Sycamore Canyon(Riverside-Old Thread)

I imagine with all the OC parks closed a few folks are probably gonna want to head out to the IE this weekend to ride Sycamore. So I went over there today to check out conditions here's what I found.

Every single arroyo crossing I checked out was uncrossable.....there's a crap load of water that is coming down Box Springs Mts and draining into the canyon. I also saw evidence of flash-floods (debris, broken tree limbs, etc.) In particular, the small stream at the bottom of Moab is basically a raging river right now about 30 ft. wide and maybe 4 ft. deep by my estimate....

So if you ride out here this weekend, if your intended route crosses any of the arroyos be forwarned they might not be passable. Also be mindful of flash floods and don't hang out at the lower spots which are mainly the creek crossings. Other than that, the DG is draining pretty well and the ruts are limited to the usual places.

 

I was thinking of riding Sycamore this weekend but I think its best to wait. Thanks for the report. :wave:

 

still ridable in my opinion.....you might just have to do some backtracking here and there....

 

Was going to ride there tomorrow morning but am having second thoughts after reading your post. Thanks for the ride report. My bike is afraid of water =0(

 

no pics?

Bummer! should be fun anyway though

 

You have to expect it to get flooded and to make things worse of late Victoria GC has been keeping the dam closed to keep the course from flooding causing Canyon Crest to flood instead

 

Thanks for the input. Yes, like a lot of others I was considering trying Sycamore this weekend. If I do, I'll wait until at least Sunday...maybe afternoon.

 

Rode Sycamore last night. Water crossings have greatly diminished, lots of ruts, dirt still tacky, a few small puddles but basically good to go.

FWIW, the ground is still wet and the climbing is a little slower than normal.

 

Sycamore Riverside Conditions

The rain stopped for a bit this afternoon so I went for a ride at Sycamore :lol::lol:. The trails had already drained for the most part but the creeks had to much water so I did not attempt to cross them.

I got drizzled on a bit at Little Moab and my glasses kept fogging up. As soon as the rain stopped however I was good to go......:bang:

 

Both Sycamore and Lake Hills have that magical dirt. No worries riding after the rain or during.

 

Rode there today with a friend... it was fun! For the first hour or so we got rained on. Trails were wet some, but not muddy. By the time we got to the first 'play area', the rain stopped. All of the features were fine, and we did find a spot to cross the creek by the big roller. I agree with Sjon above: Sycamore's rideable after or even during rain.

 

Had a great ride from 11:00-12:30 today. Trails are in good shape except for all the dog poop!

 

With the amount of rain we're getting, would it be best to stay off the trails here tomorrow? I'm thinking of going for a spin at Sycamore since it seems like my best option, but since I've never ridden there, don't know if I should stay away or not. Also, is it easy to self-navigate or am I better off with a tour guide?

 

The trails should be find, a few puddles, some soft spots, but other than that, hit it!!! It is easy to get lost, as there are many side trails. If you have a good sense of direction and/or a GPS, you'll be fine!!!

 

Grace, what Denmo posted above is accurate. To that, i'd add that you can default to sticking close to the outer perimeter of the park trails & fire roads. There are also plenty of landmarks (hilltops, rock outcroppings, etc.) to orient yourself with.

 

I myself love to go exploring. We have found some new trails recently and found a few others that are hiking only that you can ride down, but sometimes have to HAB back out.

Oz created some maps which might help.

 

Does the 3 bridges trail still exist? I rode Sycamore for the 1st time a couple of weeks ago, tried to get back to the parking lot from the West side of the creek (I was disoriented), and had to take Canyon Crest Drive. Surface streets suck on Rampages, but I couldn't find a trail and didn't have time to double back.

 

Yes it does! It's on map #1 above.

 

The gates are closed still as of this a.m. for the Central parking area. I'm sure you could still ride the trails, just I know there are going to be some wet spots. Candace and I were watching the torrent of water come down our creek and I wondered how much of that sediment was our trails...

I'll keep checking.

Cheers,
Andy

 

I think the High Desert is at the end of that 100 mile range. The Sycamore Rocks area is a little soupy but good to go. I'm not sure there are any good trail descriptions, so you might be on you own trying to figure out where to go. I know there are some ride reports on here you could find. Search under my user name or Sailor Ripley's for a start.