Recommended Loops in the Popular and Accessible Moab Brand Trails

Pick one of these top recommended loops in the popular and accessible Moab Brand Trails.

Mountain Biking Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Severe

Description

Even though the Moab Brand Trails don't rank as one of the ultra-classic Moab rides, this easily-accessible trail system is one of the most popular trail systems in all of Moab. You won't find the world-renowned Slickrock Trail, Porcupine Rim, or Captain Ahab here, and even so, the massive trailhead will fill up on the weekends.

This popularity is thanks to two major factors. First, this network is one of the easiest to access in the region. With a massive trailhead parking lot located right off of US Hwy 191, just a few miles above town, it takes no navigation to find this trailhead. You won't be squirreling down a narrow canyon or driving miles into the desert to reach this one.

Second, this superb trail system offers a wide range of trail options, truly providing something for everyone. Most notably, the Brand trails offer several fantastic beginner- and intermediate-friendly ride options. This beginner-friendly character is in sharp contrast to many of Moab's iconic rides. Famous routes like Portal, Porcupine Rim, and Captain Ahab are expert-level rides that can and will break you if you're not prepared. In contrast, the Moab Brand Trails provide a slew of singletrack options that allow beginners to practice their skills and progress methodically through the various trail difficulties.

This guidebook includes seven recommended loops through trail system, and they are listed in ascending order of difficulty. The easiest is Rusty Spur, followed by Lazy EZ (which isn't so lazy or so easy). Tacking Sidewinder onto Rusty Spur makes for a fantastic but more difficult ride. After that, Circle O provides a great intro to slickrock slab riding. North 40 steps up another notch and begins to bridge from the intermediate rides in the network to the more advanced options. The Deadman's Ridge Loop gets a black diamond rating, and if you keep pedaling beyond Deadman's, you'll reach Killer B, which scores a double black diamond rating on the maps (but only ranks "Severe" on FATMAP).

While this guidebook outlines seven different loops, you can easily combine multiple loops together to create a lengthier ride through this stacked loop trail system. The world is your oyster at the Moab Brand Trails, and this ability to ride shorter or longer routes, and easier or more difficult trails, makes this one of the most-ridden trail networks in the region.

If you haven't yet, plan your trip to Moab and check this place out for yourself!