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Trail Description:
Trail starts 1.6 miles from Mary's Loop. To get to the start Horsethief Bench you must ride the first 1.6 miles of Mary's Loop. From the that point take a steep descent off the rim, it is advisable this section be walked, although an expert rider may be able to ride it on a good day. At 0.1 mile you will reach the bottom of the steep hill and a "Y" which is the start of the circular loop. It is best to do the loop in a clockwise fashion, so take the left fork of the "Y". At mile 0.7 a small canyon descent starts to the left, with some technical sections to be negotiated. At mile 1.0 there is an awesome rock outcropping overlooking the river, which is a great place for a picnic. At mile 1.7 you will head to the right up a canyon, away from the river, including a short hike-a-bike section. At mile 2.0 there will be a short but technically tough climb out of the drainage, with a hard bend to the left heading back out to the rim. At mile 2.8 the trail enters a dry creek bottom and winds its way through challenging and fun transitions back up the hill towards the trail. At mile 3.0 the creek has a "Y" fork, take the right branch. At mile 3.3 you return to the start of the circular loop and have to hike-a-bike up the steep rim back to the trail to join up with Mary's Loop.
How to get there:
Take I-70 to the Loma Exit (Exit #15). Cross over the interstate to the south. Turn right at the access road, heading towards the weigh station. Just short of the weigh station, turn left and follow the frontage road until you come to Kokopelli's Trailhead.
Additional Notes:
Impassable when muddy
| Posted by: Laidlaw on 3/22/2011 |
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Horsethief Bench was one of the first trails I ever
got to ride in Fruita, and it's one that I come back to
again and again. We made a video of it this
weekend, check it out:
http://vimeo.com/wandr/horsethief-bench-trail-
fruita
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| Posted by: boulder sam on 8/2/2007 |
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This is such a great ride! I rode this 2 summers ago and it is still my favorite. I cant wait to get back there-this ride really challenges you to step it up a notch or two. Riding desert terrain is so different from the rocky/forest front range riding Im used to. Bring plenty of water-the summer months get hot!
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| Posted by: missouritrailer on 8/18/2005 |
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great trail. dont let the directions scare you away from trying the killer decent off the rim in the beginning. otherwise, breathtaking views, technical slickrock sections and brutal terrain/weather. All the makings for one hell of a ride.
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| Posted by: bob sagget on 5/23/2005 |
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holy #@*&/ who knew / da bomb / handcuff trail rox / keep it a secret -please
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| Posted by: JD on 12/11/2004 |
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Horsethief Bench is just a part of numerous trails in the area. I've been living here for 4 years and don't even bother with driving the 1.5 hours to Maob. Too crowded and too many posers. There is seldom ever a crowd at HTB, except during the Fruita Fat-tire Festival. Much of this trail overlooks the Colorado River and is primarily slickrock. If you want solitude and a rippin' trail, forget Moab and try Grand Junction.
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