Mountain Bike Mecca: The Best Trails in Moab, Utah

A deep roundup of the very best mountain bike trails in the epic desert destination of Moab, Utah.

Greg Heil

Images

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Looking back up The Whole Enchilada toward the La Sal mountains. Photo: Stanislav Sedov via Flickr Creative Commons

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Mountain biking The Whole Enchilada. Photo: Stanislav Sedov via Flickr Creative Commons

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Enjoying the lower sections of The Whole Enchilada. Photo: Stanislav Sedov via Flickr Creative Commons

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Round Mountain in the Castle Valley, as seen from The Whole Enchilada. Photo: Stanislav Sedov via Flickr Creative Commons

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View of the Colorado River. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of the La Sal Mountains. Photo: Greg Heil

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Classic spray painted dots show the route on Slickrock. Photo: Greg Heil

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Riding the Slickrock Trail. Photo: Trailsource.com via Flickr Creative Commons

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Riding the Slickrock Trail. Photo: Trailsource.com via Flickr Creative Commons

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Gorgeous view from the top of the trail. Photo: Greg Heil

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The rock faces in this valley are simply stunning! Photo: Greg Heil

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Tight squeeze. Rider: Greg Heil

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Climbing Hymasa. Photo: Greg Heil

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Rock rolls abound. Rider: Greg Heil

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Gorgeous view from the top of the trail. Photo: Greg Heil

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This gives you a sense of the exposure on the iconic Portal Trail. Photo: Robert Tadlock via Flickr Creative Commons

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The infamous dismount sign. Photo: Robert Tadlock via Flickr Creative Commons

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Riding the Porcupine Rim. Photo: Trailsource.com via Flickr Creative Commons

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The Porcupine Rim in the foreground, looking back up toward the La Sal mountains in the background. Photo: Barb Smith. Credit: US Forest Service, via Intermountain Region USFS and Flickr’s Creative Commons.

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Some highly-technical sections of the Porcupine Rim are mandatory hike-a-bikes for most riders. Photo: dh Reno via Flickr Creative Commons

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Slickrock section heading toward Pothole Arch. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Pothole Arch. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Amasa Back road. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Amasa Back road. Photo: Greg Heil.

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View from the upper reaches of the Amasa Back Road

by Greg Heil

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Enjoying one of many slickrock slabs on Navajo Rocks. Rider: Greg Heil

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Expansive views of the entire region. Photo: Greg Heil

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Slickrock Riding. Photo: Greg Heil

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Some of the cliffside traverses are very exposed! Photo: Greg Heil

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Navajo Rocks runs past many impressive rock formations. Photo: Greg Heil

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Rocks upon rocks. Photo: Greg Heil

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Interesting route choices through the desert. Rider: Greg Heil

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View from the mountain bike trails at Dead Horse Point State Park. Photo: mcfst3 via Flickr Creative Commons

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View of the La Sal mountains from the Big Chief Trail. Photo: stateparks.utah.gov

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The iconic Dead Horse Point vista. Photo: Pedro Szekely via Flickr Creative Commons

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Colorado River view from Dead Horse Point State Park. Photo: fortherock via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Blue dots through a rock portion of the Sovereign Trail. Photo: Trailsource.com via Flickr Creative Commons

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Mountain biking the Sovereign trail. Photo: Trailsource.com via Flickr Creative Commons

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Bench cut Klonzo singletrack. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of the La Sals from the Klonzo trails. Photo: Greg Heil

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Slabby slickrock section. Photo: Greg Heil

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The Klondike Bluffs that the area gets its name from. Photo: Greg Heil

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Classic Klondike bluffs slickrock slabs. Photo: Greg Heil

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Singletrack on the Miner’s Loop. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of the Klondike Bluffs Area. Photo: Greg Heil

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Sweet singletrack in the Klondike Bluffs Trail System. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Flickr Creative Commons

by Leslie Kehmeier, Bureau of Land Management

Licence Free

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Flickr Creative Commons

by Leslie Kehmeier, Bureau of Land Management

Licence Free

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Licence Free

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Rider: Greg Heil

by Mike De La Rosa

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Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Gold Bar Rim is just a litttttle bit exposed. Rider: Greg Heil

by Nick Orticelle

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by Greg Heil

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Riding the rim, with the La Sal mountains in the background. Rider: Greg Heil

by Michael De La Rosa

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Ledge drops on Porcupine Rim. Rider: Greg Heil

by Michael De La Rosa

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View of Castle Valley

by Greg Heil

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Rider: Michael De La Rosa

by Greg Heil

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Rockstacker. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Freeriding on slickrock near the Pothole Arch. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Pothole Arch. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Riding the Sledgehammer section. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Riding the Sledgehammer section. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Riding near Pothole Arch. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Riding near Pothole Arch. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Ledge drops on Porcupine Rim. Rider: Greg Heil

by Mike De La Rosa

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by Greg Heil

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Greg ripping down the new Chisholm trail.

