Road Runners, Cacti Flowers, and Mountain Views!
Early April is the perfect time to escape southwest, just as Minnesota enters its unpredictable season of mud, rain, and occasional snow. This year, we designed our road trip around two main goals: visiting close family and friends, and hitting some epic mountain biking trails. Our circle tour route took us through the stunning landscapes of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico.
STOP #1: Fort Collins, Colorado
Our first stop was Fort Collins, Colorado, home to my sister Linda and her family. We kicked off the trip with a fantastic hike up Horsetooth Mountain, which sits high above the Horsetooth Reservoir on the city’s west side. Reaching the 7,200-foot summit rewarded us with breathtaking, panoramic views of Longs Peak—the perfect spot to pause for lunch.
For riders, the area offers beautifully flowy, single-track mountain bike trails spanning both the east and west sides of the reservoir. Beyond the single-track, Fort Collins is also widely celebrated for its fantastic gravel riding. We camped in front of my sister’s driveway, but I suggest camping along the Horsetooth Reservoir to be close to the hiking and biking trails.
Returning to Fort Collins always brings back fond memories for me; I lived there for a summer during my college years and fell in love with the extensive network of paved bike paths weaving through this hip college town. Today, the CSU connection continues—my niece Teva is a current student and treated us to a fabulous tour of the campus.
Old Town Fort Collins has an incredible, lively vibe. Packed with over twenty local breweries, excellent restaurants, and vibrant live music, it’s a fantastic place to explore. If you ever find yourself visiting during the spring or summer, I highly recommend checking out the local Art and Foodie Walk -it’s easily one of my favorite ways to experience the local culture.
Fort Collins is best to visit in early spring or late fall to avoid the summer heat in the high desert! For those water lovers, visit the Poudre River White Water Park for tubing, kayaking, or surfing fun! The last day we hiked near the Poudre River Canyon and ended with a very cold polar plunge! A highlight from this trip was watching three baby Great Horned Owls in my sister’s neighborhood!
STOP #2: Boulder, Colorado
After saying our goodbyes to family, we drove to Boulder, Colorado. Craig and I enjoyed a flowy mountain bike loop at the Betasso Preserve. We parked on the edge of town along the paved Boulder Canyon Trail, then took the steep, black-rated Betasso Link trail to reach the more popular blue Canyon and Benjamin Loop Trails. I would not recommend starting at this location, as it was very steep and some sections were hike-a-bike!
At the end of our ride, I came down a technical descent a bit too fast and slid out on the gravel, landing on my forearm. Six stitches later, we were on our way to Glenwood Springs. The Boulder Urgent Care nurse told me they expect to see many injuries this year due to the dry conditions, which have made the dirt/sand much looser. Overall, I would rate the Betasso trail as 7 out of 10 for fun factor (minus the Betasso Link Trail), with intermediate switchback climbs and flowy descents.
STOP #3: Glenwood Springs/Carbondale
Our first stop was in Glenwood Springs to see Craig’s Uncle Wayne. Throughout high school and college, Craig spent several summers working for his uncle Wayne’s construction company in the Glenwood Springs/Carbondale area. Wayne is a pilot and took us on an amazing helicopter day trip to a very private mesa area just north of the Grand Mesa. Wayne enjoys taking his friends here to camp overnight, along with hiking and viewing all the unique rock formations. It was a perfect day to rest my sore elbow and enjoy fantastic views of Mt. Sopris from the air.
The following day, we met up with a few Midwest friends (Piotr and Laura Bednarski) who happened to be in Aspen for a wedding. We rode our mountain bikes up to the base of the Maroon Bells. About thirty years ago, Craig and I Nordic skied up the Maroon Bells road during early December. The Maroon Bells are famous for being the most photographed peaks in North America. Their legendary status comes from their dramatic pyramid shapes, vivid red color, and perfect mirror-like reflection in Maroon Lake. This area is very popular during the summer months and requires permits to backpack and hike.
