[far raider]

Hey All,
I have a couple of weeks in July for a road trip and would love to get out west for some desert riding. I know it would be hotter than hell in the summer but can any of you recommend some places for a week or so of riding that may be cool enough to ride then? Or should I just give up on desert and go ride Crested Butte?
Thanks for the input
FR

 

[ImaFred]

north or south?
south;
brianhead(forest), bryce canyon, goose(maybe? depends on weather) the other desert rides are going to be HOT by 10:00 am
north;
wasnatch( slc, park city, deer valley, etc...) not much desert riding

 

[KRob]

Good list Fred.

I'd add Vernal to that as well. More desert terrain but higher elevation so maybe not sooo hot in the summer.

 

[STT GUY]

We live in Virgin nd it gets hot.

We are up on Goose by 7AM and ride until about 11Am that time of year.

Virgin Rim trail and north rim of the Grand Canyon are good best... Thunder Mountain is also a good one BUT July is the monsoon eason so t-strms are common.

Me...? Im going to Sun Valley or Stanley Idaho, Los Alamos and New Mexico and Cortez, Colorado

 

[SporkfromKFC]

So you want to ride in the desert in July but you don't want it to be hot? Have you considered the Southern Hemisphere?

 

[Berkley]

I rode Burro Down in July, and it wasn't that bad. Started at 8am, finished at 1pm. 53* at the start, 95* when we got done.

 

[123ski]

Park City is good in July.

 

[steadyflow]

Go to Colorado for riding in July....Crested Butte is awesome. Also not as well known the riding in Breckenridge rocks. Park City has great riding, but it doesn't compare to the Colorado high country IMO. I spent 10 years in Utah and have lived in Colorado for 6 now. Would pick mid summer riding in Colorado every time. The desert will be too hot that time of year, but one option might be a Vernal Steamboat combo.....the riding in Steamboat is amazing also.

 

[scoutcat]

much of southern utah will be hot but you can still fit rides in. other options are listed above, the area around brianhead is super beautiful too. you could also ride the la sals next to moab.

 

[MTBJong]

Probabbly not worth it to come to UT to ride "the desert" in July. If you must ride S. UT ride above 7000' which is generally not so desert like.