Over the next month, Green River will host two off-roading events: the Watermelon Crawl, in its fourth year, on March 24-25, and the Green River Dirt Bike Rally, in its third year, on April 13-15. Robin Hunt, the events coordinator and marketing specialist for the City of Green River, said the events draw tourists and locals alike.
The Watermelon Crawl is intended to give off-road enthusiasts a chance to explore popular trails with a guide. The trails range from beginner to advanced: participants can take on Behind the Reef, an intermediate 48-mile trail near Goblin Valley State Park; Buckmaster, a beginner 47-mile trail; Eagle Canyon, an advanced 39-mile trail that stops at Swasey’s Cabin and The IceBox; Dry Lakes, an intermediate 71-mile trail that stops by two cold-water geysers; The Devil’s Racetrack, an expert 40-mile trail; Butterfly, an intermediate 46-mile trail that “shows off wide open spaces,” according to the Watermelon Crawl website; and Lost Springs, an advanced 39-mile trail north of Green River. The Crawl is limiting each trail event to 30 machines—participants can register at GreenRiverWatermelonCrawl.com. The event is free.
“We were looking for a variety of trails so we could bring people in with a variety of skill levels,” Hunt said. “And we also wanted to highlight trails that are close to Green River, so people can make basecamp. We picked trails that will take several hours to ride and enjoy that are also interesting and beautiful.”
The guided aspect of The Watermelon Crawl is what brings it all together. Some of the trails can be tricky to navigate, Hunt said, so having a guide both takes the pressure off and helps participants build community. Most of the participants in The Watermelon Crawl are visitors—while some locals do participate, Hunt estimated that 80 or 90% of participants are visitors.
The Green River Dirt Bike Rally operates a bit differently. It centers around the rally hub, which will be a meeting point for riders, but will also have a market with vendor and sponsor booths—including gear and bike demos—and prize giveaways.
Thursday and Friday’s schedules include a technical riding clinic by Rich Larsen, a professional dirt biker who hosts clinics across the country. He also posts regular dirt bike videos—which include ideas for drills to improve rider skills and also his own stunts—to his social media channels: on Instagram, he has over 80,000 followers.
Larsen has attended all of the Green River Dirt Bike Rally events, Hunt said. During the clinic, he’ll discuss skills like how to tackle obstacles, do a demonstration, and get participants on their own bikes to coach people.
“That’s definitely one of the most popular parts of the event,” Hunt said. “Rich Larsen is super talented and super fun to listen to—and to watch. He makes it look easy.”
On Friday and Saturday, Dirt Bike Rally participants can also go on guided tours. There are eighteen official rally trails in four different areas near Green River: the north San Rafael Swell, south San Rafael Swell, White Wash Recreation Area, and the Woodside/Chimney Rock area.
Trails range from beginner level to advanced. As riders take on the trails, they’re encouraged to participate in a landmark-specific “photo hunt”—the rider with the most landmark photos will receive a prize.
Registration for the dirt bike rally, and a full list of events, can be found at www.GreenRiverDirtBikeRally.com.
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