Video: Legacy of Grafton

Jan 29, 2014
by Steven Lloyd  
legacy of Grafton

by stevelloyd
Views: 52,017    Faves: 422    Comments: 51


ENVE rider Logan Whitehead explores the ruins of the Grafton wood road; a lifeline built by pioneers in the 1860s to provide them with supplies and wood. This road was built up an incredibly steep mesa, and was eventually abandoned by the town due to hardships endured by the settlers. Logan puts his ENVE carbon wheels to the test on this brutal trail that was resurrected by riders in the 90s, and experiences firsthand the legacy that was left behind by those brave pioneers.

Some images from the shoot:

Logan hitting the famous Grafton gap.
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86 Comments
  • 36 0
 PB, I hate you for posting such an amazing videos like this one, while my whole country is covered with snow! Just kidding, love you guys! And this video is more than amazing, so do the trail and the rider are.
  • 22 0
 Mr. Lloyd, you did it again. Another great video! Thanks Logan for the quick history lesson too. Wink
  • 4 0
 I'm always happy to drop a little history on you if you give me the chance Wink
  • 5 0
 I wish I street wasn't frozen over cus I could go for a history lesson on those jumps right about now..
  • 1 0
 My screensaver at work is dirtworks911 styling that crack gap! On my trip list for spring/summer. And I am doing your taxes tomorrow =)
  • 1 0
 @takeiteasyridehard, come on down and we'll ride for days!
  • 2 0
 The last shot was a great throwback. I remember having a poster of Strait hitting that gap atleast ten years ago. Pretty cool to see it's still being ridden to this day.
  • 11 1
 Let me be the first to say....well anything. Steve, this is an awesome tribute to pioneers of Grafton and pioneers of the trail itself, nice work! Excellent riding too!
  • 7 0
 the town was rebuilt in the 50s as a tourist attraction
then it was restored again in 1969 for the filming of "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" movie
the famous bike scene with Paul Newman riding through the orchard with Katherine Ross on the handlebars
  • 7 0
 I'm still trying to imagine the pilgrims hitting that road gap in their covered wagons.
  • 6 0
 Johnny Cash has some of the most perfect song for desert terrain edits, his voice just fits with the riding so well!
  • 5 0
 We hit bootleg, then camped at the Rampage site outside of Virgin, then drove right past this. Yup, I'm bummed! If only this vid was on here a few days earlier hehe.
  • 5 0
 Man, did anyone notice all the rocks that were stacked perfectly to side cut the hill. That was amazing and all the work that went into the building of that trail, awesome!!!
  • 3 0
 That rockwork wasn't built as part of the bike trail. This was a wagon trail from the 1860's and the rocks were put there back then to make the road up to the top of the mesa. Not much road left but the rocks stayed and made a perfect biking trail. A previous poster mentioned that this trail is a lot steeper and more technical than the camera shows. I'll second that! The rider made it look pretty easy. The sections in the film is the last mile of the trail. The previous 56 miles are similar to Gooseberry trails, with a little less pedaling, and is a blast also. Linking it from the Windmill on Gooseberry makes for a 15 mile, 4 hour ride that you'll forever remember.
  • 6 0
 God damn. That looks like some insanely awesome riding.
  • 2 0
 Yes sir that's some proper trail shredding! Loved it!
  • 3 0
 That trail is way steeper than it looks on video. Logan was killing it for sure!
  • 1 0
 Awesome video! Such a fun trail to descend, but that climb back up the fireroad sucked. We decided to earn our turns that day, for sure next time shuttling it a couple times instead of riding over from gooseberry mesa for one run down.

Oreo: Easiest way, off the 9 half way between Hurricane and Zion.
  • 5 0
 My Favorite vid this year so far
  • 3 0
 Great riding and scenery all the way threw. And the ending had some KaBoom!
  • 4 0
 What were the music guys, copyright has a meaning, at least a name maybe @stevelloyd
  • 1 0
 Young Men Dead by The Black Angels
  • 2 2
 They steal the music and still they cannot give the artist props. Seems like it would be easy to edit in the song name at they end, but I do not make videos, maybe it is actually very hard to edit that in, i dunno.
  • 6 1
 Darude, Sandstorm.
  • 4 0
 I thought this was going to be a trip down memory lane with Grafton brakes and such on show. I've been mis-sold!
  • 2 0
 me too, i dreamed of there stuff as a kid and I finally have enough money saved up for there cranks and brakes!
  • 2 0
 Rode there over 10 years ago and the trail still looks awesome. I remember Kyle Strait doing that gap at the end. If I remember correctly not only was it in a disorder flick but cover of Bike mag.
  • 2 0
 Beautiful desolation. I loved the filming along the ridge. That gap looks fun. I think I'll drop a G-Map pin on that town and visit the trail next time I'm out that way. Thank you, it was cool.
  • 3 0
 hey guys what is the another bike video that have the same song ??? i can't remeber f*ck!!!!!!!!!
  • 2 1
 One mountain, one jacket with wade simmons and brett tippie

