Fruita, CO: Chutes and Ladders

Fruita, CO: Chutes and Ladders

Scream down chutes, spin up ladders, and squeal like a little kid on this 5.7-mile loop of sick singletrack rollers near Fruita.

Author:	Bicycling Magazine
Date:	14 Apr 2008 2:23:40 PM
Activity:	Mountain Biking ActivitySearchMountainBiking
State:	Colorado (CO)
Distance:	5.69 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 908 ft Total Loss: 908 ft Net Change: 1 ft
Difficulty:	7 / 10
Tags:	Fruita, Colorado, Grand Junction
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

From the lower parking lot on 18 Road, ride east down the hill and hang a left to head north on Prime Cut, which climbs gradually up mostly hard-packed dirt to Chutes. At mile 2, Chutes and Ladders veers right (clockwise) to the first “ladder.”

First timers might not believe where the trail goes – straight up a ridge of dirt – but Chutes veterans know it’s just the beginning of the fun. After winding around hairpin turns and up and over sick hills for about a mile, the trail turns south and leaves the juniper scrub to fly down wide-open fast singletrack and then even faster doubletrack (watch out for the free-roaming cows) back to the trailhead. Difficulty: Hard. It’s tough to keep your wheels grounded on the climbs, and some of the descents require the belly-button-on-saddle technique (learn it well for Bookcliffs rides).

TO TRAILHEAD: From the downtown Fruita traffic circle, head east on Aspen Ave. for .2 mile and turn left on Maple St. Go 3.2 miles (as Maple turns to 17 1/2 Rd.) and turn right on N 3/10 Rd. In .5 mile, turn left on 18 Rd. Go 7.1 miles (the road will turn to gravel) to lower trailhead parking on the left.

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Dist: 5.69 mi	Points: 657	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Points of Interest

Ride clockwise; turn left on Prime Cut

Location: 39.311067°, -108.703623°
Head down the singletrack on the east side of 18 Road and make a left at the pond for Prime Cut.

Bear right at Y-junction

Location: 39.314487°, -108.704095°
Stay on Prime Cut

Prime Cut

Location: 39.330912°, -108.698387°
A technical run up a rock on Prime Cut: The trail is mostly hard-packed dirt with occasional technical tricks.

Climbing

Location: 39.331775°, -108.696971°
Climbing toward Chutes and Ladders on Prime Cut

Northbound

Location: 39.331775°, -108.696928°
Riding north on Prime Cut toward Chutes and Ladders

Right on Chutes and Ladders

Location: 39.334165°, -108.694600°
To go to upper 18 Road parking lot, bear left.

First ladder

Location: 39.334721°, -108.694332°
Looking down from the top of the first climb on Chutes and Ladders.

First ladder

Location: 39.334721°, -108.694332°
Descending the first climb on Chutes and Ladders

First ladder

Location: 39.334721°, -108.694332°
First ladder: Yes, the trail goes up there, and it's rideable.

Flat

Location: 39.333733°, -108.690968°
A brief, flat respite from the chutes and ladders

Bookcliffs

Location: 39.333567°, -108.686886°
Bookcliffs views from Chutes and Ladders

Singletrack

Location: 39.331841°, -108.685727°
Winding through tight singletrack on the edge of the Bookcliffs on Chutes and Ladders

Super-fast downhill singletrack

Location: 39.326729°, -108.683024°
Chutes and Ladders turns into screaming-fast singletrack as it descends away from the Bookcliffs on the east side of the loop.