How do you Moab?

If you have visited Moab, I don’t need to tell you how amazing the riding is there. You've seen the stunning vistas of Castle Valley from the Porcupine Rim. You've enjoyed the seemingly endless descent of the Whole Enchilada Trail. And maybe you've pushed the limits of your riding on the technical Captain Ahab Trail.

If you’re interested in riding Moab for the first time, read on to get the low-down on how to make your dream of riding this desert Mecca a reality.


Getting there

Moab is located in the American Southwest in southeastern Utah. Its small airport offers only limited flights, and flying directly there can be expensive. The closest international airport is in Salt Lake City, Utah, 240 miles away. Salt Lake City and nearby Park City offer some great riding and can be a nice first stop on your trip to Moab.

Another option for travelling to Moab is to fly into the international airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a 340-mile drive from Las Vegas to Moab, a long trip for sure, but there are lots of great riding spots to break up the extended dashboard time. Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada; Gooseberry Mesa in Hurricane, Utah; and Thunder Mountain near Bryce Canyon are all great places to ride between Vegas and Moab.

My airport of choice when travelling to Moab is Grand Junction, Colorado. It’s a smaller regional airport and very easy to fly into and out of. Tickets prices are reasonable, there are lots of daily flights, and Grand Junction is a quick 115 miles from Moab.

On this past trip to Moab, my friend John and I flew into Grand Junction and spent a few days enjoying the riding there. I was impressed with the amount of quality, easily accessible riding options. We stopped by Over The Edge Sports in nearby Fruita, Colorado to grab some supplies and get dialled in with our riding itinerary.


We started out at the 18 Road Trails in Fruita and had a blast checking out Zippity Do Da, PBR (Pumps, Bumps and Rollers) and Joe’s Ridge. The area is relatively small and it is easy to squeeze in a bunch of laps in a short amount of time. The big rollers and smooth jumps at this spot make it one that I look forward to riding again.


I would definitely recommend checking out the Kokopelli Loop Trails Area and the Lunch Loops in Grand Junction as well. Mary’s Loop, Horsethief Bench Loop and Steve’s Loop in the Kokopelli Loops will give you some awesome views and a taste of the flowy trails in this area. There is nothing terribly technical there, but it is definitely worth checking out.


Lunch Loops offer more technical riding with some great opportunities to push you outside of your comfort zone. We rode The Ribbon, Holy Cross and Free Lunch and found time to check out the jump park at the Lunch Loops. There are tons of great rock drops, gaps and wallrides to keep you on your toes.


The Grand Junction-Fruita area merits a dedicated riding trip of its own. Be certain to take advantage of the opportunity to try out the riding in Fruita and Grand Junction if you use the GJT airport.

When to go


In my opinion, the best time to visit Moab is in the spring or fall, specifically April and October. The weather can get quite hot in the summer months, and there is little tree cover once you get out of the aspens high up in the La Sal Mountains.

I usually go to Moab in April because it offers some of the best early season riding in the United States. Keep in mind there may still be late spring snow squalls, which can impact the higher altitude trails. Many of the trails in the high alpine have clay-based soil and are unrideable when wet.

A fall trip to Moab also offers the opportunity to ride in great weather. Some of the lingering summer heat can be felt into September, but October riding is prime. The perfect window to hit Moab is when the temps drop into a range comfortable to ride in, and before any early season snow interferes with the trails high up in the La Sals.

What to ride in Moab

Moab Brand Trails


When I visit Moab, I always like to start with something mellow and close to town that doesn’t require a shuttle. The Moab Brand Trails are a network of trails located a few miles north of Moab that are a great introduction to riding in the area. The trail names Bar M, Circle O, Rockin A and Bar B are based on cattle brands and spell out M-O-A-B.

The Moab Brand Trails are a good first-day choice to ride in Moab because they make up a fun, relatively flat network. You will get a taste of riding on slick rock, as well as an opportunity to practice cornering on sandy turns. My favorite trails there are Deadman’s Ridge, the Killer B descent off the Bar B loop, and the Sidewinder Trail.

