The 6 best mountain bike trails in Hurricane, Utah

Hurricane (pronounced Hur-ah-Kun) by locals is an increasingly popular mountain bike destination in southwest Utah. I personally prefer Hurricane over Moab, but that’s mainly because I really don’t like crowds and Moab can get, well, just crazy. Hurricane, on the other hand, is still rather sleepy. But it has gained major notoriety over the past few years for its amazing slickrock riding and incredible views out over Zion.

Hurricane is also located near the annual Redbull Rampage event, which I have yet to make it to. But don’t let that scare you off – there’s plenty of ‘normal-people’ riding, too.

The riding in Hurricane is contained in five ain singletrack networks. The most well-known is Gooseberry Mesa, but there’s also Hurricane Cliffs (aka the Jem trails), Wire Mesa, Little Creek, and Guacamole.

In this post, I cover the 6 best mountain bike trails in Hurricane and how to link them up

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6 Must-Ride Mountain Bike Trails in Hurricane, Utah

1. Dead Ringer

Beginner

Dead Ringer is a fun little flow trail in the Hurricane Cliffs area. It’s fast and swoopy and if you can keep your speed up you might even get a little air. Dead Ringer is a popular uphill climb back to the Jem trailhead, though, so keep your eyes open and be courteous to traffic coming the other way.

How to link it up: Park at Lower Jem Parking then climb up Jem. Take a left onto Goosebumps then climb up the Jem doubletrack to the upper parking area. Descend down Dead Ringer to Cryptobionic and Hurricane Rim back to the car.

***Note: If you want to cut this loop short, turn right onto Dead Ringer instead of turning left onto Goosebumps.

2. Goulds Rim

Beginner/Intermediate

Goulds Rim is a lesser-traveled trail on the west side of Hurricane Cliffs. It’s part of the larger 24-mile Hurricane Rim loop, but if don’t want to do that epic of a ride, this section is – in my opinion – the best part. You can ride Goulds Rim as an out and back, but I would recommend riding down then pedaling Gould Wash Road back to the corral (see link-up below).

How to link it up: Park at Gould South then cross the road and pedal the flowy Gould trail to the old Corral. It’s a bit confusing to see where the trail goes from here, but cross the dirt road and either follow the road or parallel singletrack to the start of Goulds Rim. You can either pedal back up Goulds Rim or take Gould Wash Road back to the Corral.

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Looking for more information about riding in Hurricane? Just out my Complete Guide Mountain Biking in Hurricane, Utah!

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3. Wire mesa loop

Beginner/Intermediate

Wire Mesa is one of my favorite trails in Hurricane. It’s a quick loop – about 7 miles – and it’s a great intermediary between the Hurricane Cliff trails and Gooseberry Mesa. There are some techy sections, but there’s also plenty of flow. You can ride the loop in either direction, but I prefer clockwise because it’s more technical. Ride it counterclockwise if you want more flow.

How to link it up: Park at Wire Mesa Trailhead then either pedal the loop clockwise (my preference) or counterclockwise.

4. North Rim

Beginner/Intermediate

The North Rim of Gooseberry Mesa is a great introduction to slickrock riding and the area in general. There are sweeping views, some flowy sections, a few technical bits, and definitely some exposure. You can ride it in either direction, but west to east is the most fun. Take North Rim out to Gooseberry Point and be rewarded with an incredible view!

How to link it up: Park at Gooseberry Mesa Parking then pedal up Practice to the White Trail. Head out to Gooseberry Point for some photo ops then return on White Trail but take a left on North Rim. Follow North Rim to Bowls and Ledges and back to the trailhead (the route on TrailForks says to take Windmill as an out and back. This is optional if you still have juice in your legs).

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5. South Rim

Expert

South Rim is one of my favorite trails in Hurricane. The lower half is often ridden as an up, but I prefer to ride the whole thing as a descent. Coming from Gooseberry Point there is a bit of a climb and a lot of exposure, but then you get into fun rock rollers and flowy slickrock. It’s definitely for experienced riders or else you’ll probably be walking a lot.

How to link it up: Park at Gooseberry Mesa Parking then pedal up Practice to North Rim. Take North Rim all the way out to Gooseberry Point (or try your skills on Yellow). Return all the way via South Rim.

6. Holy Guacamole

Intermediate/Expert

Guacamole is my favorite network in Hurricane. It’s got a good mix of everything from slickrock to flowy singletrack to technical rock sections – all with amazing views and even a petrified wood ‘forest’. All of Guacamole is good, but my favorite is the Holy Guacamole loop. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like that it is challenging and has a good mix of diverse terrain. You can ride it in either direction, but I think clockwise has better flow.

How to link it up: Park at Guacamole Trailhead then pedal up Margarita. Take a left onto Guacamole then find your way over to Holy Guacamole. Ride it clockwise to meet back up with Margarita. (Optional – take the alt lines of Lime With A Twist and Salt On The Rim on your way back out).

Note: The trails in Guacamole are not well marked. Be sure to have a phone with sufficient battery life and the TrailForks app downloaded.

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What did I miss? What would you say are the best mountain bike trails in Hurricane, Utah? Leave a comment below!