Dirk BadenhorstMountain Biking’s Wildest Event! Redbull Rampage
Fall is a great time to travel in Utah! For the fall colors but also for one of mountain biking’s wildest events – Redbull Rampage.
Every year, thousands of people flock to Virgin, Utah to camp, ride, adventure, and party in the desert in the birthplace of competition free-ride mountain biking. You can watch the event on Friday, Oct 13th this year.
We’re planning on being there and we plan on making a long weekend trip out of it since it’s within sight of Zion National Park!
What is Red Bull Rampage?
Red Bull Rampage debuted in 2001 and challenged riders to navigate down treacherous desert ridge lines, enormous drops, and rugged canyons with speed and style. If thats hard to imagine… here is a video from last years best moments of the 2022 Redbull Rampage.
What is the terrain like?
A week before the event, a rider and two “diggers” builds and sculpts their dream line down the mountain. Each route interprets the terrain, flow, and artistry in its basic form.
If you’re picturing these riders dropping into consequential steep terrain, navigating ridge lines with “no fall zones,” backflipping 40 ft cliffs, and jumping 40+ foot gaps… you’re right on the money.
They ride on terrain that the average person has nightmares about.
How to win Rampage
Risk and creativity are part of the game and are rewarded generously. In the most basic sense, the faster you go, the higher you jump, the more complex the trick you do, the more points you will get.
Sweaty palms and an elevated heart rate come with the territory… as a spectator.
How to get there and where to camp
Virgin, Utah is less than than 4 hours from our Salt Lake City hub and less than 3 hours from our Vegas hub, the best way to see Redbull Rampage in 2023 is to plan a trip around it. The area itself is known for its incredible landscapes, mountain biking, and access to Zion National Park, where adventure opportunities are endless.
Our favorite way to see it is to camp on BLM land with friends and family in one of our vans because of the access to some STUN
NING mountain biking near the park. You can go watch it on the 13th and then check out the Oct 14th Annular Eclipse early the next morning!
Other activities to do in the area
We’d also recommend heading to Springdale, one of the country’s prettiest towns, for drinks, breakfast, dinner, or all of the above.
Besides the self-guided options to do some of our favorite hikes in the park, like the Narrows, Angels Landing, and the Subway, Springdale also has access to local guiding companies that will take you climbing, canyoneering, mountain biking, or anything in between. It’s the ultimate desert adventure mountain town. A couple hours away sits Bryce Canyon… another spot that we just wouldn’t want to miss when on a desert adventure in the southwest!
If you can’t go, watching online is GREAT!
If you can’t go in person, you can watch it live on ESPN+.
