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North Rim Grand Canyon MTB
Spend four days cycling along the rim of the Grand Canyon
About the Ride
Take in unforgettable views of the Grand Canyon’s wild northern borders! On this tour we explore the remote Kaibab Plateau rising high above the magnificent Grand Canyon
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St. George, Utah
We’ll ride through ponderosa and aspen forests on a fun 2-day section of the Arizona Trail leading up to our first view of the Canyon at its East Rim. We then traverse the plateau to finish the last days of the tour on the magnificent Rainbow Rim Trail.
This is mountain biking at its best with winding singletrack and stunning views into the Grand Canyon. The combination of high desert vistas, forest trails, and alpine meadows makes for an incredibly scenic route. Riders of varying abilities will enjoy the terrain that offers a choice of riding options from secluded forest roads to more challenging singletrack.
Event Details
Positive Planet Impact
Full Event Story
This bucket-list trip offers some of the best cycling and scenic views in all of the American Southwest. The Kaibab Plateau overlooking the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is truly a special place and it is some of the most remote country in the continental USA. Rising high above the magnificent canyons carved by the Colorado River, the Kaibab Plateau offers outstanding mountain biking combined with spectacular scenery. The trails are largely through Ponderosa Pine and Aspen forests with rolling terrain between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. This classic tour is a must for anyone visiting canyon country, offering a perfect combination of great riding and spectacular scenery. This is mountain biking at its best with winding singletrack and stunning views into the Grand Canyon.
The combination of high desert vistas, forest trails, and alpine meadows makes for an incredibly scenic route. Riders of varying abilities will enjoy the terrain that offers a choice of riding options from secluded forest roads to more challenging singletrack.
Our local guides and our Climate Ride team will take care of all the details, allowing us to ride, connect, and see the national park in the most intimate way possible – by bike! Plus, we overnight in beautiful backcountry camps overlooking the Grand Canyon.
This trip is rated intermediate. The trail conditions are mostly moderate, with higher elevation, and the short technical sections of the trail raise the rating from moderate to intermediate.
It is well-suited for road cyclists who can get comfortable on a mountain bike. Riders with some mountain bike experience, and a strong fitness level, along with an adventurous spirit may be suitable for an intermediate tour. There are shorter options each day. Or if you wish for extra mileage, there will be options on most days.
This tour is operated in conjunction with the outfitter, Rim Tours which is permitted to operate in the areas we ride.
Climate Ride charitable events bring together bright minds, breathtaking routes for all cycling abilities, and an unforgettable combination of passion and purpose. On this event, you can choose from our full list of beneficiaries and proceeds will be distributed to the Climate Ride grants program based on your beneficiary selection. Participants may select their beneficiaries from our list of more than 100 extraordinary non-profit organizations.
Photo Gallery
Itinerary Overview
Itinerary subject to change, your Ride Guide will include full details.
Day 1: 15-18 Miles
Meet: 8:00 AM, Red Lion 850 Bluff St. St. George, UT. (435-628-4235)
The route for the first day is a section of the Arizona Trail, a trail that will eventually run north to south across the entire state of Arizona. The trail consists of mostly smooth, rolling singletrack but the route does have several steep climbs and descents so we’ll keep the mileage moderate so riders have a chance to acclimate. We will meet up with the support crew at mid-day when your guides will prepare a tasty buffet lunch. Our destination after lunch is the East Rim Overlook with our first views into the magnificent canyons below. We’ll camp at a beautiful forested site near the East Rim Overlook. There are opportunities to hike from camp.
Once at camp, the guides can assist you with tent set-up. Get ready for a healthy and delicious meal. Washbasins are available for personal use and a solar shower is usually available for 1 or 2 nights during the trip. This is your time to relax and connect with fellow riders, whether you chose to lounge around camp with our library of books, do yoga, or set out for an exploratory hike.
Day 2: 30 Miles
Leaving the East Rim we’ll set out on the Arizona Trail on our way to Upper Tater Canyon and then across the Kaibab Plateau to the North Rim proper. This is our biggest day of riding with miles totaling 30. The ride begins with 3 miles of rolling singletrack. We then alternate on forest service roads, some of which are closed to vehicular traffic. The terrain is moderate with a good amount of downhill but there are a couple of climbs that you must conquer before reaching camp at Locust Point. Our campsite for the next 2 nights is situated right on the magnificent North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The views are amazing and the sunrises, sunsets, and stars sublime. There is also beautiful hiking along the rim (classic Climate Ride bonus miles!).
Day 3: 18 Miles
For the next 2 days, we’ll explore the Rainbow Rim Trail, one of the most scenic 18 miles of singletrack found anywhere! The Kaibab Ranger District constructed this trail with mountain bikers in mind. The fast carving singletrack winds right along the rim of the Kaibab Plateau with outstanding views into the Grand Canyon. We’ll carry lunch on the out and back ride to Timp Point. Riders can also choose to make a loop of today’s trail by adding 10 miles of jeep roads to the first half of singletrack.
Day 4: 15-18 Miles
For our final day, we’ll continue riding the rest of The Rainbow Rim Trail, 9 miles to its end at Parissawampitts Point. We should finish riding by noon, enjoy a great lunch and then shuttle back to St. George arriving between 5:00-6:00 pm. You may not reach St. George in time to catch flights or shuttles, so please make lodging arrangements in advance.
Ready to get started?
FAQ’s and More Info
Gear, Accommodations, and Meals
This is a backcountry camping trip. You will need to bring or you can rent a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. You can rent these through our outfitter and they will be brought to camp (rental information will be provided in the Ride Guide).
