Zion National Park protects one of the most spectacular landscapes on planet Earth. Precipitous red rock walls form deep canyons filled with rushing rivers, waterfalls, and all manner of stunning rock formations. In the land beyond the canyons, towering flat-top mesas soar into the sky, many of which offer fantastic mountain biking. Trail systems to the west of Zion such as Gooseberry Mesa and Guacamole Mesa are legendary.
While the landscape to the east of Zion National Park is just as spectacular, it’s largely been ignored. While the landscapes are just as beautiful, they’re difficult to access due to a lack of trails. Zion National Park recognized this need for trails and recreation over 25 years ago, and since then, they’ve been working to increase the recreation infrastructure on the east side of the park.
The biggest win for mountain bikers in this ongoing development is the brand-new Applecross Trail System. Phase II of the Applecross trails just opened to the public, bringing the total distance available in this brand-new trail system up to an astonishing 35 miles of singletrack. And this expansive trail system still has more growing to do: the third phase of the build out “is currently planned, and with funding secured, final design is underway,” according to Zachary Almaguer, Director of Marketing & Communications for the Zion National Park Forever Project.
While no mountain biking is allowed in Zion National Park itself, the Applecross trails run along the park boundary and “provide amazing first-time views into Zion National Park,” said Almaguer. The Applecross trails have been built on donated private land, which is also home to the new Zion National Park Discovery Center.
The new trail system features a stacked loop design ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced. “Whether it’s your first time or if you are a seasoned rider like Tyler McCaul (who helped us open the trail), there are green, blue, and black features for each level of skill,” said Almaguer. In addition to purpose-built MTB flow, the trails include “numerous features [such as] ramps and decks throughout the course.”
The State of Utah and other partners have invested over $600,000 into the new Applecross trails so far. They worked with APEX and ACE (American Conservation Experience) for the build-out.
The next time you’re heading to Hurricane or St. George for a desert getaway, be sure to plan some time to drive through the national park and hit this fantastic new trail system on the east side of Zion.
