Description

The McCoy Flats Trail System located outside of Vernal, Utah is the most expansive trail network in the region.

With over 35 miles of interconnected singletrack, you can create routes of varying lengths and technical difficulties.

The terrain in this region is classic desert badlands, filled with flat-top mesas, soaring ridgelines, and lowlands in between.

There isn’t any tree cover to speak of in the area, so expect to ride in direct sunlight the entire time.

During the spring, the hillsides are covered in green grasses and flowers, but in mid-summer, the earth will be scorched dry. Consequently, the best time of year to ride here is during either the spring or the fall.

With the McCoy Flats trailhead located at 5,300 feet above sea level, the area is a bit too high for reliable winter riding.

However, when you hit the temperature window just right, the weather is absolutely perfect! Got Milk?, And Cookies, and Retail Sale form one of the most logical and enjoyable loops in this trail system.

If you only have time for one run in this trail system, this loop is a worthy candidate.

It’s easy to tell that most other trail users think so, too, because these trails are the most worn out of any in the network.

That’s not a negative fact, however, as the more difficult trails appear in need of additional trail traffic to keep them open! This pleasant run is one of the flatter offerings in the area, despite still gaining 860 feet of elevation.

Despite mellow ups and downs, this route will take you along the base of the area’s flat top mesas.

You can easily choose to add some vertical gain to your run by adding in trails like More Hoes, but realize these additions could take you a long ways from the trailhead.

Ensure that you’re prepared with plenty of water for this desert environment.