The ride up the road is a great workout with views of the 14,000-foot peak and gorgeous streams. Halfway up the mountain, the weather started changing with wind and light rain. As we approached the last mile to the base of the mountain, the rain turned to snow/sleet with increasing high winds. Unfortunately, there was no majestic view of the mountain, but it sure was a fast and furious ride down to the bottom!
After our visits with friends and family, we headed to the Prince Creek Trails in Carbondale, Colorado. These trails had incredible switchback climbs with views of Mt. Sopris and spring flowers around every corner. In the first lower section of the trail system, there is a parked car with a wooden bridge that Craig challenged himself to ride over! I enjoyed the challenging climbs and screaming descents along the creek.
Overall, I would rate the Prince Creek Trails as an 8 out of 10 for fun factor and moderately difficult due to the climbing switchbacks and rocky terrain. Following our ride, we stopped at the free hot springs near Glenwood Springs called South Creek Hot Springs. The springs are just a short walk from the road in a beautiful canyon. Fair warning to those bringing young children that locals often swim in their birthday suits!
Fruita, Colorado
The next day, we headed to Fruita, Colorado, for more mountain biking on the Kokopelli Trails. The Kokopelli Trail System is a world-renowned multi-use route stretching 142 miles from Loma, Colorado, to Moab, Utah. It is primarily split into two distinct experiences: the remote, multi-day bikepacking trail and the shorter, easily accessible “Kokopelli Loops” day-ride network located just outside Fruita, Colorado.
If you enjoy climbing and some rock challenges, then Fruita is a great place to ride! What Craig and I have come to realize is that most trails out west that are rated green are typically a blue Midwest skill level. The blue-rated trails are what we call the Midwest black skill level. It for sure takes a few days to get used to all the rocks, but once you are in the flow, the trails offer stunning views of the Colorado River.
We camped at the Highline Lake State Park in Loma, CO. The park offers green-rated mountain bike and hiking trails with views of Highline Lake. It rained the next day, so I enjoyed a SUP on the reservoir. The soil in Fruita is mostly clay, so when it rains (which is not very often), you need to let the trails dry for at least 24 hrs. We discovered there is a bike race here called the 18 Hours of Fruita, so if you like to ride continuously for long periods, this is your race!
On our way out of town, we headed to the Colorado National Monument Park. On one of the lookout views of the massive canyon, I spotted a family of Big Horn Sheep with two babies! We were the only people at this spot, so it was very quiet and such a treat to watch them graze!
Moab, Utah
From Fruita, we headed towards Moab and stopped at the Fisher Towers for some hiking. The red rock against the blue sky with splashes of blooming desert cacti was breathtaking. The Fisher Towers are a spectacular, otherworldly landscape of soaring red rock spires, fins, and pinnacles located just outside of Moab, Utah. Famous for the 900-foot Titan—the tallest freestanding sandstone tower in the US—the area is a premier destination for hiking and rock climbing.
Following our hike, we were lucky to snag one of the popular campsites along the Colorado River just before dusk! Camping spots along the river in Moab are a hot commodity, so make sure to get up early and grab your site before the rush (there are no reservations allowed at most of these campgrounds, but they are truly the most scenic and quiet in Moab). The next day, we got up early and got the last site on the river at King’s Bottom Campground, just a few minutes from the hub of Moab. For more information on these river campsites, visit: Moab River Camping
The next two days, we camped in Moab along the river and mountain biked at Navajo Rocks and Deadhorse Point State Park. The Navajo Rocks Loop is a premier, 17-mile mountain biking and hiking trail system located about 10 miles north of Moab, Utah.
Known for its stunning red rock views, rolling slickrock, and fun singletrack, it’s considered an ideal intermediate ride or a perfect “warm-up” for more challenging Moab trails. I would rate this trail as a 10 out of 10 for fun factor. There is a black connector trail between the two blue loops that most riders carry their bikes up and down, given the steep, technical, rocky terrain.
The following day, we rode the Dead Horse Point State Park Trail system located down the road from Navajo Rocks. We took in amazing canyon views as we rode along the blue/green-rated trail. For sure, this is one of the most scenic beginner trails you will find in the Moab area.
