Sure you can go to obvious places like Moab or Hurricane for some spring riding, but why not visit one of the hidden gems of Utah in the San Rafael Swell? That’s exactly the reason locals have organized the San Rafael Swell Mountain Bike Festival in, you guessed it, the San Rafael Swell.
Organizers say the festival is geared to a wide range of mountain biking levels from beginners to experts. Group rides vary in degree of difficulty all over the beautiful San Rafael Swell. So why else should you bike the San Rafael Swell? Well, there’s nothing quite like the fun of desert mountain biking in the spring, so it’s the perfect time of year to take your fat tires to the singletrack of Castle Country. The San Rafael Swell has a lot of fun trails, and the locals living in towns like Green River and Huntington are keen on showing it off.
I can vouch for how much fun mountain biking in the San Rafael Swell can be, as recent trips to ride Temple Mountain, Black Dragon Canyon, and especially the Good Water Rim Trail have been memorable trips. The latter was especially fun as the ride follows the edge of Good Water Canyon, a side drainage of the Little Grand Canyon near the Wedge Overlook. It features 15 miles of twisting singletrack, peppered with some of the most spectacular views of any mountain bike ride in Utah.
All trips are guided by mountain bikers who are familiar with the network of trails in the San Rafael Swell, and they will take groups of riders all over the area. The event is more than riding through central Utah’s spectacular scenery, however. Pancake breakfasts, dutch oven and spaghetti dinners, free t-shirts and a raffle for prizes are all included in the deal.
This year is the 27th annual festival and will happen on Friday, May 17th through Sunday the 19th. Below is the schedule of events:
Friday: May 17, 2013
1:00 – 8:00pm
Registration and check-in at the John Wesley Powell Museum, Green River.
3:00pm Warm up ride leaves John Wesley Powell Museum. Approximately 20 miles round trip. Light Duty Riding.
6:00 – 7:30pm Dinner at the John Wesley Powell Museum Bowery (Provided with registration)
8:00pm Prize drawing at the John Wesley Powell Museum. YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!
Saturday: May 18, 2013
7:00 – 8:00am Pancake Breakfast at the Tamarisk Restaurant in the downstairs conference room. (Provided with registration)
8:00 – 8:30am Late Check-in at the John Wesley Powell Museum Bowery.
9:00am Convoys leave the John Wesley Powell Museum parking lot for the San Rafael Swell. leave your bikes on the car. You must drive to the trailheads.
5:00pm BBQ Dinner at the John Wesley Powell Museum Bowery.
6:00pm Live Entertainment at the John Wesley Powell Museum Bowery.
Sunday: May 19, 2013
7:00 – 9:00am Join us for a continental breakfast at the Green River Coffee Company. 25 East Main Street Green River, Utah. (Provided with registration)
9:00am Convoy will leave.
All participants will be required to drive from the John Wesley Powell Museum in Green River to the various trailheads.
Dont miss this opportunity to experience a part of Utah that doesn’t get a lot of recognition from the mountain biking crowd. MECCA, a mountain bike club based in Emery County, is responsible for this shindig, and they have a host of fun times planned.
For more information about the Spring San Rafael Mountain Bike Festival, or to register, call 435-637-0086 or check out their website at biketheswell.org