The Green Valley trail system, located just outside of St. George, Utah, is a heavily trafficked trail system that features some of the more popular trails in Southern Utah. With trails such as the Zen Trail, Bearclaw Poppy, Barrel Run, Snake Pit, Jeezy, Stucki Springs, Keyhole Wash, Curley Hollow, Rattlesnake and Green Valley Race Course trails. All of these trails are interconnected, so there is an almost unlimited amount of trail combinations that riders can do in their time riding in the trail system. Here is a short breakdown of each trail in the system: 

Bearclaw Poppy is a moderate difficulty trail and will push you as you ride the trail's sandy hills, especially as riders get to an area known by locals as the "three fingers of death" which features steep drops and sharp rocks. While going through these more dangerous areas riders should exercise caution. The rest of the trail is mostly sand hills that wind through the trail that are fairly easy to ride and allow riders to enjoy the beauty of the area.

The Zen Trail is a heavily trafficked Black Diamond loop. While the loop itself is difficult, it offers stunning views of downtown St. George and the desert landscape that surrounds the city. The trail is mostly slick rock with some sandy areas intermixed with some drops that will get your heart racing as you ride through this challenging loop. The trail peaks at the overlook of the rest of the Green Valley trail system and scenic St. George. 

Barrel Run is another Black Diamond trail that features lots of drops, most notably the "Waterfall" which is the largest drop on the trail. There are also several man-made jumps along the trail that allow for maximum air time while riding this fast paced trail. This trail is not for the faint of heart as riders will experience a little of everything as they speed through the fast paced Barrel Run trail.

Snake Pit is an intermediate level trail that begins along the Stucki Springs trail. There is not a trail marker for snake pit, so be sure to watch for the fork in the trail about 0.5 miles into the trail and make a left a the fork. Like the other trails in the system, there are lots of drops, twists, and turns along the Snake Pit trail, although not as intense as some of the other trails. The Snake Pit trail is meant to be ridden up hill, please be advised for other riders that are on the trail as it is heavily trafficked. 

Jeezy is an intermediate level trail that is fairly short at about 1 mile, but packs a punch in the short ride. Featuring several hills, twists and turns, the Jeezy trail will keep your heart racing as you climb the hills and raced down to continue on to the other connecting trails in the system. The Jeezy trail runs between the Barrel Run trail and the Green Valley Race Course and serves mostly as a connecter trail but one that will take some riders by surprise by its challenging nature.

Stucki Springs is another intermediate level trail in the system that is about 6 miles round trip that also connects to the southern end of the Bearclaw Poppy trail. Like the other trails, it is very fast paced with many drops, hills, and quick turns. This trail is not slickrock and is much more loose than the other trails so be advised to take it at a slower speed than the other trails to avoid injury. Riders can make their way over to the Stucki Springs trail through the system itself or start from the Santa Clara River Reserve system which is connected via Stucki Springs Road. 

Keyhole Wash (aka Cove Wash) is another intermediate level connecter trail between the Green Valley Race Course and Bearclaw Poppy. It is not very long, but will keep riders entertained with its quick speed as they ride between trails. It features a few drops along the trail and is usually part of the organized races along the system. 

Curly Hollow is a scantly used connecter trail through Bearclaw Poppy. It is about a half mile long and can be viewed as a "short cut" through the Bearclaw Poppy loop. Since it isn't used frequently, many riders use it to power through quickly to avoid getting in the way of other riders. It is a great option if you are pressed for time and can't ride the whole Bearclaw Poppy loop.

Rattlesnake (aka Snake Pit) is a connecter trail for the Stucki Springs trail that is about 2 miles long. It is intermediate level trail that is not used very often with lots of rolling hills and obstacles that make it difficult to ride. Since this connecter trail isn't used very often, it isn't very well maintained and riding it is very difficult in parts. It may not be wise to ride along the Rattlesnake trail until St. George City can update the trail and make it safer for all riders. 

Finally, Green Valley Race course is an intermediate level trail that is often used as the beginning of the race course when there are bike races held in the area. It is about 6 and a half miles round trip and can be tricky to ride with lots of turns and hills throughout the trail. It is close to the city, so riding to the trail is very easy and is very accessible. 

Overall, the Green Valley Trail system offers a little something for everyone no matter the skill level. From the experts to novices, bikers can ride any amount of trails they want for nearly as long as they want. It is a mountain bikers paradise located in a desert oasis!

Eagle Crest trail is a beginner level trail mountain bike in Draper, Utah along the north side of Traverse Mountain. From the trail, riders can see the Salt Lake Valley, the Northern end of Utah Valley, and great views of Mount Timpanogos, Lone Peak, and Box Elder Mountain. The trail is relatively short at only about 2.4 miles but it is well worth it because of the great views surrounding riders as they cruise down the trail. 

