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Southview Skills Track
The Southview Mountain Bike Skills area is located just off the Turnpike
trail south of Cedar City, around 150 yards away from the Southview
trailhead. This is a small skills area, more appropriate for pre-teens and
mixed groups. If you're looking for jumps and tough stunts, this isn't the
place. Head on down to St George's big bike
park.
Looking up the Southview trail from the parking lot.
Pictures and review by Bruce on July 11,
2021.
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| From the parking lot, get on the paved Southview trail and
ride past the bathroom and repair station. Cross the bridge, then
immediately turn right on the Turnpike trail. About 50 feet later, the
path will split. The right fork goes to the skills track.
Keep right to go to the skills area.
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The skills area consists of an outer loop, an easy loop that
splits into two options, and an intermediate loop. All are designed to
ride clockwise.
If you keep left after entering the skills area, you're on the outer
loop. The upper side lies in the cedars. There's a rock ledge drop and two
tables. But the trail is fairly flat, so your kids will have to work at it
if they want to catch any air on the table jumps. They're easy to roll
over.
Looking south on the outer loop at a tiny rock ledge
(that you can easily ride around) and a small table. |
| The first fork off the outer loop is the easy loop. The path
is cindered, with wood sidewalks elevated just a few inches above the
dirt. It's a good spot for kids to get used to the sound and vibration of
the wood. And it gets them ready to focus on staying on path.
On the first boardwalk of the easy loops.
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The easy loop splits into two options, both of which turn
180 degrees to join the outer loop. There's an easy rock roll-over on the
path back.
Rock roll-over on the way back. |
| On the upper side of the outer loop again, go past the entry
to the easy loop. Also go past the next trail on the right, which is the
return from the intermediate loop. Then drop to the right when you see the
arched wooden roll-overs. If your kids have done both options on the easy
loop, they should be ready to hit these elevated arches.
At the top of the intermediate loop. The return path
of the loop is on the right in the photo.
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At the far end of the intermediate loop is a wall-ride. The
wall is gently curved to steer the bikes. At the bottom, the boards are
almost flat so little kids can rumble across feeling confident. The upper
half of the wall is steeper for more advanced riders.
There's your wall hit. No big deal. |
| The intermediate loop touches the outer loop for those who
are ready to exit, then turns right toward two rock strips. These teach
kids to control the bike's direction when it's bumping around. The first
rock line is long and relatively thin at around 12 inches, but only a few
inches off the ground. The second is a bit taller but wider, and has a
bend.
At the end of the intermediate loop, you should turn to the right
(clockwise) onto the outer loop. Exit the loop either by staying on the
outer loop, or by crossing over after the wall-ride on your next trip
around the intermediate loop.
The bigger rock strip teaches handlebar control and
steering.
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Getting there:
Southview Trailhead. At the southern I-15 Cedar City exit (Exit 57 to Cross Hollow Road
and Highway 130), turn east onto Highway 130. Immediately turn right
(south) from 130 onto Old Highway 91. Drive 0.3 miles. Watch for the sign
for Southview Trailhead and turn left on
Shurtz Canyon Drive. Now stay on Shurtz Canyon Drive to the trailhead. Start out on the paved Southview
trail at the northeast corner of the parking area. After the
bridge, turn right onto the Turnpike trail then keep right at the trail
fork to enter the skills area.
Bathrooms: Southview and Shurtz trailheads
Repair stand at Southview trailhead
Water: Southview only, at sink in bathroom
Camping: None (recommend Three
Peaks)
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