Five Tips for Riding Southern Utah's Best Kept Secret

Southern Utah is well known in mountain biking circles, largely due to the fame of Moab and the surrounding slickrock-studded canyon country in the southeastern corner of the state. But just bunny hop over to the south_western_ corner of the state and you'll find an amazing stash of lesser-known rides tucked away in the realm between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. This little known area features numerous world class singletrack rides long enough for full-day rides and suitable for intermediate and advanced riders. As an added bonus, much of the area is at semi-high elevation, making the prime season here June, July and August -- months when it's too hot to comfortably do a camping-based mountain bike expedition on the lower elevation trails in Moab, Gooseberry Mesa or the JEM Trails. Here's some beta, if you're thinking about checking it out: Consider a Guide It's well worth considering hiring a guide for any mountain bike tour between Bryce and Zion. A guide can steer you to the trails best suited to your level, provide shuttles, camping, gear, etc. Plus, the best guides are worth their weight in gold when it comes to backcountry gourmet cooking, tuning your bike each night before the next day's ride, and giving you riding tips during the day to improve your technique. Several outfitters offer a "Bryce to Zion" multi-day, camping-based tour, but their itineraries differ somewhat. The tour offered by Western Spirit, for example, emphasizes traversing between the two national parks, much of it on dirt roads, with hikes inside the parks (you can't ride singletrack inside the national parks, as they don't allow them.) By contrast, Rim Tours' Bryce to Zion itinerary is 100% singletrack, with the first three days operating out of a base camp at 9000-foot Navajo Lake, just north of Zion, and the final day riding Thunder Mountain Trail immediately west of Bryce. Thunder Mountain !Mountain Bike Bryce Zion Panorama This 8-mile rollercoaster is wicked fun if you like miles of super flowy, mostly smooth hard pack with the surreal pink and orange scenic marvels of Bryce Canyon starring you in the face at every turn. Though mostly downhill from the Thunder trailhead to the parking lot at Highway 12, there are some uphill sections that will get your heart rate up, mainly in the first third of the ride. And, though most of the trail is relatively smooth, there are a few sections of serious boulder gardens short enough to easily walk if needed, plus a mile of steep and chundery swtichbacks as you drop into the creek near the bottom. Stay off the brakes on the final mile after the creek, if you dare. Fastest ride through a forest, ever! SO fun. You can extend your ride by parking at the bottom and riding the beautiful paved bike trail that parallels the highway, then taking the forest dirt road to the trailhead if you want to make a full day of it. And, right across the highway, the Cassidy Trail awaits, very similar to Thunder Mountain but even more aerobic and technical. It can be linked with Casto Canyon and Losee Canyon trails to create loops up to 20 miles long. Navajo Lake !Navajo Lake Mountain Bike Bryce ZionThis high altitude (9000 ft.) natural lake is 2 miles long and boasts several excellent USFS campgrounds making it a great base camp for exploring the region's mtb trails. It also has a fun, flowy singletrack loop that circles the lake for 9 miles, crossing through a dry lava bed. Perfect for a warmup ride prior to tackling the several day-long rides available on sections of the Virgin River Rim Trail directly accessible from the lake and campgrounds. Virgin River Rim Trail Described as "One of the best high alpine singletracks in southern Utah with great views and amazing trail," a rider could easily spend several days exploring it fully. MtbProject.com breaks it into 3 distinct sections, though if you are riding it from base camp at Navajo Lake, you would probably end up doing it as two rides, with one as an out-and-back (Te-Ah to Woods Ranch) and the other done one-way with a shuttle (Te-Ah to Strawberry Point.) The ride to Woods Ranch is very "woodsy" with few of the spectacular views down into Zion NP that you get on the other sections. But the ride to Cascade Falls and beyond, to Strawberry Point, has numerous cliffside stops with views down into the norther sections of the park that will live in your mind forever. Both have some serious switchbackie sections and involve sustained climbs, so bring your extra lung, as some sections rise to almost 10,000 feet. Bryce and Zion Parks Even though riding within the boundaries of the parks is restricted to existing roads, since you're in the area, you owe it to yourself to visit one or both. In Bryce, the most popular short hike is the Peekaboo-Queens Garden Loop, and for good reason. In 5.5 miles, it gives you a sample of every different type of viewscape available in the park. In Zion, there are so many options to choose from, it's ridiculous - hard to single out any one thing. Probably Angles Landing, if you're into major exposure, serious altitude gain, and crowds. Just be forewarned – due to its massive appeal and proximity to Las Vegas (2.5 hrs drive,) everything in Zion is accessible only via park shuttle bus departing from the Visitor Center (though biking is allowed on the paved road during the months that the shuttles run.) END ORIGINAL CONTENT -->

Mountain Bike Between Bryce and Zion National Parks

The area between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks is southern Utah’s best-kept mountain biking secret, offering world-class singletrack riding at 8,000 to 10,000 feet elevation — perfect for summer when lower desert trails are scorching hot. Trails like Thunder Mountain, the Virgin River Rim Trail, and the Navajo Lake loop deliver full-day rides through alpine forests with jaw-dropping views into Zion’s northern canyons and Bryce’s surreal pink hoodoos. Intermediate to advanced riders can easily fill four or five days without repeating a single trail.

Why Ride Between Bryce and Zion

Most mountain bikers associate Utah with Moab’s slickrock desert, but the southwestern corner of the state — the Markagunt Plateau between Bryce Canyon and Zion — is a completely different riding experience. At elevations between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, summer temperatures stay comfortable while Moab bakes at 100+ degrees. The prime season here is June through August, making it the ideal complement to spring and fall desert riding.

