Retail Sale Trail

Troy (of Altitude Cycle in Vernal) flies free of earth on Retail Sale. August 27, 2004 photo by Bruce.

Retail Sale

Retail Sale is a fun singletrack trail in the McCoy Flat trail system west of Vernal.. This mountain bike loop undulates and twists 8 miles through colorful desert dirt and rock. Altitude is 5300 feet. Absolute altitude change is 250 feet; total climbing on this trail will be around 800. The trail isn't too tough aerobically, but it will be quite hot at mid-day in the summer. Because of narrow track, tricky sections, off-camber turns, and a bit of rough rock, we'd rate the trail upper-intermediate technical.

This biking trail was developed by local riders specifically for mountain bikers. It's a fun and fast ride. The few tricky sections are short and easily walked by intermediate riders. Most of the trail is smooth enough to be pleasant on a hardtail bike. While we found the center of the trail firm, the raised trail-edge is soft and will grab your tires if you drift off-line.

Mike, Troy, and Chad climb through the red dirt and sandstone rock. Much of the terrain here formed from sediments washed down from the Uinta Mountains. Photo by Bruce.

The trail makes multiple dips through a gazillion washes and climbs over countless small ridges. Here Bruce powers through a side-slope turn with the helmet-camera running. Photo by Mike.

This is desert riding. You'll find plenty of cactus right alongside the trail. Stay on the trail. The soil is very soft and fragile, and you'll quickly dig in and die if you veer off. Stay on the trail. Good bike-handling skills are important, because some ugly rocks have been placed to corral you onto the correct riding line. Stay on the trail.

Old analog video, shot when Retail Sale was first established...

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Conditions on this trail can change quickly due to rain and snow. We suggest you stop by Altitude Cycle in Vernal to get the latest trail conditions. Pick up a local trail guide with topo maps and detailed trail descriptions.

This is a good trail, fun to ride. There's a lot of good stuff in the Vernal area, with several other riding loops adjacent to Retail Sale.

Retail Sale connects to Fire Sale , Milk and Cookies , More Hoes , High Rollas , and Slippery When Wet . Serpendipity returns to the trailhead via the eastern limb of Retail Sale.

At right, Chad rolls along wide-open desert. Photo by Mike.

Navigation, counterclockwise ride:
0.0  From corral parking, cross road to DT
0.1 Fork R on ST (alt = 2nd ST on R)
       N40 21.003 W109 34.928
0.3 Rejoin alternate ST N40 20.992 W109 35.163
1.1 Keep R (L = Fire Sale) N40 20.830 W109 35.982
1.3 Trail merges with ATV track
        Keep L at fork (Got Milk? is R fork)
      N40 20.716 W109 36.093

1.4   Keep L (R=return from More Hoes trail)
        N40 20.644 W109 36.091
2.0   Keep R as Fire Sale joins on L N40 20.616 W109 35.647
2.6   Fork R (L=shortcut to trailhead) N40 20.759 W109 35.083
2.7   Fork L (R=Slippery When Wet) N40 20.679 W109 35.064
5.9   Keep L (R = merging Serpendipity) N40 20.454 W109 34.418
7.4   R onto DT
7.5   Back to parking

Retail Sale

Getting there:
While driving toward Vernal on US-40, pass mile marker 138, then turn right on the narrow paved McCoy Flats road ( N40 23.427 W109 35.752). If you miss McCoy Flats road, go to the viewpoint overlooking Vernal and backtrack exactly 2 miles, then turn left into the road. Drive 3 miles. Immediately after passing a corral on your left, turn into the large fenced BLM trailhead parking lot.

Camping: BLM land, primitive camping allowed. No developed sites.
Bathroom: At trailhead
Water: Bring your own.
Bike services, maps, trail conditions:
Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595