View northeast from the trail.
View northeast from the trail.
Three Amigos

This trail alternates narrow singletrack with occasional doubletrack, undulating through red and white dirt. It's upper-intermediate in technical requirement. Good bike-handling skills are required to stay off the soft shoulder and out of the cactus. Length is 6 miles. You'll do about 900 feet of total climbing, starting at 5900 feet of elevation to a peak altitude of about 6250.

Update June 2016:  Although the Three Amigos Trail remains an official route included on the area trail plan (and on the trailhead maps), the area is subject to intermittent closure due to mine blasting. The local bike shop has removed it from their list of recommended rides. Please check current status and conditions. Obey any posted trail closures. 

The trail is located north of Red Fleet Reservoir in the Red Fleet riding area , about 10 miles north of Vernal. You'll look at some pretty rock formations as you drive to the trailhead, but you won't ride on them. This is narrow twisting dirt singletrack.

The trail is found a short distance up the J-Boy trail from the Dinosaur Tracks road. It's marked with stakes and carsonite posts. The first couple of miles are a steady climb with some up-and-down. You're riding on the red dirt of the Moenkopi formation, headed for the white of the Park City formation where most of the ride occurs. You'll be crossing three ridges as the ride plunges fairly steeply into canyons then climbs back out.

Typical section of trail. Its only about 12 inches wide.
Typical section of trail. It's only about 12 inches wide.
Early in the ride, we pass by these cliffs, then head out to undulating sage and...
Early in the ride, we pass by these cliffs, then head out to undulating sage and juniper.
As you complete the loop, you'll encounter some tight switchbacks as you climb. These are a challenge to clean, especially if the cows have made things a little loose.

The track is narrower, and a bit more challenging, than the nearby Jass-Chrome Molly trail.

The ride's big finish is the plunge from 6250 to 5900 feet as you rocket through the sage and juniper. See if you can hold the bike on that narrow track without kissing cactus or juniper!
General view of the terrain through which the trail passes.
General view of the terrain through which the trail passes.
A look at the trail -- what plunges down must climb up!
A look at the trail -- what plunges down must climb up!
Clockwise riding notes:
0.0   Singletrack TH uphill side of road
0.1   Join ST from Cabin Boy, straight
0.4   Cross DT
0.6   Merge DT
0.8   Veer R onto ST
1.3   R on DT at trough
1.4   R off DT on ST
2.1   R onto DT
2.2   L on DT
2.4   L on ST
3.3   Fork hard R
        Then merge DT
3.5   L onto ST
3.8   L onto DT
4.3   R onto ST
5.2   L on DT (return route)
5.4   R onto ST
5.5   Cross DT
5.9   Back at pavement
Getting there:  
In Vernal on US-40 (the main drag), turn north on US-191. Drive to mile 10.7 and turn right at the paved road signed "Red Fleet Dinosaur Trackway." You'll cross a cattleguard and start uphill. About 1/10 mile later, find a dirt road on your left (at mile 1.6 since leaving 191). Turn into the dirt road and park. On your bike, go back to the paved road and turn left. About 100 feet later, find the singletrack marked with a carsonite sign on the left side of the road, heading north uphill just before a guardrail. Alternate: pedal uphill on the dirt road about 1/3 mile and spot Three Amigos where it crosses.

Camping:  Red Fleet state park
Bathroom:  2.4 miles from US-191 on the Dinosaur Trackway road is a bathroom at the the trackway trailhead. No water.
Bike services:  Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595

Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
    Three Amigos track
    Multi-track area file
Area topo map for printing: View map
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Vernal area resources