Moab has a lot to offer. Don’t have time to ride them all? No worries, we’ve got you covered! Here is our Mountain Biker’s Guide to Moab: Our Top Trails, Free Campsites and Swimming Hole.
Contents
Our TOP 6 Mountain Biking Trails in Moab
1- MAG 7 / Magnificent 7
What type of ride to expect?
- It’s ridden as a shuttle, but it’s far from being a downhill. Plan for a long and exhausting ride.
- Fast, flowy and easy-fun to start with (from Getaway to Goldbar).
- Then things get serious (but fun!) along Gold Bar Rim and Portal with technical riding (many short and steep descents with drops and stairs, many technical climbs) and exposed cliffs.
Why we liked it?
- The view along Gold Bar Rim and Portal is absolutely breathtaking! Bring a camera.
- We liked the fact that it starts with fast and flowy trails (beginner-intermediate), then it turned into super technical stuff (double-black)!
- There is more descents (3850′) than climbs (1800′).
Anything else to know?
- You will NOT die in the exposed cliffs of Portal. UNLESS you attempt to ride the section where a sign clearly indicate you to walk. Otherwise this short “deadly” section is very narrow, but it’s safe to walk…
Resources:
- Trailforks
- MTB Project
- Our Strava Ride (we’re no racers, we like to stop for nice viewpoints!)
- There are many shuttle service in Moab (but you will have to bike back to Moab), or if you have two cars you can leave a car at the end parking here and start here.
2- Whole Enchilada / Porcupine Rim
What type of ride to expect?
- EPIC.
- You will start in the La Sal Mountains at 11 200′ elevation and finish near Moab at 4000′; you do the maths, that’s a looooong descent! BUT, again, don’t expect a downhill. It is a challenging and physical ride and there is about 1400′ climb.
- There are some steep singletrack sections on the La Sal, get ready.
- UPS / LPS are probably our favorite sections. It’s playful and it transitions to desert riding, fun-fun-fun.
- Then you will hit the Porcupine Rim doubletrack… whatever PSI you normally inflate your tires, ADD 5 PSI MORE THAN THAT. Or you will pinch flat, no joke! The doubletrack is boring (sorry) so your job is to get out of there as fast as you can. The doubletrack is covered of rocks with sharp edges, so you either slow down (a lot) or fly over these rocks (providing you added more air into your tires). We warned you.
- You made it out of the doubletrack, NICE! Now you will ride your way down to Colorado river on a technical singletrack. There are some very technical sections, will you ride or walk?
Why we liked it?
- It doesn’t get more Epic than that. Period. You start in the alpine above the treeline, then transition to a nice forest to finish the ride in the desert. The views are breathtaking all the way down, it’s crazy. Enjoy!
- Up in the La Sal, it’s a true singletrack; we don’t see much of that in the desert and it was refreshing. We liked it!
- The UPS/LPS sections are just pure fun to ride, combined with the incredible viewpoints on Castle Valley down there; it’s awesome!
- Alright, we’ll do the maths for you: it’s almost 8000′ of descent. We like.
Anything else to know?
- Did we mentioned to add 5 more PSI than usual?
Resources:
- Trailforks
- MTB Project
- Our Strava Ride
- There are many shuttle service in Moab (but you will have to bike back to Moab), or if you have two cars you can leave a car at the end parking here and start here.
3- HyMasa / Amasa Back / Pothole Arch / Captain Ahab
What type of ride to expect?
- Technical climb & descent
- Just as most of desert riding, don’t expect a fast and continuous descent (Captain Ahab); there are many downs & ups along the descent…
Why we liked it?
- Hymasa is a surprisingly fun climb!
- Amasa Back and Pothole Arch are not super fun trails, but the views are definitely worth the ride!
- Captain Ahab lacks flow & speed, but we really enjoyed riding the technical features all along.
Anything else to know?
- Did you spot the arch at the end of Pothole Arch Trail? 🙂
Resources:
4- Slickrock
What type of ride to expect?
- A must ride. Not that the ride is exceptional, but the landscape is so unique and so nice…
- Mostly short ups and downs, no serious change in elevation.
- Wear your tourist hat, take your time & enjoy the view!
Why we liked it?
- THE SLICKROCK! There’s no equivalent; it’s hard to describe. Ride it you’ll get it!
Anything else to know?
- The grip on the slickrock is incredible, it’s being said that the bike shops in Moab see many broken freehub (because of the huge torque that we are able to produce in the steep climbs). Yeah, we broke a freehub.
Resources:
What type of ride to expect?
- It’s a fun intermediate ride!
- It’s flowy and the miles add up fast, there is no real technical challenge here.
- Even expert should have fun here; go fast!!
Why we liked it?
- Nice views
- We like technical trails, but the flow here was welcomed. It was a nice change from the “usual” slow-tech Moab riding.
Anything else to know?
- We suggest: Rocky Tops, Big Mesa, Big Lonely, Coney Island, Ramblin
Resources:
6- Klondike Bluffs
What type of ride to expect?
- This system has a little bit of everything; technical climb, technical descent, flow, flat, etc. Beginners to strong intermediate riders will enjoy this area!
Why we liked it?
- Nice views
- Changing terrain
Anything else to know?
- We suggest: Mega Steps, Alaska, EKG, UFO
Resources:
Bonus: HyMasa / Amasa Back / Pothole Arch / Rockstacker / Jackson’s
What type of ride to expect?
- It’s the same fun climb as for Captain Ahab, except you will come down in Rockstacker and Jackson’s
- Rockstacker & Jackson’s are very technical descents! If you rode Captain Ahab and you want more, try them out!
Resources:
Our TOP 3 Free Dispersed Boondocking Campsites
1- Sunset Camp
Driving time from Moab
- 35 minutes
Why it’s our favorite?
- THE VIEW!
- It’s relatively quiet compared to other boondocking spots near Moab
Resources:
2- BLM 140 Road (En route to Canyonlands National Park)
Driving time from Moab
- 30 minutes
Why we liked it?
- Nice desert scenery
- It’s close to a canyon and it’s fun to explore by foot
- Relatively quiet
Resources:
3- Willow Springs Road
Driving time from Moab
- 15 minutes
Why we liked it?
- It’s a short driving distance from Moab
- There is cell signal (Verizon) for site near the highway
Anything else to know?
- It’s the most popular spot, so we would not recommend it during the weekend unless you want to make new friends
Resources:
Our TOP 1 Swimming Hole!
1- Mill Creek Waterfalls
The Colorado river is everywhere in Moab, but the water is somewhat to be desired… it’s rather stale and cloudy. There is a good option to cool down after a ride in Moab: Mill Creek.
Driving time from Moab
- 5 minutes
Why we liked it?
- Very easy access
- Because there’s nothing like a Bike->Swim->Beer!
Anything else to know?
- Park at Mill Creek North Fork Trailhead, then walk towards the old Power Dam (there is only one trail, you can’t get lost). It will be on your left, about only 100 feet from the parking. Enjoy!
Resources:
OUR CAMERA GEAR
All the photos above were capture using our favorite photo/video gear! Aerial/Underwater/Long Exposure/POV/Gimbal, all of this in a portable package, check it out:
