18 Hours of Fruita stands out as one of the Colorado mountain bike community’s most celebrated annual endurance challenges. This year the race date is Saturday, May 4, but participants should plan to camp for the weekend.

Kicking off at midnight (12 a.m. Saturday), the race has solo participants and teams riding a 7-mile singletrack loop that encircles Highline Lake, weaving through Highline State Park. It’s a speedy and non-technical course where riders are rolling and pedaling for 18 hours, seeing how many laps can be achieved before a sharp cutoff at 6 p.m.

The night laps get dark and cold, which is to be expected, but as the sun starts to rise, the energy of the event seems to follow suit. The most festive hours come in the afternoon and evening, as riders start to close in on their final laps and a crowd gathers on the final hill of the course.

With its combination of competitive spirit and communal camaraderie, 18 Hours of Fruita has become a must-attend event for mountain biking enthusiasts looking to kick off the season in a big way.

Photos featured here were taken at 18 Hours of Fruita in 2023 by Madison Rahhal of Madison Leigh Creative, along with the cover photo of this issue.

This event sells out every year, but even if you can’t ride, it’s fun to go spectate. Learn more and plan at 18hrsoffruita.com.

Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

18 Hours Of Fruita