After finishing the ride, we decided that beefier suspension would help us not feel so beat up on Moab’s rocky terrain. Overall, Moab is geared toward intermediate to advanced riders, but beginner riders can also find some nice, smooth flow trails at Bar-M Loop, Klonzo, and Dead Horse Point State Park.
Cortez, Colorado
Since we had mountain biked most of Moab’s trail systems on past trips, we were eager to head towards Cortez for some smooth flow riding! On our way to Cortez, we stopped at Aztec Ruins National Monument. The Aztec Ruins have some of the best-preserved Chacoan structures of their kind. There isn’t much to see in the town of Aztec itself, but the ruins are worth a visit. We had planned to stop and hike around Mesa Verde National Park, but the tours were not quite open yet, so we hope to make a visit here on our next trip.
Mesa Verde has more than 4,000 known archeological sites dating back to A.D. 550. Visitors can see cliff dwellings and mesa-top sites with pit houses, pueblos, masonry towers, and farming structures of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples who lived here for more than 700 years!
The temperature was around 40 degrees when we started our ride in Cortez, but the hot desert sun and rolling terrain warmed us up quickly. On our last mountain bike trip, we discovered the Phil’s World Trail system, which sits atop a southwest desert mesa, approximately 4 miles from Cortez, Colorado. The trail system has become one of our favorite destinations and offers flowy, fast singletrack interspersed with challenging slickrock sections. Trail difficulty ranges from beginner to intermediate. I rate this trail 10 out of 10 for fun factor for beginner to advanced riders. Most of the trail is smooth, wide, flowy single-track with rolling terrain and views of the Durango mountain range. It produces lots of hoots and hollers as you enjoy the roller coaster ride and views of the San Juan Mountain range.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Next stop on our circle tour of the high desert was a visit to my childhood friend Kelly in Albuquerque, NM. I am fortunate to have a life-long friend since diapers! Kelly grew up next door to my house in Roseville, MN. Lots of childhood memories playing kick-the-can and countless trick-or-treating outings together.
Kelly and I both skied and ran cross-country together at Bemidji State University in the early 1990’s. Both of us ended up marrying fellow BSU ski teammates (Ross and Craig). We also ran our first marathon event together in Duluth’s 1991 Grandma’s marathon (back in those days, you had to mail in your entry form, so we sent them off together)!
Kelly and Ross recently moved to Albuquerque, so we decided to add New Mexico to our road trip itinerary. Ross and Kelly enjoy hiking and trail running, so we did that together while visiting them in Albuquerque. When we were out on various hikes, we ran into lots of local mountain bikers!
After riding so much the last few days, it was great to change it up with some hiking. Albuquerque is a hidden gem for mountain biking and hiking, offering high-desert singletrack, technical mountain descents, and river paths. With hundreds of miles of trails spanning from the Sandia Foothills to the East Mountains, it delivers incredible year-round riding. Albuquerque, New Mexico’s largest city, sits in the high desert.
Early in the morning, when we would go for walks from Kelly’s house, you could see several air balloons, with some landing right down the street! In October each year, Albuquerque hosts the World’s Largest Balloon Festival. The 2026 theme is “The Scenic Route,” celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66, and will feature more than 500 hot air balloons. The highlights of our visit were hiking with our friends, watching air balloons, and seeing my first roadrunner!
Santa Fe, New Mexico
After experiencing intense sun and no trees for shade, we were excited to head north to cooler, higher altitudes. We drove to Santa Fe and took a walking tour of the town, home to more than 250 art galleries! My favorite was walking along Canyon Road, where tourists can find both unique and expensive statues, paintings, and jewelry. Many of the galleries have the local artist painting inside or outside the stores. I found a really nice moose statue, but unfortunately it was $100,00!
Tired from shopping, we craved the quiet mountains of Santa Fe. We drove up to the base of the Santa Fe Downhill Ski Resort, where we could camp for free. I enjoyed a solo trail run up the Winsor Trail starting at 10,000 feet, stopping every 100 feet to catch my breath!