The terrain is predominantly singletrack through alpine meadows, aspen groves, and conifer forests, with dramatic cliff-edge viewpoints overlooking Zion National Park’s northern canyon walls. Unlike Moab’s exposed slickrock, these trails offer shade, cooler temps, and a completely different aesthetic — lush, green, and surprisingly remote for trails this good.

Thunder Mountain Trail

Thunder Mountain is an 8-mile rollercoaster that ranks among the most fun singletrack descents in all of Utah. Starting from the Thunder trailhead near Highway 12, the trail rolls through super-flowy hardpack with Bryce Canyon’s signature pink and orange hoodoos visible at virtually every turn.

Key details:

Distance: 8 miles point-to-point (mostly downhill)
Elevation: Starts around 8,400 feet, finishes near 7,400 feet
Difficulty: Intermediate, with a few boulder garden sections and steep switchbacks near the bottom
Surface: Mostly smooth hardpack with some rocky technical sections

The first third includes some aerobic climbing sections, but the reward is miles of flowy trail. Near the bottom, a mile of steep switchbacks drops you into a creek, followed by what might be the fastest ride through a forest you’ll ever experience. You can extend the day by riding the paved bike path along Highway 12 back to the trailhead, or cross the highway to ride the Cassidy Trail, which links with Casto Canyon and Losee Canyon for loops up to 20 miles.

Navajo Lake Base Camp

Navajo Lake sits at 9,000 feet and serves as the perfect base camp for multi-day riding in the region. The lake is 2 miles long with several excellent USFS campgrounds right on the water. A 9-mile singletrack loop circles the lake, crossing through a dry lava bed — ideal for a warm-up ride before tackling longer days on the Virgin River Rim Trail.

The campgrounds provide direct access to the Virgin River Rim Trail sections heading both east and west, so you can stage full-day rides without driving anywhere. For a guided camping-based tour, Rim Tours uses Navajo Lake as a three-night base camp, with the final day spent riding Thunder Mountain near Bryce.

Virgin River Rim Trail

The Virgin River Rim Trail is one of the best high-alpine singletracks in the entire state — a trail system you could easily spend three or four days exploring fully. It breaks into distinct sections with very different character:

Te-Ah to Woods Ranch (East Section):

More “woodsy” riding through dense forest
Fewer panoramic views but excellent singletrack
Best done as an out-and-back from Navajo Lake

Te-Ah to Strawberry Point (West Section):

Numerous cliff-edge stops with unforgettable views down into Zion’s northern canyons
Cascade Falls is a must-stop along the way
Best done one-way with a shuttle back to camp
Sections rise to nearly 10,000 feet — sustained climbing at altitude

Both directions involve serious switchback sections and sustained climbing, so bring your fitness. The thin air above 9,000 feet adds a real challenge, but the views from Strawberry Point — looking straight down into Zion National Park — are among the most spectacular you’ll find from any mountain bike trail in the country.

Consider Hiring a Guide

The logistics of riding between Bryce and Zion — shuttles, route-finding, camping, water, bike maintenance — make this an area where a guide service adds tremendous value. Several outfitters offer “Bryce to Zion” multi-day tours, but their itineraries differ significantly.

Rim Tours’ Bryce to Zion tour is 100% singletrack, with three days based out of Navajo Lake and a final day on Thunder Mountain. Guides handle all camping logistics, prepare backcountry gourmet meals, tune bikes each evening, and provide riding tips throughout the day. By contrast, some other outfitters emphasize traversing between the parks on dirt roads with hikes inside the parks (since singletrack riding isn’t allowed within either national park).

Don’t Skip the Parks

Since you’re in the area, both Bryce Canyon and Zion deserve a visit — even if you can’t ride singletrack inside them.

Bryce Canyon: The Peekaboo-Queens Garden Loop is the most popular short hike at 5.5 miles, sampling every type of viewscape the park offers. It’s a perfect rest-day activity.

Zion: Options are nearly endless. Angels Landing is the iconic choice for those comfortable with serious exposure and altitude gain. Note that due to Zion’s proximity to Las Vegas (2.5 hours), everything inside the park is shuttle-access only during peak season, though biking is permitted on the paved road.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time of year to mountain bike between Bryce and Zion?

June through August is the prime season. At 8,000 to 10,000 feet elevation, summer temperatures are comfortable — typically 60s to low 80s during the day. These same trails can be snow-covered well into May and again by late October, so the window is relatively short.

How difficult are the trails between Bryce and Zion?

Most trails are rated intermediate to advanced. Thunder Mountain is manageable for solid intermediate riders, while the Virgin River Rim Trail demands good fitness for sustained climbing at altitude. The technical difficulty is moderate by Moab standards — the challenge here is more about distance, elevation, and sustained effort.

Can you ride mountain bikes inside Bryce Canyon or Zion National Parks?

No. The National Park Service only permits bikes on existing paved and unpaved roads — no singletrack riding is allowed within either park. However, the trails between the parks, managed by the USFS and BLM, offer exceptional riding just outside park boundaries.

How do I get to the trailheads between Bryce and Zion?

Navajo Lake and the surrounding trailheads are accessed via Highway 14 east of Cedar City or Highway 143 south of Panguitch. The nearest airport is St. George (SGU), about 90 minutes away. Cedar City is closer at about 45 minutes. Rim Tours provides ground transportation from St. George for guided tours.

Is this area suitable for families or beginner riders?

The trails between Bryce and Zion are best suited for intermediate to advanced riders with solid fitness. However, the Navajo Lake loop is approachable for fit beginners, and Thunder Mountain is manageable for confident intermediate riders comfortable with some technical sections. For family-friendly Moab riding, consider a Courthouse Loop tour instead.