We're bombing south down a ridgeline trail in white clay, headed toward the deep reds below. Photos September 27, 2007.
Jazz Chromoly
This is a fun dirt singletrack located near Red Fleet Reservoir north of Vernal, part of the Red Fleet trail system . Ridden as described below, it's 6.5 miles. Lowest elevation is 5700 feet. While there's only 300 feet of absolute elevation change, up-and-down riding will make your climbing about 800 vertical.
The trail is intermediate technical, but the quick uphills after wash-crossings are more fun
if you're an expert and can plunge with speed. The trail begins in the
deep red dirt of the
Moenkopi formation. The trail itself is firmly packed, but the shoulder
is soft. If you bobble
off-trail, you'll dig in, and likely dump. In many spots the trail threads
through clusters
of small cactus. You definitely want to stay on-trail.
The first part of the ride is up and down -- mostly up. As you climb, you hit the phosphate-rich
white clay of the Park City formation. The riding surface is more firm
here, but it's also
rougher if cow-prints have fossilized.
Typical trail segment in the red dirt, weaving through juniper and sage.
Cattle watering trough, served by the small pipe you see here. You visit this trough twice, once from each side, as you start and complete the big loop.
This area is BLM rangeland, serving a lot of cows. There are two critical turns at water troughs.
At these spots, tramping cows may make the trail hard to see. Sticks and
rocks have been placed
to mark the trail, but they're easily knocked aside by the cows.
At the top elevation of the ride, you'll dip through a bunch of gullies. The trail branches
a bit here as riders have sought alternate lines. Just keep heading east
(generally along the
fenceline). The trail will turn suddenly south and begin a very fun downhill
romp.
At the top of the ride, we're about to plunge steeply between these junipers, then rocket up the other side of the gully!
Kowabunga! And ride 'em cowboy! Fly on down. This is fun stuff.
Riding notes, clockwise loop:
0.0 Ride west from parking N40 35.923 W109 27.470
0.5 Through dip and north along 191
0.8 Pass return route, keep L N40 35.952 W109 27.899
0.9 Veer R uphill as you reach white clay N40 36.059 W109 27.920
1.2 Trail turns south (R) at trough N40 36.203 W109 27.689
1.4 Fork hard L uphill (R=return) N40 36.033 W109 27.728
1.5 Fork L N40 36.094 W109 27.626
2.2 Trough, keep L uphill along pipe N40 36.550 W109 27.397
2.5 Reach fence, go east
3.0 Trail weaves, keep along fence N40 36.765 W109 27.103
3.2 Fork R (south) downhill N40 36.784 W109 26.862
3.9 Hard R at bottom of hill N40 36.248 W109 26.708
4.3 Keep R and R (L=to road) N40 36.227 W109 27.015
4.5 Cross doubletrack N40 36.355 W109 27.184
4.8 Back at trough, fork L downhill N40 36.550 W109 27.397
5.4 Rejoin outgoing trail, keep straight N40 36.094 W109 27.626
5.5 Keep straight downhill N40 36.033 W109 27.728
5.7 At outgoing trail, fork L N40 35.952 W109 27.899
6.5 Back at car
0.0 Ride west from parking N40 35.923 W109 27.470
0.5 Through dip and north along 191
0.8 Pass return route, keep L N40 35.952 W109 27.899
0.9 Veer R uphill as you reach white clay N40 36.059 W109 27.920
1.2 Trail turns south (R) at trough N40 36.203 W109 27.689
1.4 Fork hard L uphill (R=return) N40 36.033 W109 27.728
1.5 Fork L N40 36.094 W109 27.626
2.2 Trough, keep L uphill along pipe N40 36.550 W109 27.397
2.5 Reach fence, go east
3.0 Trail weaves, keep along fence N40 36.765 W109 27.103
3.2 Fork R (south) downhill N40 36.784 W109 26.862
3.9 Hard R at bottom of hill N40 36.248 W109 26.708
4.3 Keep R and R (L=to road) N40 36.227 W109 27.015
4.5 Cross doubletrack N40 36.355 W109 27.184
4.8 Back at trough, fork L downhill N40 36.550 W109 27.397
5.4 Rejoin outgoing trail, keep straight N40 36.094 W109 27.626
5.5 Keep straight downhill N40 36.033 W109 27.728
5.7 At outgoing trail, fork L N40 35.952 W109 27.899
6.5 Back at car
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." Drive uphill 0.6 miles. At the top of the hill, turn left onto a dirt road and immediately park in the wide area on the left. The trail starts on the west side of the parking area (left as you pulled in).
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." Drive uphill 0.6 miles. At the top of the hill, turn left onto a dirt road and immediately park in the wide area on the left. The trail starts on the west side of the parking area (left as you pulled in).
Bathroom:
2.4 miles from US-191 on the Dinosaur Trackway road is a bathroom at the trackway trailhead.
Water:
Bring your own.
Bike services:
Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595
Area riding map
Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
GPX Jazz Chromoly
Multi-track area file
Area topo map for printing: View map
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Vernal area resources
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
GPX Jazz Chromoly
Multi-track area file
Area topo map for printing: View map
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Vernal area resources
Topo updated 2016
View of Red Fleet from the Dinosaur Trackway Trail
Red Fleet State Park (fee required) is just a couple of miles away. Camp on the shore of Red
Fleet reservoir in improved campsites. Water. Boat launching ramp. Red
Fleet is a pretty lake
surrounded by Navajo Sandstone. Water sports, bass fishing, scuba (Vernal
has a dive shop).
A fun activity for families is the Dinosaur Trackway hike. No bikes allowed. It's a two-mile
round trip from the trailhead. The trackway is on a mudstone slope that
banks down to the shore
of Red Fleet Lake. The trail has numbered markers, presumably for an interpretive
trail, but
as of September 2007, there are no signs or pamphlets at the trailhead.
But there is a bathroom.
Theropod (carnivorous dino) track from the Jurassic era.