it's on youtube
great video Smile
  • 2 1
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8_XL71xqs
  • 2 0
 It was also in "Art of Flight."
  • 2 0
 What!? I was in Cedar City, UT for 4 years before moving to CO... I had no idea this trail (or Grafton) even existed. Damnit!
  • 2 0
 i ride this trail every time we go to Site 1 for rampage. i love only live an hour away from virgin and grafton and flying monkey!!!!!
  • 4 0
 That is one big balled talented rider, FairPlay to you sir!
  • 2 0
 Awesome. I will differently add this to my trail list. My list just keeps getting longer and longer..... Great video and history lesson....
  • 2 0
 I love riding there! And thank you foe using good music in this video! I'm all for cutting the euro pop electric crap that everyone else uses! Best video in a long time!
  • 1 0
 I love grafton only thing is blm willnt let people ride the back side anymore or they r goin to shut it down but there ate still sick spots to ride out there. Love grafton and I dh this video
  • 3 0
 Nice riding Logan! Sad story actually, his older brother he grew up riding with overdosed on skittles.
  • 3 0
 Luckily they didn'nt crash the aerial camera!
  • 1 0
 3.05 epic aerial shot!
  • 2 0
 Great music - check Great videography - check Great riding - check New favorite video - check
  • 3 0
 I start my job in Kanab on monday. This has me pretty psyched!
  • 1 0
 im a idiot, i thought it was a story on grafton parts from back in 90's, what can i say they made some awesome stuff for the time.
  • 1 0
 Stunning visuals. The stone retaining walls holding up that trail would have been a bitch to build. Road gap at the end. Epic!
  • 2 0
 Amazing riding and an amazing video. kudos to rider and photographer
  • 2 0
 Great film! One of my favorite trails in Utah!
  • 2 0
 Wow, great scenery even better riding, that gap at the end was sick
  • 2 0
 You killed ittt BABE! I LOVE YOU Steven Lloyd.
  • 2 0
 Very nice pictures and scenery!
  • 1 0
 did anyone else see the eye on the cliff behind the rider at 5:25?
  • 2 0
 So happy this is out my back door. Best trail in Southern Utah.
  • 1 0
 great Film! i like the one part that is shot without a cut between. and the jump at the endSmile
  • 1 0
 Awesome! I rode this five years ago for first time and is pretty cool and surreal ride. A historic DH ride indeed!
  • 2 0
 Steven Lloyd!!!! like always the best
  • 1 0
 One Of the Best MTB Video's ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really have to ride this trail now Dam you Steve L!! But Mahalo
  • 2 1
 Best Drone piloting skills I have ever seen in an MTB movie. Such a solid vid.
  • 1 0
 Awesome riding. that gap ! Great work
  • 1 0
 Amazing! The essence of mtb!
  • 1 0
 YEAH STEVE! Nailed it! #boom
  • 1 0
 5:20 watchin eye on the rock
  • 1 0
 top stuff...loving the gap hip at 6.05 !
  • 1 0
 amazing track good speed Smile nice
  • 2 1
 Soooooooo, are Enve's shirts also 2 grand?
  • 2 1
 LOL when he caresses the wood rafter. "Yep, it's wood."
  • 2 1
 is this a trail anyone can ride or it a secret?

Great video
  • 1 0
 As the kind troll-ish dude in the caves on the original Legend of Zelda would say "It's a secret to everybody." (probably aging myself...sorry). In any case it is secret in the sense that it is not very well know, but not in the sense that it is hidden, illegal, or that you have "know a guy" to find it. It often get overshadowed because of it's close proximity to the very famous/popular/slightly easier Gooseberry Mesa. It is just east of Virgin Utah (North East of St. George)

Check out the map: www.skidmap.com
And the Trail Review: www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/graftonmesa.htm
  • 2 1
 Lol repping troyleedesigns on left knee and 661 on ur right knee!! Hahaha
  • 3 0
 They are actually both troy lee. One is a regular guard and one is a knee brace.
  • 1 0
 Rode this trail a couple of years ago. So sick!!!
  • 1 0
 Such a fun trail, can't wait to hit it again.
  • 1 0
 A whole different kind of trail building. Good tunes!
  • 1 0
 All worth it in the end. Sick line
  • 1 0
 Damned I need to work in Utah!
  • 2 1
 sick... god damn
  • 1 0
 boooooom ! so nice !
  • 1 0
 Two thumbs up!
  • 1 0
 totally awesome..
  • 1 0
 Awesome film
  • 1 0
 That was pretty epic.
  • 1 0
 Yea Steve! Great stuff!
  • 1 0
 wowzers
  • 1 0
 sick video!
  • 1 0
 Where is this trail???
  • 1 0
 Grafton go like Ur going to new rampage site but keep going to rockville. On the right side as u go towards virgin there's a road called bridge road might even still have a sign on it that says grafton. Take that road about half mile there's a dirt turn off left to get to the top and rightt to the cemetary were the end is and were the road gap is if Ur in southern Utah and need another person to shuttle it hit me up I ride every Sunday. It's our church before virgin or monkey
  • 1 0
 im planing to go cross country and hit all these trails i see on PB every day. thanks for the info i will def hit you up when im there.







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