Kokopelli Loops Mountain Bike Trails: Mary's Loop

Mary’s Loop in the McInnis Canyon section of the Kokopelli Mountain Bike Trail is one of the most breathtaking rides in the entire system. The Kokopelli Mountain Bike Trail is an old mix of single track, four-wheel drive roads, and backcountry roads that begins in Loma Colorado and travels over 142 miles over the Las Mountains of Utah, down the infamous Porcupine Rim Trail, and ends in Moab, Utah. Created by the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association (COPMOBA) in the days before full suspension mountain bikes, this might be one of the most epic trails in all of Colorado. To ride it in its entirety is a massive undertaking; fortunately, there are options to ride only select parts.

There are several loops that intersect the Kokpoelli in its 142-mile journey across the Colorado Plateau. Mary’s is a 5.6-mile stretch of trails that will have you meandering along the tops of towering sandstone cliffs as you view the epic expanse of the Colorado River below. You can make this trail a loop by taking either Hawkeye Road back to the beginning or by catching either Horsethief Bench, Steve’s Loop, or Wrangler Loop in the canyon. This trail typifies the area with a mix of rocky stone obstacles, perilous exposure over the river, grand red stone cliffs that seem to never end, and amazing views of the Black Ridge Canyon Wilderness across the Colorado. Mary’s Loop is a connector for most all the trails in McInnis Canyon, which can make traffic there pretty busy especially on the weekends. Best times to ride there are early in the morning or later in the day; at sunset you’ll be greeted with glowing red and orange canyons while the river glistens and churns below.