The following day, we drove our camper down to Santa Fe at 7,200 feet and then climbed up the road to over 10,000 feet. It was a great workout with beautiful scenery. After a 4,000-foot climb, we jumped onto the famous downhill single-track trail called Winsor Trail.
The Winsor Trail (Trail #254) is Santa Fe’s premier, multi-use, point-to-point route. The trail spans 22 miles, but most hike the upper section and mountain bike the last 10 miles. The long climb was worth every penny to cruise down the trail, which drops you 3,000 vertical feet into diverse alpine forests and rolls over picturesque creek bridges. Some parts of the trail were rocky and technical, while others were smooth and flowy. Having a dropper seatpost was a must, and lots of stops to rest the hands from braking. I would only recommend this trail to advanced riders who like to send it and can navigate over rocks and drops!
Taos, New Mexico
The final stop on our tour of New Mexico was Taos. We camped along the Rio Grande River in Carson, NM. The following day, we mountain biked a loop on the Rift Valley trail. The trail was on top of a Canyon with majestic views of the Rio Grande Gorge. Since most of the riding is on top of the canyon, it was quite windy, so we had to be careful not to get too close to the edge! Following our ride, we enjoyed a dip in the refreshing Rio Grande River!
After two days of epic riding, our legs were getting tired, so we decided to skip riding the South Boundary point-to-point backcountry trail that weaves through dense aspen groves, alpine meadows, and pine forests. This trail is an official IMBA Epic and widely considered the #1 trail in NM. Next time for sure!
What I enjoyed most about both Santa Fe and Taos was the unique adobe architecture. It was like being in a Flintstone cartoon with Fred and Wilma! The town itself is a showcase of traditional Pueblo-style architecture, centered around the historic Taos Plaza, which has served as a hub for trade and community for centuries.
We missed the time frame to drive through Taos Pueblo, just on the outskirts of town. Taos Pueblo is the town’s most famous landmark. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark consisting of multi-storied adobe dwellings that have been continuously inhabited by the Taos Pueblo people for over 1,000 years.
Wilson, Kansas
On our drive back to Minnesota, we stopped at Wilson State Park in Sylvan Grove, Kansas. We camped right by the water along the beautiful Wilson Reservoir. The Switchgrass MTB Trail offers 24 miles of flowy trails, with a few technical black-diamond options along the route. Your legs will be tired after climbing the rolling terrain overlooking Wilson Lake. The trail system also offers a 6-mile beginner loop for the novice rider. This trail is a great halfway stop from the Midwest if you are heading out West. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy mountain biking in Kansas, but it was surprisingly wonderful, with scenic views of the lake and flowy, fun single-track!
Pella, Iowa – Tulip Fest
Our final stop on the three-week trip was in Pella, Iowa! Flowers and bakeries are two of my favorite highlights on most summer road trips, so when I heard that the tulips were in full bloom in Pella, we had to make one last stop to end our fantastic circle tour. Since we had a very warm spring, the tulips were in peak bloom. The actual Tulip Fest was scheduled for two weeks later, but we hit peak on April 24.
We hit two Dutch bakeries for pastries and walked around town to see over 300,000 tulips blooming! I am not a crowd person, so going to Pella when the festival is not going on is a much more enjoyable experience. We sampled the popular Letterbanket, a flaky Dutch pastry. The pastry is shaped into letters, filled with almond paste, and dusted with sugar.
The letter is usually the first letter of the family’s last name, but sometimes each person gets a small Letterbanket with the first letter of their name. These sweet treats are traditionally served on December 5, known as Sinterklaasavond. Pella was settled in 1847 by Dutch immigrants who sought to escape religious persecution in the Netherlands. They brought many customs with them that are still around today!
Well, that is a wrap on our high-desert spring vacation. My favorite rides along the journey were Prince Creek in Carbondale, Phil’s World in Cortez, and the Kokopelli Trail in Fruita. We will for sure be back for more riding! Hope this post is helpful for your future mountain bike trip planning!
Kim Rudd – Endurance Adventure’s Owner