Pipe Dream


Another nice trail to visit on your first day in Moab is Pipe Dream, located on the southern edge of Moab and the closest trail to town. This trail is only five miles long, but the technical grade reversals and punchy climbs will leave your legs feeling like they rode for much longer.


A ton of work went into rock armoring Pipe Dream and engineering the massive rock features. The grade reversals have great flow, and require just enough power moves to keep most riders from cleaning this trail on the first try. Pipe Dream is always on my must-ride list when I visit Moab.

Amasa Back


As I mentioned earlier, riding in Moab can be very weather dependent. On a windy day it can be quite blustery on the wide-open spaces up on the Porcupine Rim. When the wind picks up I like to head to the Amasa Back area. The trail network is protected from wind by a canyon and it offers some of the best riding in Moab.


The Amasa Back area has long been popular with jeepers and mountain bikers alike. As you ascend from Kane Creek Road you get unparalleled views of slickrock fins, the snow-capped La Sal Mountains and the mighty Colorado River. In the not-so-distant past, the only access to the area was the rough 4x4 road that mountain bikers had to share with jeeps.

Thanks to great work by Moab Trail Mix there is now a complete network of trails, including a wonderful climbing trail called HyMasa and a one-way downhill-specific trail, Captain Ahab. HyMasa is cut into the ledge of the canyon above the jeep road, and is a pleasure to climb as well as to descend. HyMasa allows you access to Ahab or you can continue on the jeep road to Pothole Arch.


There are some great views to be had on the way out to Pothole and it is well worth the pedal. Once you’re out at Pothole you have multiple options on how to get back to the parking lot. Jackson’s Singletrack or Rockstacker are both very technical trails and will take you directly back to the parking area.


Some folks like the chundery rock lines of the jeep road all the way to the parking lot, but I recommend you ride either the HyMasa Trail or Captain Ahab. HyMasa is the more mellow option and is a great ride. It has the same character of Ahab, but without the high consequence moves.


Captain Ahab is one of the best trails that I’ve ever ridden, and I highly encourage anyone who enjoys technical riding to experience this opportunity. The amount of blood, sweat and tears that Trail Mix put into constructing this trail is absolutely mind-blowing. Every rock feature is well thought-out and works perfectly. Trust the trail builder and your bike, and you will find yourself riding lines you never thought possible.

Every day I’m shuttling


Minimize climbing and maximize your downhill fun by taking advantage of some of the shuttling options in Moab. You can shuttle yourself with two vehicles, or use one of the many shuttle services in town for a fee. The two most popular shuttleable routes in Moab are the Magnificent 7 and The Whole Enchilada.

Magnificent 7


Magnificent 7 or “Mag 7” is a series of trails that form a 26-mile point-to-point route. By shuttling Highways 191 and 313, you cut out a long pavement return to your vehicle. The main trails that you will ride on Magnificent 7 are Bull Run, Gemini Bridges Road, Arth’s Corner, Little Canyon, Gold Bar Singletrack, upper Gold Bar Rim, Golden Spike, the north end of Poison Spider, and the Portal Trail.


This trail system offers some amazing views, and the endless slick rock ledges will keep you grinning the entire ride. Stop at the Gemini Bridges overlook and check out one of the most stunning sights in Moab. Don’t linger too long because the full Mag 7 is a very long, technical ride.

At the end of Little Canyon the trail gets dramatically more difficult. If you continue on you will face highly technical trails with high-consequence exposure. People have fallen to their death on the Portal Trail.


If you aren’t up for this challenge, a great alternative is to turn left at the bottom of Little Canyon instead of climbing up the Gold Bar Singletrack. Follow the sandy wash out to Gemini Bridges Road, which will eventually bring you back to Highway 191.


Depending on rainfall, the sandy wash can be a difficult ride out. Be prepared to walk your bike through the sand, or better yet catch a UTV shuttle out! Whether you decide to do the half-day option or the all-day epic, you won’t be disappointed with the amazing views and great riding of Mag 7.

The Whole Enchilada


The reason that countless other riders and I have fallen in love with Moab is the Whole Enchilada Trail. The Whole Enchilada is the most ambitious ride that that Moab offers. The 35-mile, 7,000-foot descent is a technical and demanding ride for even the most experienced rider.

