Kokopelli Trail

[IntrepidXJ]

This past weekend I finally got around to completing a trail that has been on my to-do list for quite a while....The Kokopelli Trail. When people hear the name Kokopelli, they usually associate this trail with mountain biking. While it is indeed a popular mountain biking route, this trail follows old four-wheel drive roads for much of the way. There are only a few sections of singletrack that need to be bypassed.

This trip was put together by Jan on ExpeditionUtah a few months ago, and in the end there were five vehicles total that showed up. We all met on Saturday night at El Tapatio in Fruita for dinner and then headed to Loma where a few of the guys setup camp for the night. Being local, I went home and slept in my comfy bed for one more night

Bright and early on Sunday morning we all met up at the Kokopelli trailhead in Loma to get our journey started.

The route started out on a gravel road that follows the interstate and ends at the Mack exit. Once at the Mack exit, we were forced onto the pavement to bypass the first section of singletrack on the trail. We had to hop on the old Highway 6 & 50 and take it for a few miles to Sidewinder Road, which would take us back under the interstate again.

Sidewinder Road took us back to the Rabbit Valley Road which is where we joined back up with the Kokopelli Trail again, and wound our way through Rabbit Valley and the McDonald Creek Cultural Resource Area.

Headed down McDonald Creek

Castle Rocks

Following the Kokopelli into Utah

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Wide open dusty road between Westwater and Cisco Landing. La Sals poking up in the background

After stopping for short lunch at an overlook near the Cisco Landing Road, we made our way over to the crossing at Cisco Wash.

Little used two-track to Cisco Wash

Crossing Cisco Wash

After making it across we made our way over to highway 128 and crossed over into the Dome Plateau area.

Viewpoint Arch

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Headed down to Dewey Bridge

After crossing the Colorado River we followed the Entrada Ranch Road for a bit, and then took a side trip off of the Kokopelli up to Top of the World where we camped for the night.

Our campsite near the top

After a good nights sleep we headed down from Top of the World and made our way over to Rosegarden Hill.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

After making it to the bottom and heading out to Onion Creek Road, Colin had a little issue with a flat tire.

From this point Kevin and Colin went back to town while Greg, Jan and myself finished up the trail through Thompson Canyon, up the La Sal Loop Road and then down the Sand Flats Road to Moab.

Burn area along the La Sal Loop Road

The Kokopelli Trail makes a great two day trip and I'm glad I finally got to run the complete trail from beginning to end in one shot.

 

[IllianaXJ]

Nice report. My dad and I were at Top of the World Saturday morning/early afternoon in a rental JK. Definately a cool trail.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Another work in progress, but I have posted a trail info page here with updated GPS tracks:

http://www.myxj.net/blog/?p=1099