Bike
MTB
Return to the wild with Utah backcountry riding
From night-riding under a constellation of stars to slick-rock trails through canyons, Utah’s backcountry is the sacred refuge for adventurers looking to get completely lost.
Backcountry is defined as a geographical region that's remote, undeveloped, isolated and/or difficult to access. For adventurers in Utah, that’s precisely the point. From the wintry powdered peaks of the Rockies to the Mars-red rock formations of Arches National Park and the extraterrestrial-marbled, slick features in Moab, Utah’s vast open spaces of wilderness and protected lands offer a stunning stage for a multitude of outdoors activities.
High-fives and epic dirt abound in Virgin, Utah
© Garth Milan/Red Bull Content Pool
With vistas straight out of the set of a Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western – or, for a more current reference, think HBO’s Westworld (without the hot robots) – sure any family in an RV can post up in one of the national parks, but it’s the exploration that makes Utah a sanctuary.
2 min
Raw 100: Cody Kelley
Watch Enduro World Series rider Cody Kelley riding under moonlit Utah skies.
Our advice? Pick any name on a list of Utah’s best ofs – Gemini Bridges, Dead Horse Point, Thunder Mountain Trail, Klondike Bluff – and you won’t be disappointed. No, those weren’t names made up by the Old Prospector, they’re just a few of Utah’s backcountry hits. Bring enough water, pack your trash, embrace the solitude and watch out for them coyotes...
What you came for
There’s a whopping five national parks in Utah and 14 national historic landmarks, so if it’s trekking you’ve got a hunger for head to Arches (for the 2,000 arches), Bryce Canyon for the hoodoos, Canyonlands for river rafting, canyoneering and fly-fishing, Natural Bridges and Rainbow Bridge for the (you guessed it!) massive stone bridges.
Red Bull Rampage makes the most of the scenery
© Christian Pondella - Red Bull Content Pool
But let’s face it; if you’re a mountain biker, Moab’s always been on your bucket list. Offering slick-rock trails through canyons and over mesa tops for bikers of every skill level, trails through the Amasa Back Area, Gemini Bridges, Klonzo and The Whole Enchilada should get the advanced rider’s hearts thumping.
On the rampage
© Ian Hylands/Red Bull Content Pool
There are simply just not a lot of places in the world with terrain like Utah
Freeride pro Carson Storch loves the place, "There are simply just not a lot of places in the world with terrain like Utah. It’s also close enough to California and Oregon, so quite driveable from a lot of adjacent areas. But anything you could think of for freeriding is available there: ridges, lips, jumps… whatever you can dream of building, really."
Carson Storch claims Virgin as a freeride Mecca
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
“But for me, a place like Virgin, Utah, is what you might call the progressive Mecca of freeriding in Utah. You can sculpt what you want out of the dirt and it’s just a bit more diverse, whereas in Moab you can’t build as much. It’s one of the only places in the world where you can pick out a line or one-off jump and make it work. The dirt is so soft – eroded clay – so it’s easier to build jumps and lips. But my main draw is the fact that Rampage has been out there for the last 12 years and Rampage is the one event that’s really shaped and pushed our sport. That and Josh Bender, of course, who was the first guy really pioneering the place for freeriders.”
Psst… psst…
While most of the spotlight in the mountain bike realm shines brightly on Moab or Virgin, there’s an area in Southern Utah known as the Hayduke Trail or Trans-Utah route that has over 400 miles (640km) of empty trails and very few actual paved roads. True ‘effin backcountry. With some of the very darkest skies in the entire US (for stargazers!) and routes that pass the spectacular Bears Ears National Monument, this zone is the perfect option for core bikers and bikepackers trying to get really off the map.
4 min
Rebecca Rusch Sets New Record on Kokopelli Trail
For Red Bull Rusch Hour, endurance mountain bike rider Rebecca Rusch set a new female record time.
Seasons-wise, for most outdoors activities, midsummer-through August is a scorcher; bugs can also be bad in the more forested areas, so springtime and fall are optimal times for trips. Winter can be good for riding if not too cold, but if it rains, the terrain can get too sticky in places (like Virgin).
Don’t miss
If you’re a core freerider making a trip out to Virgin, for instance, you already know options are limited for nightlife. The Bit and Spur Saloon in Springdale, however, is a legendary gathering place of the sport for drinks and grub. An OG party bar, the Bit and Spur is also ground zero for the after party of the yearly Rampage events. Did we mention the food’s good too?
Looking for places to stay in Moab? 3 Dogs and a Moose and Gonzo Inn are great options, with cottages, hammocks and even wash/work stations for your bikes (tools there, too!) For food, don’t miss Paradox Pizza in Moab. If you made it to the gorgeous Lake Powell, get to the deck of the Anasazi Restaurant for sunset drinks. You earned it.
But be aware of …
Flash floods are a thing here and a mighty dangerous one to boot in places like Zion. Don’t get caught between a rock and a hard place if the weather goes south. Falling rocks in canyons are also hazards, that and not having enough water (or drinking enough of what you've got).
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can also happen and when you least expect it, since it’s so dry out there – so take it easy and rest now and then. Lastly, backcountry doesn’t mean you can just leave or burn all your trash. Pack out what you brought in, or don’t pack so much if you can’t.
