High-Speed Flow on Fruita’s Famous 18 Road Trails

The 18 Road Trail System in the North Fruita Desert almost singlehandedly put the small agricultural town of Fruita, Colorado, on the international mountain biking map. Now, the entire town feels like it's all about mountain biking! With one of the most renowned bike shops in the world, bike-themed beers, a pizza restaurant started by cyclists, mountain biker murals, and a town logo featuring a chainring… very few towns have embraced mountain bikes as wholeheartedly as Fruita!

The trails at 18 Road derive their popularity from the fast, flowy, descents down the desert's elevated ridges of dirt and sand. On iconic trails such as Zippety Do Da and Joe's Ridge, the singletrack flows along the treeless desert ridges, plummeting sharply down the backside of the rolls in the ridge only to rocket back up the next ridge. Easier trails like Kessel Run and PBR roll down mellow gullies or wrap around the sides of the ridges. And for a long endurance challenge, consider the Sarlacc trail or even (gasp) the Edge Loop.

The convenient camping opportunities found right at the 18 Road trailhead have also contributed to this trail system's immense success. While there are several paid and designated campsites, in the spring and the fall, the area is so incredibly popular that most campers are relegated to dispersed camping areas in the small valleys. Sometimes referred to as "the party ditch," it's not uncommon to see hundreds of people camping at 18 Road during a peak spring weekend.

This diverse network of singletrack has become one of the most popular trail systems not just in the state, but in the country… and maybe even the world. This guidebook will serve as your go-to guide to 18 Road with a menu of options to choose from in this iconic trail system. Pick the routes that sound the best to you and pedal your heart out!