[minkhiller]

What town is the best place in UT for MTB riding and culture?

 

[ricochet]

there is only one answer; IMHO!

What town is the best place in UT for MTB riding and culture?

MOAB!!!!!

There are other great trails throughout this state, but when you add trails, shops, culture, and general biking atmosphere, Moab is a cut above the rest. After all this town pretty much caters to the biking people, even if some of them never get far from the trail head.
Just try walking into a store or eating joint wearing spandex in any other town and you get weird looks, but in Moab it is just standard attire.

 

[Bob the Wheelbuilder]

I agree with Moab. St. George may be #2.

It's nicknamed Mecca for a reason, everyone needs to go there at least once.

Medina might be Saint George, though. We've got Gooseberry, Little Creek, the JEM trail, Church Rocks, the Green Valley Loop plus many other rides. There are 3 good bike shops, but Moab has many more. Mountain rides are an hour and a half away at the Virgin River Rim and at the many good trails in Brian Head. Road riding's not bad, either.

St. George scores more points for general shopping, dining (check out the Pasta Factory and Cafe Rio), movies and golf (not that I care about golf, personally).

I've probably just stopped noticing the looks when I eat out post ride in my bike duds.

To paraphrase the Sphinx: "Moab's number 1, we're number 2. All others are number 3... or less."

 

[mtnbiker62]

I dunno about that...

Apologies in advance to Moab and it's patient denizens. There is no question that there is a lot of riding in Moab, but how many jeep roads can you ride before you begin to long for some singletrack...and some soul? The Californication of Moab has turned me off to the place. I don't want to sound like some old curmudgeon, but I enjoyed riding in Moab back in '87, back when the town had some real soul. I'll take a cheeseburger at the old Westerner cafe over the trendy food served in Moab any day. Culture in Moab?? Not anymore...it's imported, tourist money-driven kitch. For my money, if I'm gonna drive that far, I'm gonna go to Fruita.

That being said, there is no place in Utah with more riding...but St. George and it's surroundings are getting close.

 

[minkhiller]

Glad to hear St. George is up there on the list. I will be landing there in a month and doing a Bryce to Zion trip with one day to warm up on the local trails before hand. Now I know where to go eat also...thanks.

 

[trevor_2k]

Come one now, Cedar City has got great XC, DH, FR, and at least a couple reputable bike shops. We even have shuttle access trails at Brianhead, with races twice each summer. All around, I'd say this is #2 rather than St. George. St. George doesn't have many, if any, FR/DH trails.

 

[CrashTheDOG]

All around, I'd say this is #2 rather than St. George. St. George doesn't have many, if any, FR/DH trails.

Broken Mesa, Flying Monkey, Barrel Rolls and the Red Bull Rampage course just to name a few. They might not have the vertical drop you've got associated with the Southern Platue but they're still solid FR/DH trails. The great thing about St. George, like Bob mentioned, is the proximity to so many other riding areas including Cedar City (45 min), Brian Head (1.5 hrs), Vegas (2 hrs) including Red Rock and Bootleg Canyon. Moab (4 hrs) is a bit of a drive but not unbearable if you can get in 2-3 days worth or riding, as is SLC (4 hrs) and the Wasatch Front, Park City and Deer Valley. The other thing Cedar doesn't have is year round riding. All in all my selection would have to be George or Moab.

 

[minkhiller]

I'm stricly XC anyway, heck the only air I get is when I like my arse off the saddle to fart, impresses the heck out of my riding partners...Crash you'd be way ahead and never know I did it so don't worry.

 

[Bob the Wheelbuilder]

Maybe I should have said the greater Southwestern Utah area.

Cedar City has some great rides. Mentally, I don't really separate it from St. George as they are only about 50 miles apart. Riding is better near Cedar in the Summer and in St. George in the Winter.

Peace

 

[trevor_2k]

Broken Mesa, Flying Monkey, Barrel Rolls and the Red Bull Rampage course just to name a few. They might not have the vertical drop you've got associated with the Southern Platue but they're still solid FR/DH trails. The great thing about St. George, like Bob mentioned, is the proximity to so many other riding areas including Cedar City (45 min), Brian Head (1.5 hrs), Vegas (2 hrs) including Red Rock and Bootleg Canyon. Moab (4 hrs) is a bit of a drive but not unbearable if you can get in 2-3 days worth or riding, as is SLC (4 hrs) and the Wasatch Front, Park City and Deer Valley. The other thing Cedar doesn't have is year round riding. All in all my selection would have to be George or Moab.

I don't think that St. George can claim Flying Monkey and The Red Bull course....Virgin is everyone's playground. The other two are in St. George, so I'll give you that. But where in St. George can you find a nice, wooded, singletrack for 7-13 miles? Blowhard, Dark Hollow, Bunker Creek....These are ideal trails. Plus for the serious XC folks, the Marathon Trail, and the Virgin River Rim trail are 2 "must-do" rides for 25+ mile rides in Utah....

 

[Bob the Wheelbuilder]

Well if we're starting a pissing contest...

Cedar has few trails if we're going to be so strict in our definitions. Duck Creek Village and Brian Head would be the towns to lay claim to the mountain rides.

Plus St. George has TWO Super Wal-Marts! Wait, that may not be a plus.

Can't we all just get along? I think we can both enjoy the great riding in Panguitch, Parowan, Duck Creek, Brian Head, Cedar City, Virgin, Colorado City, Apple Valley, Hurricane, St. George and Santa Clara.

Feel the Color Country brotherhood love!

 

[mtbbrian]

Slc!

Salt Lake!
Where else in the "Land of Zion" can you get both riding AND culture so close togther than the "City of Salt"!
Brian
Ride On!

 

[minkhiller]

So much to see so little time, sounds like a repeat trip maybe in order...gotta get the first one in the books before that.

 

[crazy horse]

Park City's not bad, sometimes you get those tourists that have no idea what they're doing but its still got good trails and cool atmosphere.

 

[bonkey]

polygamy and riding.

I think we can both enjoy the great riding in Panguitch, Parowan, Duck Creek, Brian Head, Cedar City, Virgin, Colorado City, Apple Valley, Hurricane, St. George and Santa Clara.

Feel the Color Country brotherhood love!

I'm feelin' the love!

Put me down for Colorado City for best riding and craziest culture. Anybody know where I can get me some wives?

Mink, you'd need more than a yeti tandem if you wanted to cart you and your lady friends in that town....

 

[donyel]

best place in UT for MTB riding and culture?

definately Knosh, UT!!

 

[minkhiller]

Now having been in the St. George, Cedar City, and Sprindale area I find that it would not be hard to live in any of these towns/cities for me. I wish I had more time to become familiar with St. George and Cedar City, I did get to spend a day in Springdale. Cedar City looked like it had a historic downtown when driving through it, I don't know if this is the case.

I think further investigation of the facts on my part is in the future, maybe another trip next year.

 

[wyrm]

SLC baby!!!
Culture, fun, food, deer valley and all the resorts for DH. And not to mention the best shop in all of UT and the Mt West...Go-ride. But I guess it all depends on what you're after...XC, FR, DH, urban.

 

[ridetheworld]

slcizzle my nizzle no compizzle

 

[potatohead]

Pc

Park City. Everywhere else is too damn hot. Oh yeah, the trails are ill too.