# Fruita and Vail area E-biking?



## rideit (Jan 22, 2004)

Hi, I have some friends coming from Perú in late May, and renting ebikes. They will be in Moab, and then Vail, does anyone have legal suggestions for Fruita/GJ and the Vail area? (We know Vail trails will be conditional on weather/snow/etc). I am just trying to give them beta. 
thanks!


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## D. Inoobinati (Aug 28, 2020)

Can't the rental place tell you where their ebikes can be ridden?


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## rideit (Jan 22, 2004)

Well, they are renting in Boulder, but I am helping them plan a trip. A lot of rental places are, shall we say, ‘loose’ with recommending where to ride. I am meeting them in Moab. Might suggest some Jeffco rides for a day. I would love to get some local beta on here.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

FS roads and bike paths. 

It’s all non-motorized trails on USFS land in that area. 

However, if you head down I-70 a bit to Eagle and Gypsum there are a good number if moto and e-bike legal trails. 

In the opposite direction, there are e-bike legal trails on the east side of Dillon Reservoir. Just north of Keystone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tickle (Dec 11, 2013)

FYI late May is gonna be hot in Moab and probably messy at higher elevations like Vail area, great time of year to ride on the front range tho.


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## slimat99 (May 21, 2008)

Of course they are loose with where they tell paying customers where they can ride. If they told everyone just how few legal options exist compared to renting a mountain bike they wouldn't make much money. Since you aren't local, jeffco is a shi! show of multi use crowds. I would not ride an ebike in any of those parks unless they are permitted. I haven't rode jeffco since ebikes hit the scene so I'm not up to speed on current regulations. For context when I was there apex was so crowded they went to alternating day use. Trail use has gone up dramatically since those days. Those parks might be amongst the busiest in the country? If you were renting mountain bikers there's some fun riding in jeffco on weekdays when crowds aren't too bad. With ebikes I would just head for the western slope with focus on the areas Le Duke mentioned. 

Renting in boulder you could also go up to left hand canyon. Lot's of moto trails that are pretty fun. I always preferred LHC over the more popular non motorized parks around boulder anyway. LHC is mid elevations which should be dry and cool. As mentioned, May can be a tricky month in CO. Hot at 5k and below, muddy and snowy above 9k.


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## WestSlopeAdam (Mar 22, 2021)

Grand Junction - there is Second Thoughts and Butterknife from the Third Flats parking lot. 

Fruita - Sarlac and the new moto trails up top that connect to it. That would be a great ride in May because its on top of the Bookcliffs that are the backdrop to the 18 road area.

CO/UT border - Rabbit Valley has quite a bit of moto singletrack that is popular with bikers as well. Western Rim and Zion Curtain, and Westwater Mesa has an arch that you can ride across.

Thanks for seeking out legal trails (of which there are quite a lot around here) and not just taking the e-bikes wherever you want.


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## Porkchop_Power (Jul 30, 2008)

slimat99 said:


> Of course they are loose with where they tell paying customers where they can ride. If they told everyone just how few legal options exist compared to renting a mountain bike they wouldn't make much money. Since you aren't local, jeffco is a shi! show of multi use crowds. I would not ride an ebike in any of those parks unless they are permitted. I haven't rode jeffco since ebikes hit the scene so I'm not up to speed on current regulations. For context when I was there apex was so crowded they went to alternating day use. Trail use has gone up dramatically since those days. Those parks might be amongst the busiest in the country? If you were renting mountain bikers there's some fun riding in jeffco on weekdays when crowds aren't too bad. With ebikes I would just head for the western slope with focus on the areas Le Duke mentioned.
> 
> Renting in boulder you could also go up to left hand canyon. Lot's of moto trails that are pretty fun. I always preferred LHC over the more popular non motorized parks around boulder anyway. LHC is mid elevations which should be dry and cool. As mentioned, May can be a tricky month in CO. Hot at 5k and below, muddy and snowy above 9k.


FYI - Technically eBikes are prohibited on any trails at LHOHV since it is forest service land. They are technically allowed on the forest service roads there but all of the downhills are basically trails. Also the trails ARE NOT yet legally open to moto's (I am fully aware of the long history of moto's there prior to the flood).

This has not been enforced but word is that with the dangerous parking situation last year there is going to be a lot of increased enforcement at LHOHV this year. There is also a grant in progress to basically legalize (read - close down the real steep eroded stuff) the trails there.


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## B. Rock (Mar 9, 2011)

Maybe my memory is fuzzy but isn't pretty much every mtb trail in Moab non-motorized? The first ever no e-bike sign I saw was there. There's plenty of motorized double track though.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

Rent Orbea Rises and no one will be able to tell that they're eMTBs. ;-)


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## slimat99 (May 21, 2008)

Porkchop_Power said:


> FYI - Technically eBikes are prohibited on any trails at LHOHV since it is forest service land. They are technically allowed on the forest service roads there but all of the downhills are basically trails. Also the trails ARE NOT yet legally open to moto's (I am fully aware of the long history of moto's there prior to the flood).
> 
> This has not been enforced but word is that with the dangerous parking situation last year there is going to be a lot of increased enforcement at LHOHV this year. There is also a grant in progress to basically legalize (read - close down the real steep eroded stuff) the trails there.


I had no idea, thanks for the correction. I shouldn't have recommended that area. Last time I rode there was around 2010 and I saw a number of moto's on the trails. The guy that showed me around took me down some moto trials trails. I just assumed it was a motor friendly place.


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## 3blackbikes (May 4, 2011)

As far as Moab I think the only place e-bikes can go is on the Jeep 4x4 trails and moto trails (so motorized). That eliminates the good stuff but you can still ride the Sovereign area between Klonzo and Klondike, the old Jeep track at Amasa back (not the singletrack Hymasa), and all the dirt roads like Kane Creek to Hurrah Pass and Chicken Corners, Long Canyon, Monitor and Merrimac, etc. Maybe Poison Spider and Gold Bar because motos are allowed on that? 

Hope your friends like SAND.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Legal for E-bikes in Moab -
Slick Rock,
Poison Spider Mesa, 
Poison Spider Loop, 
White Rim Trail, 
Dead Horse State Park, 
Sovereign, 
Hells Revenge,
and Fins & Things


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## rideit (Jan 22, 2004)

Thanks, guys. They are not adverse to sand, there is lots of sand on the trails near Lima. One factor that I didn’t know is that the group is mixed skill levels, so ‘blue’ trails are probably best. (They are 60-75)
I thought Apex/Chimpex/Dakota Ridge might be over their heads.
Keep the suggestions coming!


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