FATMAP by Strava

Paradise Rim

A fantastic mountain bike playground filled with drops and rock rolls.

Mountain Biking Severe

Distance
9.2 km
Ascent
209 m
Descent
209 m
Duration
0-1 hrs
Low Point
907 m
High Point
1.1 km
Gradient
Paradise Rim Map

Paradise Rim might not look like an epic ride on the map. Even if you add in a few bonus miles to get up to the Boy Scout overlook, it still only nets ~6 miles in length. But these 6 miles hide a surprisingly fun expert-level mountain bike rip!

Description

Begin the ride by pedaling out past a couple of rock climbing cliffs to reach the Turtle Wall trail. This incredible line ascends along a flat rock slab that twists and turns along the base of a dramatic red rock cliff wall. While the climbing is easy, this trail is visually stunning and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. The area is also known for its tortoises, so keep your eyes peeled for a glimpse of these incredible creatures.

Upon reaching the rim, you'll enjoy a stupendous overlook of the city of St. George below you. This vantage over the valley is absolutely incredible, and it's worth spending a few minutes just absorbing the vista.

Take a right turn for a short out-and-back spur to reach the Boy Scout overlook. While this might seem like an unnecessary spur, the riding is pretty incredible, with fantastic rock features ranging from exposed slickrock slabs to chundery rock garden descents. And if anything, the view from the Boy Scout overlook is even more impressive than the initial viewpoint.

After turning around at the Boy Scout overlook, you'll rip back down the chundery rocks, pass Turtle Wall, and continue along the rim. The descent gets progressively more technical, with dramatically rough rock gardens. If you keep your eyes peeled, there are also some fantastic rock roller alt lines. Be sure to use your imagination to interpret these beautiful red rock slabs!

As you continue to descend, more optional ledge drops crop up. These range in size from small two-footers to massive outcrops of bedrock that form 7-10-foot drops, depending on how deep you send them. Many of the drops are in the 3-4-foot height, providing a constant series of huckortunities as you rock and roll down the hillside.

The final stretch of the descent features multiple line options, and especially on your first ride through, you might need to scout a few features and hike back up to try different lines. This short ride is more about playing bikes than covering miles. Feel free to session a few sections over and over again, trying different lines and different challenges as you go. This is a truly special mountain bike playground!

Difficulty

Severe

Widely variable, narrow trail tread with steeper grades and unavoidable obstacles of 15in/38cm tall or less. Obstacles may include unavoidable bridges 24in/61cm wide or less, large rocks, gravel, difficult root sections, and more. Ideal for advanced-level riders.

Extreme Exposure

4 out of 4

Some trail sections are extremely exposed where falling will almost certainly result in serious injury or death.

Remoteness

1 out of 4

Close to help in case of emergency.

Best time to visit

all year round

Features

  • Technical
  • Picturesque
  • Singletrack
  • Drops
  • Rock Slabs
  • Rock Gardens

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area