Our guides carry solar showers and washbasins on each tour. Washbasins are available every day. Depending on the group size and weather, solar showers are usually available every other day. We suggest bringing unscented “baby- wipes” for quick clean-up after riding.
Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks are handled by our expert local guides. We serve delicious energy-packed meals with lots of fresh ingredients to satisfy all tastes. We can accommodate special diets; just let us know your preferences. We do not provide alcoholic beverages but feel free to bring your own. If you require or prefer special snacks and electrolyte supplements we recommend that you bring them.
Meeting location and Travel information
We meet at 8:00 AM on the morning of departure in St. George, Utah at The Red Lion St. George (435)628-4235. The Inn is located at 850 S. Bluff St. http://www.redlion.com/st-george.
The Inn has a restaurant on-site with a very affordable light breakfast or full breakfast options and we recommend eating before we meet. Look for our 15-passenger white van with a utility trailer in the parking lot the morning of the tour. Our guides will take care of any last-minute logistics and load the support vehicle. We’ll then be ready to shuttle to the trailhead, about a 3-hour drive.
GETTING TO AND FROM ST. GEORGE:
GROUND SHUTTLE/TAXI
- From Las Vegas, NV airport: St. George Shuttle: Shuttle drops and picks up at 1275 East Red Hills Parkway, St. George.
- From Salt Lake City, UT airport: St. George Shuttle: Shuttle drops and picks up at 1275 East Red Hills Parkway, St. George.
- Saint George Taxi Service: (800) 933-8320
- TaxiUSA: (435) 656-1500
DRIVE / RENT A CAR
- You can arrange to leave cars at the Red Lion Hotel, which is the meeting location for our tours.
FLY DIRECT TO ST. GEORGE AIRPORT (SGU)
- From Salt Lake City, UT on Delta/SkyWest Airlines, (800) 221-1212.
- From Los Angeles (LAX), CA on United Airlines, (800) 241-6522.
FLY TO LAS VEGAS, MCCARRAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (LAS)
- McCarran is one of the most well-served airports in the West. Most of our guests fly in via LAS and rent a car or take a shuttle.
Cell Phone Service and Wifi
There is very limited cell phone access. Enjoy this digital detox!
Do I need to be an experienced mountain biker to go on this trip?
This is an intermediate, multi-day off-road experience that takes place in remote areas, mostly on single-track and gravel roads. A mountain bike is required. While you don’t have to be an expert mountain biker, we recommend doing at least some of your training on a mountain bike. You should be comfortable riding on packed gravel and should be generally physically fit.
This is not a technically difficult ride but there are some obstacles and several climbs and descents. Steeper pitches can be easily walked! Overall if you’re a strong cyclist and have some experience riding mountain bikes, you will be just fine!
What do I need to bring on the ride?
All riders need to have a mountain bike (see below for bike rental info), helmet, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (see camping gear rental info), and a suitcase or duffle containing clothes, toiletries, and anything else necessary for several days on the road. The Ride Guide will contain a more detailed suggested packing list. The Ride Guide will be distributed to participants several months before the event. If you have a non-perishable personal favorite snack or electrolyte brand please feel free to bring some along!
Mountain bikes are required for this trip as we’ll be riding on gravel roads and single track sections. The most important factor in choosing a bike and pedals is your comfort. You want to be riding a bike and using pedals that you will be comfortable riding with for multiple hours a day, for several days in a row. Our local outfitter has mountain bikes (high-quality full suspension bikes) available for rent.
IF BRINGING YOUR OWN BIKE: Have your bike tuned up before the tour and have any worn-out parts replaced. You may want to ship your bike ahead of time to Rim Tours in Moab. The assembly fee is $40 or $80, if they also disassemble and box it up at the end of the trip as well. As for tires for your tour, any good off-road tires are fine. We use Wilderness Trail Bike’s latest creations. They’re the best! We do recommend bringing a full suspension bike.
Can I rent a mountain bike for the ride?
Yes! Our outfitter will have mountain bikes for rent in various configurations and sizes. These are high-quality full-suspension bikes. More information will be available in the Ride Guide.
What kind of support can I expect while on the trail?
Climate Ride has partnered with a local Utah outfitter to provide the most experienced and friendliest professional guides. We have rest stops each day with snacks and water, and on-route we have vehicle support that carries luggage, and also functions as a mobile mechanic and first aid station. You can also expect an unlimited supply of camaraderie and encouragement from the Climate Ride staff, the guides, and your fellow riders!
What does my fundraising support and why is it so important?
Riders can choose from the more than 100 incredible beneficiary organizations in our network! One of the things that make Climate Ride such an effective charitable event is that you can select the organization(s) you wish to benefit from our extensive list of beneficiary organizations. Our beneficiaries were selected for their work on the environment, conservation, sustainability, climate education, and active transportation advocacy. At the end of the year, Climate Ride grants the proceeds from our events to these hard-working organizations.
What will I need to carry on my bike?
Our support vehicle will carry all of your personal and camping gear during the tour. A day pack or hydration pack for carrying water and the essentials – snacks, sunscreen, camera, rain gear, etc – is the only thing you’ll need to carry with you on your bike. On single track tours &/or tours where the support vehicle is unable to travel on the same route as the riders, you may be required to also carry your lunch.
Fundraising Deadlines | Important Dates
(Signing up late? No worries. Our team will work with you to meet your fundraising goals.)
Fundraising Deadlines: TBD
Learn more about deadlines and transfers on our Policies page.
Note: If you’d like to register after or near a fundraising deadline, don’t worry, we’re here to help you get up to speed!
More Questions?
Be sure to review our general FAQ and policies or contact us!
