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Retail Sale
Retail Sale is a fun singletrack trail in the McCoy
Flat trail system west of Vernal..
This mountain bike loop undulates and twists 8 miles through colorful desert dirt and
rock. Altitude is 5300 feet. Absolute altitude change is 250 feet; total climbing
on this trail will be around 800. The trail isn't too tough aerobically,
but it will be quite hot at mid-day in the summer. Because of narrow
track, tricky sections, off-camber turns, and a bit of rough rock,
we'd rate the trail upper-intermediate technical.
Troy (of Altitude Cycle in Vernal)
flies free of earth on Retail Sale. August 27, 2004 photo by Bruce.
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| This biking trail was developed by local riders specifically for
mountain bikers. It's a fun and fast ride. The few tricky sections are
short and easily walked by intermediate riders. Most of the trail is
smooth enough to be pleasant on a hardtail bike. While we found the center of the trail
firm, the raised trail-edge is soft and will grab your tires if you drift
off-line. Mike,
Troy, and Chad climb through the red dirt
and sandstone rock. Much of the terrain here formed from sediments washed
down from the Uinta Mountains. Photo by Bruce. |
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This is desert riding. You'll find plenty of cactus right
alongside the trail. Stay on the trail. The soil is very soft and fragile,
and you'll quickly dig in and die if you veer off. Stay on the trail. Good
bike-handling skills are important, because some ugly rocks have been
placed to corral you onto the correct riding line. Stay on the trail.
The trail makes multiple dips through
a gazillion washes and climbs over countless small ridges. Here Bruce
powers through a side-slope turn with the helmet-camera running. Photo by
Mike. |
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This is a good trail, fun to ride. There's a lot of good stuff in the
Vernal area, with several other riding loops adjacent to Retail Sale.
Retail Sale connects to Fire Sale, Milk
and Cookies, More Hoes, High
Rollas, and Slippery
When Wet. Serpendipity returns to the
trailhead via the eastern limb of Retail Sale.
At right, Chad rolls along wide-open
desert. Photo by Mike.
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Conditions on this trail can change quickly due to rain and snow. We suggest you stop by Altitude Cycle in Vernal to get the latest trail conditions.
Pick up a local trail guide with topo maps and detailed
trail descriptions. |
Navigation, counterclockwise ride:
0.0 From corral parking, cross road to DT
0.1 Fork R on ST (alt = 2nd ST on R)
N40 21.003 W109 34.928
0.3 Rejoin alternate ST N40 20.992 W109 35.163
1.1 Keep R (L = Fire Sale) N40 20.830 W109 35.982
1.3 Trail merges with ATV track
Keep L at fork (Got Milk? is R fork)
N40 20.716 W109 36.093
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1.4 Keep L (R=return from More Hoes trail)
N40 20.644 W109 36.091
2.0 Keep R as Fire Sale joins on L N40 20.616 W109 35.647
2.6 Fork R (L=shortcut to trailhead) N40 20.759 W109 35.083
2.7 Fork L (R=Slippery When Wet) N40 20.679 W109 35.064
5.9 Keep L (R = merging Serpendipity) N40 20.454 W109 34.418
7.4 R onto DT
7.5 Back to parking
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Getting there:
While driving toward Vernal on US-40, pass mile marker 138, then turn
right on the narrow paved McCoy Flats road ( N40 23.427 W109 35.752). If
you miss McCoy Flats road, go to the viewpoint overlooking Vernal and
backtrack exactly 2 miles, then turn left into the road. Drive 3 miles.
Immediately after passing a corral on your left, turn into the large
fenced BLM trailhead parking lot.
Camping: BLM land, primitive camping allowed. No developed
sites.
Bathroom: At trailhead
Water: Bring your own.
Bike services, maps, trail conditions:
Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595
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Thanks to Troy at Altitude Cycle
for guiding us on
this trail! |
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Copyright 2004 Mad Scientist Software
Updated 2010
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