THE RIDE:

Ute Valley is a playground for grown-ups with bikes. Boulders and slabs of rock keep each ride fun. And every trail is full of features that’ll make your day great.

ROUTES:

The most common ride within the Ute Valley is a loop that skirts around the park’s edges. Start by following the Spine south towards Pine Cliff. This makes you do the loop counterclockwise and means you’ll save the fun stuff for the way down.

The first part is rocky. And it’s a mild climb. So if you get sloppy, you might take one of those embarrassing falls. You know, the kind that looks like you got tired and laid down.

After about a mile, you’ll come up on the South West entrance to the park. Do a near u-turn onto the little trail on your left. It marks the start of the downhill and parallels the Pine Cliff neighborhood.

Eventually, the downhill runs out, and you have to do some work. But aside from a few little shots, the climb is calm.

Four miles and thirty minutes later, you’ll be back at your car. And if you don’t have anywhere to go, take another lap and push off growing up for another half hour.

GOOD TO KNOW:

-The parking lot is small but the park is big. So don’t get discouraged if the lot is full. Just go across the road and find a welcoming street with an open curb.

-Some turns are sandy. They can catch you by surprise and send you over the handlebars.

-If Rattle Snakes go to heaven, it’ll look like Ute Valley Park.