Desert destiny: Our picks for your epic fall road trip south

Are you debating putting away your summer gear, but finding it a bit too early to dig into your winter storage? For most urban nine-to-fivers, vacations are planned around summer and winter holidays. Here in Revelstoke, those are peak seasons for the tourism trade. For many Revelstoke seasonal workers and businesses, the fall shoulder seasons is their time to make a getaway until the autumn rain comes to its senses and turns to snow.

For the outdoorsy Revelstoke crowd, the classic fall getaway is a desert the road trip south to camp. October and November is a prime time to visit the incredible red sandstone and conifer landscapes of the American Southwest. Whether you have an open schedule or you are on a bit of a time crunch, a desert road trip to these top destinations could be just what you need to escape the shoulder season ‘blahs’ and reset before the snow flies.

Making it happen:

Best time to go: October and November. Sunny dry days and cool nights. Superb recreation forecasts.

Getting there: Driving will take approximately two days each way. From Revelstoke, head down towards Fernie, B.C. via Highway 93 and cross the U.S. border at Roosville. Then head south to the I-15 through Montana, Idaho and Utah.

Where to stay: All of these hot spots have relatively cheap camping for shoestring budgets and gear friendly hotels.

Hot spots: Chosen by veteran Revelstoke desert seekers

Climbing in Moab, Utah. Photo:Ryan Creary

Moab, Utah

Moab tops the list for breathtaking scenery and a change in geography. If you’re used to riding slick, rooty trails around Revelstoke, Moab will be a stark contrast. The beautiful and quirky trails often meanders along bedrock with the pathway marked in colour-coded paint and rock piles. To get a taste of this different kind of riding, start out at Slickrocks and see how gravity and friction can add a whole new dimension to your skills.

The list of trails to explore is long. Be sure to check out Porcupine Rim, Captain Ahab, Amasa Back and the Whole Enchilada. There are plenty of ledges and drops to be found so sit back (way back!) and enjoy the ride.

Rider Mel’s Mountain Bike Guide to Moab is a useful book to get you on your way. It offers a light-hearted look at the whole bike scene and has a clever trail breakdown that includes Grunt Factor, Techno Factor and Route finding difficulty.

If bouldering is your thing, Big Bend boulders is worth checking out. Located 15 minutes northeast of Moab along River Road. If you brought your climbing gear head over to Indian Creek. There are lots of cracks to be found on the Wingate sandstone.

Also, consider a visit to one of the most gorgeous parks in the Southwest — Arches National Park. After a hard day of riding, grab some dinner and drive up to the park to get a glimpse of geology at its finest. If your legs are shot, don’t worry: Arches has some of the most accessible viewpoints and trails are usually less than four kilometres round-trip. If you have some extra time, plan a side trip to Fruita or Grand Junction, Colorado.

Red Rocks, Nevada

The dazzling Mojave Desert, and Red Rock Canyon is composed of a 3,000-foot-thick escarpment of Aztec Sandstone. The area is often blessed with perfect climbing conditions for months on end. Red Rocks has it all for the avid climber. A few thousand routes of every kind, from sport climbs, to quality boulders and adventurous 20-pitch trad routes. Quick access to the unique red rock crags offers many options for gratifying days of climbing.

On the trails in the desert south. Photo: Ryan Creary

If you are taking a rest day from climbing, grab your bike and head to the Blue Diamond loop in Cottonwood Valley. There is a network of incredible high desert singletrack. For a break in recreational activities, Sin City (Las Vegas) is just minutes down the road. Las Vegas has a plethora of restaurants, neon nightlife and all the amenities.

St. George, Utah

With landscapes straight out of a Hollywood western, St. George is abundant with red rock beauty and slickrock adventure. If you have ever watched videos of the Red Bull Rampage, you will recognize the scenery near Gooseberry Mesa.

Moab, Utah. Photo: Ryan Creary

Some of the classic mountain biking trails in the St. George region are: Gooseberry Mesa, The Zen Trail, Green Valley Loop, Bear Claw Poppy Trail, Jem Trail, Barrel Roll, and Guacamole. You can find hundreds of other mountain biking trails on TrailForks.com that will capture your imagination and offer incredible scenic views of Hurricane and Zion National Park along the way.

There is quality sandstone bouldering to be found in Moe’s Valley. Zion National Park is also minutes away and offers incredible breathtaking views of huge Red Cliffs. But be warned, it is one of the busiest parks in the US.

Sedona, Arizona

Stunning hues of vibrant red and orange rocks with contrasting green vegetation make the landscapes of Sedona unforgettable. This magical recreational playground has an impressive network of more than two hundred trails that are easy to access and mapped out on trailforks.com. The Sedona trail tread is composed of a mix of packed dirt, rocks and slickrock, great for all levels of riders. The most popular singletrack in Arizona is found in Sedona. Hiline, Slim Shady and High On The Hog are some of the classics not to be missed.

A young man climbs a perfect sandstone handcrack in Indian Creek, Utah. Photo: Ryan Creary

Sedona has a large variety of great restaurants and amazing art galleries to navigate through after your day on the trails. It also has a very mystical side, if you like gemstones and psychic phenomenon.

There are endless fun activities to experience on a desert road trip to the American Southwest. And these hot spots only scratch the surface of incredible places to explore.

This article first appeared in the October/November print issue of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.