The trail is mostly flat, but goes up into a slight peak at about the one mile mark. It is all down hill from there as riders enjoy the beauty that surrounds them while feeling the breeze blow past them as they fly down the rest of the trail. The best times to ride this trail are from the late spring in April to fall in September. Be sure to check the weather before you ride to avoid any rain or thunder and lightning storms, especially at high elevation. Avoid riding the trail after a rainstorm to keep the trail smooth and free of ruts for future riders. 

The Eagle Crest trail is located in a serene area that will leave riders yearning to come back for more after each ride! 

The J.E.M. trail is one of the many exciting trails located just outside of Hurricane, Utah. It is connected with the More Cowbell and Dead Ringer trails and is the longest of all three trails at 13.27 miles round trip. It is not for the faint of heart or the novice mountain biker with jarring trails and sharp turns near sheer cliffs. Even with its difficulty, it is one of the more popular trails in southern Utah because of the beautiful views of red rock bluffs and the vast desert landscape. It is also popular because of the access to other trails nearby, if a rider was feeling particularly adventurous, riders could take all three trails in a day and explore what each trail has to offer. 

Riders have the opportunity to ride from the south end of the trail or park at the south J.E.M. parking lot and take a shuttle to the north trailhead and ride down. The trail itself is very wide and accommodates riders going in both directions. The direction you want to go depends on if you want to ride the whole loop back to your car or take advantage of the shuttle.

The best times to use the J.E.M. trail would be from April to September when the weather is particularly dry and trail conditions are at their peak. It is not recommended that riders bike this trail after a rainstorm as the trail will be very muddy and hard to bike through. 

The J.E.M. trail, named for three hardcore mountain bikers in the area (John, Ellen, and Mike), is truly a gem in the southern Utah desert that mountain bikers will not want to miss if they are in the St. George, Utah area. 

The Dead Ringer trail is one of three biking trails located just outside of Hurricane, Utah. Starting at the JEM trailhead, bikers start on a winding, up and down trail that runs parallel to the JEM and More Cowbell trails that gives bikers many options all within the same area. The Dead Ringer is unique because it bottoms out in an area called Goosebumps because of the many cow hoof prints in the dried desert mud that creates a very bumpy end to your ride along the Dead Ringer trail. 

The trail totals at just over 5 miles which gives riders time to explore the area surrounding the trail and to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds southern Utah. Be sure to check the weather before biking the Dead Ringer trail because rain can make the trail nearly impossible to ride and if biking is attempted it can create ruts along the trail, making the trail less enjoyable for future bikers to ride. 

The Dead Ringer is a great option to start biking if you are still getting familiar with the area because the trail is fairly simple and once you are back at the trailhead, riders have the option of biking it again or riding one of the other two trails in the area. Whatever your skill level, the Dead Ringer trail is a great introduction to the beautiful trails of southern Utah!

The Church Rocks hike near Hurricane, Utah, about a half hour outside of St. George, is another hidden gem outside of Zion National Park. Similar to the Slick Rock Trail in Moab, there are lots of smooth canyon trails to ride down after you cross the drainage pipe that stands between you and those fast slick rock trails. After you exit the wash, riders power through the slick rock portion that brings you back around to the drainage pipe where you started. Surrounded by gorgeous red rock scenery, you won't want to leave this bike trail. 

In total, it is a near 6 mile trail that may be too difficult for newcomers, but not so difficult that you will come away thinking it was too hard. Starting on a winding sandy trail, riders work their way up to the smooth slick rock that is both fun and challenging. It is a great practice run for those wanting to brave the Slick Rock Trail or just to gain more experience with mountain biking. Hikers are also welcome on the Church rocks trail and would provide a less crowded hike than the hikes in Zion National Park that provides much of the same beautiful scenery. 

Whatever you are looking for while in Southern Utah, Church Rocks probably has it. Come explore an off the beaten path trail that you can rave about and recommend to anyone who frequents Southern Utah.

The More Cowbell loop, located outside of Hurricane, Utah, is a beginner level bike trail that gives riders a good feel for what mountain biking is like. It is a great practice run for bigger, more difficult trails that offers beautiful scenery as riders complete the loop. It is also a great place to take the family out for a bike ride and experience the beauty surrounding the Hurricane area together.

The singletrack trail is only 2.7 miles with mostly smooth trail to bike through the red bluffs of the southern Utah desert. The trail itself is mostly flat, allowing riders to both enjoy the scenery around them and gain experience to ride more complex and difficult trails. The More Cowbell loop connects to other more difficult trails like the Dead Ringer Trail and the J.E.M. trail.

To protect other riders experiences, a caution is given to not ride the trail after it has rained and the soil has become muddy. This creates ruts in the trail that last several months making it difficult for other riders to enjoy the trail. Hikers are also welcome to hike the trail to experience another hidden gem outside of Zion National Park and Snow Canyon State Park. 

The More Cowbell loop will more than likely give anyone who loves the beauty of southern Utah and hitting the trails exactly what they are looking for.