Trail Description:
Broken Mesa Rim Trail is Located 5 miles north of St. George, the Broken Mesa Rim trail gives Utah something it's never had before: a kick-butt downhill singletrack that's open all year. This is an awesome ride, for advanced or strong upper-intermediate technical riders. The downhill singletrack is 7 miles, with an initial uphill mile that climbs 600 vertical feet. It can be done as an 8-mile point-to-point with shuttle, or as a 14.5-mile loop. If you do the loop option, you'll climb a total 1300.
The trail starts at the northern end of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. You'll make an initial singletrack climb up some fairly buff switchbacks. At 0.5 mile, the trail reaches a doubletrack with a pipeline on the far side. Find the continuing singletrack trail on your right, just across the pipeline. Now the climb gets a bit more technical, with frequent basalt rocks to negotiate.
At mile 1, the trail reaches the Broken Mesa Rim. It twists through juniper and brush, with more basalt boulders to keep things interesting. At mile 1.6, the downhill begins. The trail twists for 5 miles towards the edge of the cliffs at Washington, first in juniper and rock, then on the mesa-top.
At the edge of the mesa, you'll drop at a 20% grade through the broken lava. It's not as bad as it looks. Nothing too tricky here; just hang your butt back and aim the front tire straight down the trail. You'll be fine.
Reaching doubletrack at the bottom of the hill, you can turn right to complete the loop. 2.4 miles takes you back to the water tank, where you turn right uphill to follow the road back to the trailhead.
How to get there:
Getting there: From the St. George Blvd exit of I-15, turn downhill (west), then immediately turn right on 10th East. Take the next right, then next left onto Industrial Road. Turn left on Red Rock Road about 1/2 mile later. The road will turn to gravel. Keep left at the next fork, continuing north uphill on Cottonwood Road. (About 2 miles up the road, you'll pass a water tank on your right. The return trail for the loop option comes back here. You can park here and bike up the road if you want to.) Keep left at the next fork. Watch for a sign "Red Cliffs Mesa Rim Trail" at mile 4.9 and turn left 100 ft. to a parking area at a stock watering trough. GPS N 37° 13.451' W 113° 34.197'
Shuttle option: Leave a car on Buena Vista Blvd, just off I-15's Exit 10 in Washington. As you leave the trail, work your way downhill through the golf course and into town.
Additional Notes:
Trails are always changing, drop into Red Rock Bicycle to see if there are any changes.
| Posted by: Ryan on 9/22/2003 |
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The singletrack for this trail is extremely fun. Be warned, this trail is a one way (or an extreme out and back) via a giant loop that uses a lot of crappy dirt road or a shuttle. Check the local bike shops, if the employees are riding it, snag a lift.
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