The Whole Enchilada epic strings together a collection of trails that start high in the La Sal Mountains and end at the Colorado River. The main elements of the Whole Enchilada are Geyser Pass, Burro Pass, Hazard County, a part of the Kokopelli Trail or alternatively Jimmy Keen, Porcupine Singletrack, and finally Porcupine Rim.


The shuttle will drop you at the top of Geyser Pass high up in the La Sal Mountains, which climbs up to the top of Burro Pass at 11,150 feet of elevation at the tree line. The trail then descends through the alpine to the aspens as you enter the Hazard County Trail.


Following the aspens down Hazard, you will come to your first option of Kokopelli or the Jimmy Keen Flat single trail down to the start of Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS). Jimmy Keen adds miles and time onto the already long ride, but this beautiful section of singletrack is worth checking out if you have gas in the tank.

Both trails will lead you down through the scrub oak and juniper to the start of UPS and the amazing views of Castle Valley. You will certainly want to stop and take in the scenery and snap a few photos.


The winding single track of UPS is some of the best that I’ve ever ridden. It is a fun, fast ride down UPS to Lower Porcupine Singletrack (LPS) with 1,000-foot drops around every corner. You will follow the rim to LPS and then to the Castle Valley Overlook on Porcupine Rim.

The final segment of the Whole Enchilada is the classic Porcupine Rim Trail. The 11-mile Porcupine Rim segment contains both singletrack and some wide-open ledgy jeep road. The final bit of singletrack hugs the cliff edge above the mighty Colorado River. This is one of the most technical parts of the Whole Enchilada and has some very challenging lines.


Once you reach the river, you will hop on the new bike path that takes you back to town. It is much nicer to ride a purpose-built bike path than share the narrow road with heavy tourist traffic. If you are really on your game, you can leave a car at the Grandstaff Canyon parking lot and avoid the road ride back to town.


This list is just scratching the surface of great riding in Moab. If you’ve never ridden the classic Slickrock Trail, you may want to head up Sand Flats Road and give the practice loop a go. Bartlett Wash is a huge slickrock bowl that you can carve some big lines in. Klondike Bluffs, Navajo Rocks and the Sovereign Trail are some other terrific options to ride while you are in Moab.

Where to stay


The Moab area offers many different options for places to stay on your riding adventure. There are beautiful places to camp in and around Moab, as well as many different levels of motels, hotels, condos and Airbnbs.


If camping is your thing, check out Red Rock Base Camps. Red Rock rents sweet teardrop trailers manufactured by Escapod. The campers come kitted out with high-end linens, cooking and cleaning supplies, hot water sink, solar power, USB charging ports, a large Yeti cooler, camp chairs, camp rugs and even headlamps! Nothing beats the feeling of spending the night outdoors in Moab, and you can do it with style and comfort with Red Rock Base Camps.


Condominiums are a great option if you want to stay in town and are looking for more amenities than in your standard hotel room. We booked our one-bedroom, downtown condo through Moab Utah Lodging. The property we stayed was very well appointed with a full kitchen, a large outdoor spa, a BBQ area with outdoor seating, a bike cleaning station, locked bike storage and guest laundry. Check out http://MoabUtahLodging.com for more details.


No matter what, you can’t go wrong by visiting Moab. Folks who have enjoyed Moab, please share your experience in the comment section. Have a great time on your desert adventure!


Thanks to Scott Newton, Billy Snyder and T.j. Cowern at Poison Spider Bicycles for all of their great advice over the years on how to get the most out of Moab. Poison Spider is always my first stop when I get to town. Gear up, get your bike dialed, and get the latest trail conditions at Poison Spider.

Thanks also to Kelsey at Moab Utah Lodging for your help during our stay in Moab. Thanks to the Ibis family for keeping me rolling, Scott Boyd at the Hayes Group, Andrew Slowey at Cane Creek, Elayna Caldwell at SRAM, Mark Jordan at Fox, Blaike Hennessey at Thule, Jon Hadfield at OneUp, and Jack Hinkens at Wolf Tooth.