Downward Spiral: Rider gets his line in the Books Cliffs region (Jeff Cricco/courtesy, Colorado Tourism)
For mountain bikers, Fruita, Colorado, is the original other Moab. This Old West hamlet of 6,500 people holed up in the vast, sandy sweeps near Grand Junction on the Utah line began to throw its elbows out a decade ago, determined to make some room for itself in the mountain-biking scene. It certainly has the goods: hundreds of miles of trails along towering red cliffs, through wide-open vistas punctuated with scrub juniper and sage, down ripping descents on foot-wide swaths of buttery singletrack, and up lung-burning climbs over rocky steps. Ten years ago no one had heard of these gems. Fast-forward and word is out, of course. While that means you certainly won't be the only fat-tire hound bunny-hopping cacti that day, it does mean that bikers can now enjoy more services, such as top-notch bike shops, guiding outfits, and better trail maintenance. Amenities are still somewhat limited though; old habits are hard to break and people think Moab first. The plus? Fruita remains lower on the circus-scene scale.
Though there are lots of secret rides, like the Long John Silver Trail in the south, you'll only find them with an experienced guide. Fruita's trails are divided into a handful of popular areas. Two of the closest to town that will give you a good feel for the area include Book Cliffs and the Kokopelli Trails. All are near the sandstone sentinels of Colorado National Monument. Peter Beers, an avid local cyclist, maintains an amateur website, fruita.peterbeers.net, with detailed pictures of trails as well as names and distances of some of the more popular rides. His chatty commentary on ride descriptions will also help stir the juices to pack the car and get going. The book Mountain Biking Grand Junction and Fruita, available through Amazon.com, or Fruita Fat Tire Guidebook 2004, available from local bike shop Over the Edge Sports (see below for contact details), would also be a wise investment. And lastly, summertime temps can scorch the finish right off your bike. Head here in the spring or fall, particularly early May or early October, for comfortable days and nights.
The first area, Book Cliffs, on the north side of the monument, is home to gullies, canyons, and yes, cliffs, that make for some epic riding. It's dusty here, with little to no shade, and some of the most popular trails in the area see scores of riders. The classic run is Chutes and Ladders, which as you may have guessed, involves lots of steep drops and steeper climbs. It's a six- to seven-mile run that will take you down gullies and along sandy sections that will test your stamina.
Everyone rides this trail for the views of the big Colorado sky and harsh, sun-baked desert, and for the rollicking terrain. That means the trail has seen some damage, as more and more folks pull into Fruita amped and ready to rip. Remember to ride the line, not around rocks, for example, to keep the singletrack single.
Another fun trail for those who can't leave home without body armor and eight inches of rear suspension: Zippity Doodah. Here you'll find white-knuckle descents that will have you leaning so far off the back of the bike your bum could get a knobby-tired buff job. This four-mile trail cruises along long ridges and does involve some climbing, so don't keep your seat too low.
The Kokopelli Trails, south of Interstate 70, can be rockier and more technical than those at Book Cliffs. But this area also offers some of the best riding around Fruita. Cast off on the eight-mile Mary's Loop, the best section of the larger 200-mile-long Kokopelli system. This loop will give you views into the west of Colorado National Monument as you climb slickrock cliffs and drop rocky ledges for eight miles of pedal-mashing fun. Don't miss Steve's Loop, either. This four-mile trail takes you down into a canyon, past the red layers of massive sandstone cliffs, and under the wandering Mack Ridge. You might have to hike some sections because of the steep, loose terrain, but give it a shot first.
As for Fruita itself, this is no megalopolis, so no getting freaky in sweaty discotheques till 5 a.m. (Thank goodness for that.) But on the town's main drag, Aspen Avenue, you'll find Over the Edge Sports, a bike shop full of beta, spare tubes, and other medical supplies for your bike (970-858-7220, www.otesports.com). If you're looking for a guide and are willing to pay top dollar for top-dollar services, give Lee Bridgers a call at Dreamride (888-662-2882, www.dreamride.com). Lee pioneered many of the area's best rides and shares them only with elite mountain bikers who appreciate highly customized service: you'll eat in his house, listen to him play the guitar, and try to keep up as he shows you secrets, like that Long John Silver Trail. Lee knows Fruita down to the rock.
Still can't pull the trigger on a trip? The Fruita Fat Tire Festival kicks off April 29 through May 7, where you'll get a chance to ride an 18-hour endurance race with teams of up to ten people or kick back and listen to ten bands. Beer, bikes, and bands. Need more?
Fruita, Colorado | 
