Bruce rolls down sandstone at McCoy Flats.
Bruce rolls down sandstone at McCoy Flats.
McCoy Flat Trails
Area overview

This mountain biking trail system is located 10 miles west of Vernal Utah. Around 40 miles of interconnecting loops originate from a trailhead on the McCoy Flats road. (The road is paved although narrow.) There's a very nice fenced parking area, bathroom, and excellent trail signage. The terrain is desolate "badland" of various types. BLM regulations specify that you ride only on signed trails. See the map at the bottom of this page for the trail layout.

Combo Trail

1.5 mile very easy trail bypasses east end of Milk and Cookies loop, begins at main trailhead.

[ See Milk and Cookies trail page ]

Combo Trail
Combo Trail
Fire Sale
Fire Sale

Fire Sale

Fire Sale is a 2.5-mile section of technical trail that lies west of the McCoy Flat road within the loop of Retail Sale, forking off on the northern end where Retail Sale and Milk and Cookies are combined. It's advanced technical and fairly strenuous although short. It's reached via Retail Sale. The absolute altitude change is only 200 vertical feet, but you'll do multiple up-and-down trips, making the total climbing around 800.

[ Fire Sale trail page ]

High Rollas

High Rollas is a lariat loop off the southwest corner of the Milk and Cookies loop. It circles the top of a mesa contained within Milk and Cookies. It's advanced technical due to a couple of rock tech spots and a rough trail surface. The lariat is 5.4 miles with total climbing around 600 vertical feet.

[ High Rollas trail page ]

High Rollas
High Rollas
Jackalope
Jackalope

Jackalope

Jackalope is a 6.9 mile trail that loops off Milk and Cookies from the main trailhead of McCoy Flats. It climbs from McCoy Flats to a ridge overlooking the city. The clockwise loop including a piece of Milk and Cookies is 8 miles, with an altitude change of 1000 vertical feet, finishing at 6300.

[ Jackalope trail page ]

Got Milk?   And Cookies
Milk and Cookies Loop

The easiest ride in the area is this 5.8-mile loop from the main trailhead of McCoy Flats, consisting of western Got Milk? and the eastern And Cookies trails. The southern side of the loop shares a common trail with the Retail Sale loop. Modest climbing, easier technical and easy aerobic.

[ Got Milk? and Cookies trail page ]

Milk and Cookies
Milk and Cookies
More Hoes
More Hoes

More Hoes

Four mile technical singletrack loop forks off Retail Sale at the northeast corner of the loop and returns to Milk and Cookies nearby.

[ More Hoes trail page ]

Retail Sale

The heart of the McCoy Flats system, Retail Sale begins at the main trailhead. It is part of just about any ride west of the McCoy Flats road. Retail Sale connects to Fire Sale, Milk and Cookies, More Hoes, and Slippery When Wet. Serpendipity returns to the trailhead via the eastern limb of Retail Sale.

[ Retail Sale trail page ]

Retail Sale
Retail Sale
Serpendipity
Serpendipity

Serpendipity

Combined with Jackalope for the uphill, Serpendipity creates an 8.3 mile mountain biking loop ride. The trail climbs 650 feet from the Flat via the Jackalope Trail. From the slopes of Asphalt Ridge, Serpendipity descends in a fun ribbon of singletrack dirt. The last two miles of the loop are undulating singletrack on the Retail Sale trail.

[ Serpendipity trail page ]

Slippery when Wet

This is a 5.5 mile lariat ride on the west side of the McCoy Flats road, crossing over Retail Sale. The trail is advanced technical with moderate climbing.

[ Slippery when Wet trail page ]

Slippery when Wet
Slippery when Wet
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 in designated areas. No developed sites.
Bathroom:
At trailhead.
Water:
Bring your own.
Bike services, maps, trail conditions:
Altitude Cycle, 580 East Main, Vernal. 435-781-2595