Trail Description:
J.E.M. Trail can be ridden as a 12.7 mile loop or as a 7 mile downhill singletrack cruise, if you have a shuttle. If you ride it as a loop, most of the climbing is on doubletrack, some on singletrack, and some on graded dirt road. The climb is mostly uneventful, except for distant views of Gooseberry Mesa and Zion National Park. This ride is all about the mostly big ring, rollercoaster downhill. Starting on an un-named mesa that is situated below Gooseberry's western point, (or having ridden up to that point from the lower parking area), you follow fast, easy singletrack to the mesa's edge, then descend tight, technical, rocky switchbacks (the only technical section on the whole trail) into a small canyon. 300 yards of dry streambed later, you start the fastest section of the trail, 1 1/2 miles of tight yet fast, twisting rollercoaster that dances around and between cactus, rocks and tons of sagebrush, punctuated by a constant barrage of small jumps, (most of which are only capable of launching fast riders 6 to 12 inches high, and 5 to 10 feet out, and can easily be rolled without any air by those who wish to stay grounded.) This section is followed by 1 1/2 miles of smooth, nearly flat, middle-ring descent, with a few mild climbs. Back to the big ring for a fast, rocky down hill into a dry wash, followed by a middle ring climb out of the wash. Several less rocky versions of this same sceario are repeated over the next 2 miles, with the last such descent being very fast and once again somewhat rocky. At the bottom of this descent, there is a 50 yard wide, 100 yard long patch of limestone slickrock in the bottom of the wash. Here you cross the wash, just above where the wash starts to carve a small canyon. Below this point, the trail closely follows the rim of the canyon, which quickly deepens from 20 feet to 125 feet and at times, the trail is very exposed. Those with any significant degree of acrophobia may wish to bail out to the main dirt road by means of a doubletrack jeep trail that also crosses the wash on the slickrock. After 1 1/2 miles, the dry canyon empties out into a larger canyon carved by th Virgin River. The trail then follows the main river canyon upstream 1/2 mile to the lower parking area. There is an old stock trail that leads from the parking area, down to the river, making this the only trail in the area that ends at a swimming hole!
How to get there:
Getting to Virgin, UT. Mostlikely you'll fly into Las Vegas then drive 2 1/2 hours north to Springdale, UT. An alternative is to fly into Cedar City, UT then drive about 40 minutes to Sprindale.
From St. George, drive north on I-15 about 7 miles to Utah HWY-9. Drive through Hurricane, past UT-59 folllowing signs to Zion National Park on UT-9. Near milepost 17, about 8 miles past the UT-9 and UT-59 junction, turn right on Sheep's Bridge Road. This is an unmarked and unmaintained dirt road. Cross the bridge and turn right onto the first double track. Follow this just less than 1/4 mile to the end.
Guidebook (Mountainbiking St. George and Cedar City by Bruce Grubbs, 1998, Falcon Press) and supplemental instructions, as well as expert repairs and quality rentals available from Bike Zion in Springdale (800) 4-SLKROK.
Additional Notes:
Bring plenty of water...this is the desert!
| Posted by: rcb77 on 10/9/2007 |
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Did the ride last weekend after renting bikes near Zion. We were told to do the trail as a loop and ended up riding up the single track and then down the confusing double track/jeep road. Take a map because the double track section is very confusing and there are many intersections to get lost on during the double track section. The single track section is marked well and very fun. I would recommend riding up the singletrack and then back down the single track as a 12 mile loop, the double track was a bit lame. Or possibly ride as a loop doing the rim trail and then down the JEM trail.
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| Posted by: Jeremy on 4/19/2006 |
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Trail is now well marked with signs, easy to find. Do the Hurricane Rim trail along with (about 20.5 miles total) the JEM, both together make a great loop. The downhill section of the JEM is in incredible shape. Fast and FUN.
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| Posted by: chromhead58 on 1/2/2004 |
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no need to shuttle this ride...it is an all out desert cranker. fun fast, non-techinical ride. as for a map, man i have found it more fun to go and get lost these times of being "lost" have been some of the most fun i have had on this ride! i have rode this trail with the chrome crew, to beginers, and they all love it.
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| Posted by: JaxDMan on 10/21/2003 |
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I would recommend getting a guide book or getting a trail map or something. We did the ride as a loop. We took some wrong turns on the double track on the way up that started to get me a little grouchy. Eventually we found the right road and made it to the top. On the other hand, the single track downhill of this ride put a smile on my face that lasted the rest of the day!
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| Posted by: LP on 9/14/2000 |
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Ag ood trail, to ride as a loop is nothing major, a shuttle is not needed. Easy to make wrong turn after the great rollercoaster downhill. Never did find the trail along the edge of the canyon. Roads get super slick in the rain!!!!
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| Posted by: Rick on 7/2/2000 |
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My Girl and I rode the J.E.M. Trail last friday 6/30/00. The above directions to the trailhead will get you there(to the trail head)but I would recomend a trail map, mostly for the the ride up to the singletrack trailhead, without a map, there are a couple of opportunities to make wrong turns, which could lead to riding extra miles in what can be a very hot place. we stopped at bikes unlimited in St. George, and bought the Bruce Grubbs book for the St. George / Cedar City area.I think it was $10.00 and is spot on as far as milage and what to look for's on the trail. Don't forget H2o or your high SPF sunscreen. P.S. The right turn from Hwy 9 to Sheeps Bridge Road is not marked, however there is a left turn at the same spot(just past the mile 17 marker) that has a street sign,it is Mesa Rd.
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| Posted by: Dennis on 3/22/2000 |
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Scenic, fast and tricky all at the same time. JEM trail offers fast single track through cactus and brush with a view that will make you swallow your gum. You have to be shuttled but it is worth the cost in gas. Stop in Bike Zion in Springdale. They will gladly do the job and make it a BLAST!
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