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Old 07-02-2015, 02:23 PM   #1
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Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

We are getting ready to leave on a month long trip to the Western US. Our destination is the North Rim of the Grand Canyon mid-July. We will be making stops along the way to visit with friends and to mountain bike. My travel companions are my wife and my daughter.

We can be flexible with our schedule with the exception of the dates we will be at the North Rim. We have reservations for the North Rim Campground and a backcountry pass for Point Sublime. I am really looking forward to Point Sublime. I welcome any “must see/do stop” recommendations. Also, we are definitely up for recommendations on mountain bike trails. My wife and I have biked slick rock in Moab and plan to take our daughter there for the experience of riding on the slick rock. Also, if anyone wants to chime in on “not to miss” eating establishments, those are welcomed as well.

This is our tentative schedule:

Week One: IL; KS; Boulder, CO; Fruita, CO

Week Two: Moab, UT; Page, AZ; Jacob Lake, AZ; Grand Canyon (North Rim)

Week Three: Grand Canyon (North Rim); Point Sublime; Flagstaff, AZ; Petrified Forest

Week Four: Make our way home: Santa Fe, NM; Palo Duro Canyon, TX; Arkansas

Let me know if anyone wants to meet for a coffee, beer, or mountain bike ride.

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Old 07-02-2015, 10:35 PM   #2
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

I'll ride with ya while your in Flagstaff.

While your on the N. Rim you should definitely ride Rainbow Rim. Park in the middle at Locust Point and do an out and back in either direction. AZ trail is also worthy and there are loops you can make or do it with a point to point shuttle. There's good dispersed camping near the E. Rim overlook and you can ride AZ trail from your campsite. Pt. Sublime is indeed that but if you can't get a permit Tiyo Pt is almost as good.
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Old 07-03-2015, 12:34 AM   #3
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Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

In fruita you must have pizza at the hot tomato and a burger at stone creek station in apple valley by gooseberry Mesa and yes you should ride and camp the Mesa if not to hot.
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Old 07-03-2015, 02:16 AM   #4
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Rabbit valley outside Fruita. Camping and riding
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Old 07-05-2015, 11:36 AM   #5
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

SFe thoughts: Camping in the immediate vicinity is minimal. Two commercial locations on Old Las Vegas Highway east of town, a state park on the ski basin road, a USFS campground next to it, a combo camp/picnic area further up the road at Big Tesuque, and some camping at the entrance to the ski area parking lot by the Winsor trailhead.


Mountain biking is another story. There are three trail areas around SFe: Dale Ball, a series of interconnected loops along the foothills east of town; La Tierra, a large network on the north side with a recently completed flow trail that I haven't ridden but which is getting rave reviews; and Galisteo Basin Preserve, a real estate development on Hwy 285 south of town that holds most of its land in a conservation easement with around 30 miles of trails. Additionally, the Winsor Trail is a local favorite that is either 3,000' of uphill or downhill depending on where you start. The Santa Fe Fat Tire Society holds group rides on Tuesday nights if you're so inclined.

Across the Rio Grande outside Los Alamos you can do downhill at Pajarito Ski Area or you can go north to Angel Fire for some very challenging downhill as well as some easier stuff, too. (A friend of mine set some sort of record there last year with over 1,000,000 feet of descents in one season. I guess he didn't have anything else to do all summer.)

Assuming you're coming in on I-40, you should also consider a stopover at Gallup for their MTB options. There are a couple of threads on the forum where JoeH and I trade comments on that area.

As long as I'm doing the Chamber of Commerce thing, don't forget beer at Second Street Brewery and red chile at La Choza. Unfortunately, we'll probably be put of town when you come by. Hope this helps.

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Old 07-06-2015, 10:14 PM   #6
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Check out switchgrass mountain bike trail by Lake Wilson in Kansas. It is rated a epic trail and only miles off of I-70. A fun trail. I should be around Moab about the same time as taking a 3 wk trip from here in Cincinnati with my new smb with the family so maybe hook up for some riding.
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Old 07-10-2015, 12:05 PM   #7
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Thanks for the great recommendations on mountain bike trails.

Here is a quick trip update:

We made our way west this week. We stopped at a friends house in Illinois, then made our way to mid-Kansas. Subluxation - we did stop at Wilson Lake State Park, camped and took in some of the mountain bike trails there before getting back on the road. Awesome trails!

Wilson, KS - Windmills at Sunset



Wilson Lake State Park, KS - Sunrise & taking pictures



Wilson Lake State Park, KS - Sunrise & SMB



Wilson Lake State Park, KS - Sunrise



Wilson Lake State Park, KS



Wilson Lake State Park, KS - Mountain Biking





Wilson Lake State Park, KS - Mountain Biking - Turtle on trail



After our stop at Wilson Lake State Park mid-week, we headed on to Boulder, CO to visit with friends. The SMB just fits in their driveway.



Our friends garage



Riding the trail in Boulder's Open Space Parks

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Old 07-10-2015, 01:33 PM   #8
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Looks like an awesome trip so far. So, if your going to the N. Rim via Page, hwy 89 is now open (closed by a landslide for 2 years) so you can take the road across Marble Canyon to Jacob Lake rather than going to Kanab and around. If you want a short, 2 hour round trip hike to the Colorado River consider doing Cathedral Wash at Lees Ferry. It's a fun, non-technical pseudo slot-canyon hike for a quick dip in the river which will be surprisingly cold. It's monsoon thunderstorm season so keep an eye on the sky. There's also great dispersed camping right along the canyon rim at the Badger Overlook or 10 mile rock overlook.

The riding in Flagstaff right now is stellar. With an unusually wet May and early June the forest is green, the flowers out early, and the bracken ferns are already waist high.
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Old 07-10-2015, 02:19 PM   #9
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Great pics! Keep em coming. That's the best I've ever seen Kansas look.
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Old 07-10-2015, 08:34 PM   #10
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Re: Grand Canyon Trip: North Rim, Point Sublime

Got to love that turtle shot.
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