WHAT'S A FRUITA?
Adventure brief: Mountain biking (some of) the Kokopelli Trail
What’s Fruita? Why should I visit Fruita? Where is Fruita, anyway?
The answer to those questions have one thing in common: mountain biking. If you’ve spent time riding dirt, you’ve likely heard of Fruita. It’s garnered a reputation as a must-visit spot in recent years. Located near the border with Utah— approx. 20 minutes from Grand Junction and roughly 1.5 hrs from another mountain biking mecca, Moab, UT. Fruita is a sweet little town with Main Street vibes, decent pizza, and 2 fantastic bike shops. It’s also the start of the Kokopelli which is an EPIC trail. Popular for multi-day bikepacking adventures starting from Fruita, ending in Moab. It’s 142 miles of screaming fun from what I’ve heard. We only rode some of the trail at the start. Can’t wait to go back to ride the complete route.
Jouflas camp spot in Mcinnis Canyons.
Mountain biking FRUITA, COLORADO
There’s much more to the Fruita area than the Kokopelli Trail—though that’s a great place to start. You’ll find one of the more popular rides (and one my group opted to tackle) is a great connector to other trails in the area. From flowy single track to technical descents, there’s something for everyone to ride.
Kokopelli Loops. Starting from Mary’s and hitting Horsethief, Steve’s and Wranglers, this ride has it all. Jaw-dropping scenery is a bonus.
Kokopelli Trail to Moab. Saddle up, drop some supplies along the way and enjoy the 143 mile adventure to Moab from Loma. Must do this someday soon.
Highline Lake. Fun for the full family.
18 Road North of Fruita lies a network of trails around 18 Road. With names like Chutes and Ladders, Zippity Loop and the grandest of them all the Edge Loop, it’s a guaranteed good time.
In addition to the vast network of trails, there’s two bike shops in Fruita for all your needs including rentals, route planning and general advice on how to best enjoy the area. Colorado Backcountry Biker will take care of backcountry hut ride logistics and has an excellent assortment + staff to help with gear needs. Over the Edge Sports has been around since ‘95 with a huge fleet of rental bikes (Santa Cruz, Pivot, Evil, Ibis and Trek to name a few) if you’re in need.
Mary’s Trail In Loma
Steve’s Trail in Loma
Camping Spots in the area
McInnis Canyon Conservation Area has many spots. We had good cell coverage in Jouflas. Pit toilets and no water in the area. Be prepared.
Jouflas Campground. No fee. First come, first served with awesome spots. Stayed for the night, hiking trails and stunning views even though it’s close to I-70.
Rabbit Valley. Same area as Jouflas and Knowles. There are a total of 84 spots spread out across this BLM space. Dispersed camping only in designated spots.
Knowles Overlook. 4x4 or high clearance rig recommended.
18 Road Located in the North Fruita Desert, you’ll have access to the trail network for biking in the area. It’s a ways out of town but a good option if McInnis area is jammed.
With plenty of BLM camping options to choose from, you’ll find the all important showers for $4 at the Fruita Community Center. They keep decent hours (5:30am-7:00pm Monday-Friday) and there’s a full service gym, pool, and other amenities on site. Worth the coin.
