Green Valley Raceway Trail

Dominic Bria fights up a ledge and into a turn on the uphill. Here we're headed UP the downhill race track. August 4, 2000.

Green Valley Raceway Trail

The Green Valley Raceway Trail is southwest of St. George in Green Valley. You cross the assembly area for the racecourse as you drive to the Bearclaw Poppy Trail northern trailhead. The racecourse interconnects with the Barrel Trail . It's also a (less-popular) path to the Stucki Springs Trail. The race loop is used by the high school race league, the Intermountain Cup, and the Senior Games.

Note 2022: Construction of homes has begun on the northern end of the bottom of the valley. The master plan preserves the main trails on the BLM land of the upper slope, connected through the homes by a paved trail. A ride-around has been created to preserve a dirt loop at this time, but the situation will change as construction progresses. The map at bottom shows the border of BLM land. Anything below the line is subject to change. Although the developers are trying to preserve access to all trails on the upper mountain, there may be temporary closures as construction progresses.

If you follow the route we describe below, you'll do 6.5 miles and about 1100 vertical. (Absolute altitude change is only 650 feet, but you'll drop practically back to the bottom again in the middle of the loop. But there are many different ways you can ride. Note that the official race loop can be hard to follow if it's not marked -- and you haven't regularly ridden the loop before.

To the north are the red cliffs near Snow Canyon.

Navigating the narrow passage through Keyhole Wash.

The loop is strenuous aerobic, intermediate technical with a smattering of advanced technical. This trail is the site of a popular Intermountain Cup spring race and of the Huntsman World Senior Games mountain bike race. This is a great trail to play on, anytime. However, because brainless ATV-jockeys have started following some of the singletrack, the trail is a shadow of its former self. If you're looking for pristine narrow desert singletrack, use the DH portion of this trail to connect to the Barrel Trail , which is right next door.

Green Valley Race Loop

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The trail starts north from the huge parking area on a boring dirt road. After 3/4 mile, you hit singletrack (on the left side of the DT, just before the road ends) and the fun begins. Roll up and down. Yes, much of the trail's been widened to a big fat road by ATVs, but if you can get past that, it's still good riding.

Almost to the top, we see the Pine Valley Mountains in the distance.

While most of the trail is hardpack dirt, you'll be contending with rock and ledges.

Things can get a little confusing among the ATV trails and roads. Keep heading generally north until you find yourself on singletrack dropping into Keyhole Wash. There are two rock-bottom washes on this loop, and they're a riot to ride.

Exiting Keyhole Wash, you'll climb a winding course up to touch the DT near the top of the cliffs. Here you turn left and head over to the ridgeline downhill. (At the ridgeline, there's a fork. Right takes you up to the DT along the cliff edge. Turn left and start downhill!)

Attacking a ledge series in Rock Wash, as we climb back uphill after the ridgeline descent.

The big downhill on the south side of the loop defines this race course -- and it's good to ride uphill, too.

After dropping to the bottom of the hill, the trail turns 180 degrees into Rock Wash (also called Cowpond Wash). As you drop down toward the cow pond, fork right uphill into the wash bottom. Climb up the wash and enjoy attacking the ledges.

When the trail reaches doubletrack and climbs to the saddle, continue uphill and ride to the viewpoint at the top. It's worth the climb. GPS N 37° 05.355' W 113° 39.947'.

Right at the saddle, there's a 4-way intersection of doubletrack. Cross the DT intersection (uphill) to the downhill singletrack. Note: If you went up to the viewpoint, there's a second trail about 150 yards uphill that connects to the DH raceway (on your left when going uphill, on the right heading down).

Head downhill for high-speed fun. Just after the BIG PLUNGE -- you'll know it when you ride it -- select a route back to your car. Singletrack and techy to your right, or left on doubletrack up and over the rise. Bruce rolls down the rock ramp on the DH portion of the raceway. Photo March 2006.

Rolling down the rock ramp. No longer part of the official race loop because of the injury potential of the steep slope above.

Video of the Green Valley race loop...

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Map of the classic race loop.

Getting there: Take the Bluff Street I-15 exit in St. George and turn west. Immediately turn south (left) at the first light. Go over the hill and turn right when you reach Dixie Drive. Drive about two miles. Turn left at the sign for Green Valley Spa. (If you reach a "Green Valley Market" with gas pumps, you just passed it. Turn around and backtrack to the second road on your right.) Drive past the spa onto dirt at the end of the road. Turn right at the top of the mesa, then immediately left to drive down into the deep valley. Park in the open area in the valley bottom and pick your route west uphill. (Note: the staging area is private property with a plan for development into homes. This area may change, making these directions invalid.)

Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
   GPX area trails
   Green Valley Race Course 2022
   Cactus Hugger race loop
Lodging, camping, shops:   Links to St. George area resources

Original review 2000. Updated 2022.