by Marcel Slootheer

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Catching air wherever possible! Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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by Greg Heil

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Superb rock armoring on the new trails.

by Greg Heil

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Riding the Snotch

by Greg Heil

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Upper Snotch

by Greg Heil

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Rider: Jeff C.

by Greg Heil

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Rider: Greg Heil

by Mike De La Rosa

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Looking up at the La Sals from Porcupine Rim

by Greg Heil

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by Greg Heil

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Rider: Jeff C.

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Rider: Greg H.

by Mike De La Rosa

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by Greg Heil

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Description

Moab, Utah is one of the oldest mountain bike destinations, and it's still one of the best. Whether you prefer Whistler to Moab, or you think the Swiss Alps region reigns as king, is irrelevant—everyone can agree that riding the slickrock and sand in the ultimate desert destination is a bucket list experience that all mountain bikers need to enjoy at least once in a lifetime... and preferably, at least once a year!

Moab has singlehandedly made slickrock riding famous, and now mountain bikers around the world seek out slabs of exposed bedrock to pedal along. These epic routes are some of the most technical—and most deadly—in the world, with signs on trails like Portal cautioning riders to dismount, as people have fallen to their deaths there before. And yet, the talented trail builders in Moab—primarily Moab Trail Mix—have constructed newer, more beginner-friendly trails, so now mountain bikers of any level can pull into town and find a ride to their liking.

In this guidebook, you’ll find a deep selection of the very best mountain bike trails in Moab. The trails listed here cover the gamut from beginner to pro rider. If you’re looking solely for beginner trails, check out the dedicated beginner guidebook for Moab. If you're looking for an even more curated selection of the very best routes, check out the top 5 guidebook. But if you want to see the array of options in Moab, you've come to the right place!

Adventures

The Whole Enchilada

One of the most epic mountain bike rides of all time, the Whole Enchilada drops over 9,000 feet of vertical and passes through every climate zone imaginable, from high alpine tundra to desert.

Raptor Route Shuttle

A new, flowy, intermediate-friendly romp filled with swoopy singletrack and mellow rock slabs.

Slickrock Trail

One of the original world-famous mountain bike trails, the unique slickrock slabs provide an otherworldly ride experience

Captain Ahab

Captain Ahab combines the best new-school singletrack trail building techniques with Moab's famous views and challenging rocks for a classic mountain bike experience.

Magnificent 7

Ride some of the most technical and dangerous mountain bike trails in the world in one massive shuttle route!

The Kokopelli Trail

An epic 142-mile point-to-point route between Fruita, Colorado and Moab, Utah.

Porcupine Rim

Porcupine Rim is a Moab classic in the true sense of the word. Mountain bikers have been braving Porcupine Rim's gnar since at least the 1980s.

Rockstacker to Jackson's

If death-defying ledge drops, massive boulders, narrow singletrack on top of a thousand-foot cliff, and jaw-dropping views constitute your idea of fun, then Rockstacker to Jackson's is for you!

Amasa Back 4x4 Trail

One of the original gnarly epics, the Amasa Back 4x4 trail still offers some serious gnar on the way down.

Navajo Rocks

Navajo Rocks embodies new school Moab mountain biking at its finest!

The White Rim

Pedal through the visually-stunning depths of Canyonlands National Park.

Sovereign

Rock gardens and rock slabs interspersed with sandy stretches make for an ever-changing ride.

Klonzo

While easier than most trails in the region, Klonzo is still full-on Moab.

North 40

A flowier side to the Moab Brand Trails

Klondike Bluffs Sampler

This expansive trail system features miles and miles of slickrock and singletrack spreading out in every direction. The options are seemingly endless!

Killer B Loop

New school chunky Moab singletrack leads to a ripping fast drop down a steep slickrock slab.

Mag 3 Shuttle

A shorter, more accessible version of the full Mag 7 shuttle.