It's a short loop with some advanced technical riding. Although only 3 miles in length, this isn't a cushy ride. Top to bottom altitude change is only 200 feet, but there are countless quick ups and downs, plus a relatively strenuous half-mile grunt in each direction.

There are four major entry points to the trail system. Two are from city streets. The recommended starting points are the ATV entry from the road to Thunderbird Garden trailhead and the trailhead of Highway 14 just after you enter the canyon. My ride description starts with the climb in Razorback Wash from Highway 14.

From Highway 14, the trail gradually climbs as it winds around in Razorback Wash. Near the top, it exits the wash on the left. (This exit point can be hard to spot when there have been rains. If you reach boulder piles that seem non-rideable, you've gone too far up the wash and need to backtrack.)

The trail then reaches a ridgeline. The ATV trail is the first option on the right, then a fairly steep DH line. The main trail stays flat on the ridge, then cuts along the north slope of the hill to the west of the ridge. From there, the trail follows sharp fins of dirt and rock. The turns are quick and constant; the sudden (but brief) uphills are often brutal stand-on-the-pedals-and-grunt; and the downhills have a definite thrill-factor. This trail is a good workout, and it's a riot to ride.

Since my original ride over 20 years ago, ATVs, motos, and DHers have created many alternate lines. Navigation isn't so easy now. If you can't follow my GPS track to the golf course, plan to explore a few dead ends. Most riders just putter around; the classic loop ride (as described below) is done less often now.

When the trail reaches a ridgeline and turns to the left, go to the next mountain and find trail traversing the hill. (The first ATV track was your return route.) Just remember that, in general, you're heading north.

As you enter the little valley south of the golf course, work to the east (right). ATV track will take you up a wash to the Thunderbird Gardens road. Turn right. Look for another ATV route southbound across from the flood-control pond. Follow this south back to the ridgeline, where you'll pick up your uphill track. You're going around that sharp little mountain in the photo above.

The "badlands" over which this trail passes are sedimentary deposits from the Triassic Period -- the age of reptiles, mammal-like reptiles, and the first bipedal dinosaurs. The steep tilt of the sediment planes was caused by "dragging" of blocks of rock by the Hurricane Fault, a southern version of the Wasatch Fault that separates the Great Basin from the mountains of eastern Utah.

This dirt erodes readily, rearranging the terrain. Add ATVs and motorcycles. So if my ride description makes no sense, it's because things have changed. Fortunately, civilization isn't far away, so if you get hopelessly lost, just head downhill.

In the summer, you'll want to hit this trail early in the morning. 8 a.m. temperatures often are in the low 60's, yet by 10 a.m. are climbing into the 80s. Because you'll be working hard, the cool temperature is very comfortable.

You may be a bit timid the first run around the loop. That's OK. Scout the territory, then "tear it up" on the second loop. I guarantee, two loops will make you feel like you've had a ride.

Once you've finished a loop or two around the hill, you can plummet down the wash back to Highway 14 (assuming you started there). This is great fun, and worth doing more than once. Watch out for upbound traffic on the turns!

You may have noticed some singletrack trails forking off to the west. These "social trails" head for the sharp fins of rock at the top of the ridges. I'm NOT going to help you navigate to them. You can quickly find yourself way over your head. Actually, you may find your bike over your head and broken limbs under your body. For example, there's one route with 100 yards of one-foot wide tech ribbon atop a sharp fin -- you can't stop, so you keep going or you get hurt. I'm not saying I rode this probably-illegal trail, but I swear I'll never ever do it again.

Getting there, SR 14 Trailhead: On Cedar City's Main Street, turn east (towards the mountains) on Center Street, Highway 14. Travel 0.9 mile from the turn. Note the dirt doubletrack on the left. Find a place to park (most bikers use the truck-turnaround 100 yards up the road on the right). Trailhead GPS is N 37° 40.441' W 113° 02.735'. Note: the larger parking area further uphill (just past The Red Hill) is the Red Hollow trailhead.
Northern trailhead: As you drive east from Main Street on SR 14, turn left on Highland Drive about 0.1 miles after crossing Coal Creek. Continue to the "T" intersection south of the golf coarse and turn right. As the road dead-ends by Dirt Foothills Drive, park. Start the ride northbound on DT, keeping right of the flood basin. The path will veer right around the base of the hill. The ATV path dropping through the wash southbound (to your right) is the Red Mountain Trail.
Alternate, Rainbow Canyon: On SR 14, drive east. After crossing Coal Creek, turn left on Highland Drive. Turn right at Rainbow Canyon. Continue straight onto dirt road at Dirt Foothills Drive. Park in the elevated area about 100 yards from pavement. Start the ride in the washbottom. Veer left to join Red Mountain (the right fork takes you into a dead-end valley or up onto terrifying high fins).

No water, camping, or bathrooms at any trailhead.