If you want a visual representation of a “full send,” see Tyler McCaul hucking his bike off of a cliff or charging into a jump. The freeride mountain bike pro has been a fixture at the sport’s most elite events, where his creative and technical approach to steep lines and staunch features has earned him multiple podium finishes.
But McCaul doesn’t need to defy gravity to have a full-send experience. In fact, he’s been spending more time experiencing Utah’s desert in his Ford Bronco Raptor® and mountain bike, not in search of bigger jumps, but in search of solitude.
Fueled by the capability of his Ford Bronco Raptor, McCaul says his favorite adventures have been alone with only the trusted vehicle, his bike, himself, and the goal to drive as many dirt roads as possible, and to see as many sights as possible.
“There’s something indescribable about the anticipation and curiosity of what’s around the next corner,” he adds, “and sometimes that’s all you need.”
The desert has been McCaul’s canvas for these full-send, backcountry adventures in recent years. It’s the ideal terrain for mixing different disciplines into a single experience. The desert is loaded with cliffs to climb, canyons to navigate, and trails to bike.
“The desert is a special place to me, and I love how diverse it can be within a short distance,” McCaul says, noting the constant changes in layers of earth, topography, colors, rock formations, and overall geology that’s “unlike any other place.”
With a little bit of creativity and proper preparation, you too can turn a standard off-road tour into a double-send adventure*. Here are three ideal target locations to stack up unforgettable desert experiences.
Three Top Desert Destinations for Doubled Adventures
Moab: Southeastern Utah
“This might be an obvious choice, but Moab has a great combination of biking and OHV trails” all across incredibly unique terrain, McCaul says. The White Rim Trail is the classic experience that offers both mountain bike and off-road potential on the same path. It’s a 100-mile dirt road that forms a loop inside Canyonlands National Park, traversing over and around the distinct Island in the Sky District.
It’s a true backcountry adventure. A lot of people will drive the loop on a long weekend, camping along the way, or spend several days mountain biking the same trail; bring both tools and enjoy the best of both worlds*.
Hanksville: South-Central Utah
This area of Utah, McCaul says, has so many OHV areas to cover, “and when you catch it in the right conditions (when it’s not too hot or too windy) it’s hard to beat.” Check out the Swing Arm City OHV area, which is a 2,600-acre “open play” area with terrain you’re free to tour in vehicles — and without any designated trails*.
It’s like driving on the surface of the moon, with a super-grippy clay surface all flanked by shale cliffs. Swing Arm is also part of the larger Factory Butte Recreation Area, which is managed by the BLM, and has lots of off-the-beaten-path campsites plus amazing wildflowers and blooming cactus in the spring. There is also so much climbing and bouldering potential in remote corners of this desert if you’re willing to do some driving and discovering.
Richfield: South-Central Utah
“There are so many places to mountain bike in the desert,” McCaul says, “but I really like the trails around Richfield because they’re a little less known.” This town was just a rest stop for mountain bikers heading to Park City or St. George, but the new Pahvant Trail System has added more than 50 miles of high-quality singletrack to the desert surrounding town.
You gotta check out Spinal Tap, which has 5,000 feet of elevation descent over 18 miles as you move from aspen groves and pine stands into the arid sagebrush flats of the desert valley below. And if you’re looking to do some off-roading too, the world-famous Paiute Trail System has more than 1,000 miles of connected trails traversing BLM land outside of town — plenty to keep you busy for a weekend*.
For more adventure-planning advice and inspiration, check out our Full Send content hub presented by the Ford Raptor® lineup of vehicles.
* Always consult the Owner’s Manual before off-road driving, know your terrain and trail difficulty, and use appropriate safety gear.
This article is sponsored by Ford.
