10 Best Mountain Biking Trails In Moab Utah

10 Best Mountain Biking Trails In Moab Utah

Moab, Utah is renowned for having some of the best mountain biking in the world. 

 

Looking for a picturesque scenic trail to take you through the canyons? Maybe you’re a seasoned rider looking for the most unique ultimate challenge? No matter what experience level rider you are, you’re sure to find a great trail to ride in Moab.  

 

Mountain Biking in Moab

With so many fun and exciting trails in Moab, choosing which trails to fit into your next trip can be downright challenging in itself. In this article, we list the trails that, in our opinion, should be on everyone’s list of trails to ride in Moab.

 

1. Bar M Trail: Family-friendly Trail

The Bar M Trail is a great choice for beginner mountain bikers just north of Moab. This doubletrack loop trail is 11.3 kilometers long with a modest 300 feet of elevation. 

 

If you’re looking for a trail you can ride with your family, this is it. This trail features excellent views of Arches National Park along with some slickrock sections and even some small drops for some variety. 

 

To get to the trailhead, travel about 17 kilometers north on Hwy 191. The trailhead should be on the east side of the road. You can then park in Bar M Ranch or The Gemini Bridges parking area.

 

2. Klonzo Trails/Loop: Intermediate Trails of Your Choice 

The Klonzo loop is located in the Klonzo trail system in Moab. The whole system covers about 38 kilometers of trails. You can pick a single trail, like the Zephyr trail, or ride an 8-kilometer loop. 

 

Trail surfaces vary from dirt to rolling slickrock humps. All Klonzo trails are intermediate-level with some tougher sections mixed in with moderate climbs. 

 

There are two trailheads that are both about 4 kilometers out on Willow Springs road. If you’re riding a 4-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance, you can park after crossing the Courthouse Wash.

 

3. Captain Ahab: Rideable Advanced Trail

If you’re looking for a more advanced trail then Captain Ahab is for you. This trail is located in the Amasa Back Trail network south of Moab. Captain Ahab is an advanced one-way singletrack trail stretching 6.1 kilometers long with an elevation of +406/433 ft. 

 

Captain Ahab consists of slick rock climbs, and drops with some dirt singletrack here and there. This technical trail is rated a double-black diamond, though, everything is rideable. You can roll right off the drops and there’s a cliff section that may feel sketchy to some. 

 

To start this trail, go out from Kane Creek Road to Amasa Back parking. You then ride about 8 kilometers up to the Amasa Back trailhead. Captain Ahab starts around 4.3 kilometers up the Amasa Back Trail.

 

4. Gemini Bridges: Stunning View, Rapid Downhill 

The Gemini Bridges trail is a 20.9-kilometer 4×4 trail. While it wasn’t made specifically for mountain biking, this doesn’t mean there can’t be fun to be had sending it on this trail. Rated as an intermediate trail, the Gemini Bridges trail features some fun downhills plus some slickrock sections. 

 

This trail offers some stunning views that you may have to work for if you’re not shuttling up to the top. From there, expect a rapid downhill and watch out for the sand. 

 

5. Amasa Back Area: Advanced Downhill 

The Amasa Back area used to be just a 4×4 road until Moab Trail Mix started building their excellent trails. This area is now the location of a complete trail system with interconnected singletrack trails including the popular Captain Ahab trail.

 

Be warned, though, this trail system consists of advanced trails only. If you’re an advanced rider looking for some rad black-diamond or double black-diamond downhill singletrack, then the Amasa Back area is for you. 

 

6. Navajo Rocks Loop: For All Skill Levels

If you’re looking for a place for riders of all skill levels then the Navajo Rocks loop is for you. This 28.2-kilometer singletrack loop trail features technical riding coupled with some great flow. 

 

Be ready to catch your breath as consistent ups and downs are present no matter which way you ride. You start this loop on Rocky Tops then Coney Island then Big Lonely to Big Mesa until you finish at Ramblin’.

 

7. The Whole Enchilada: Technique Tester

If you’re an intermediate rider looking for a sick downhill experience then the Whole Enchilada is for you. This one-way singletrack trail is 41.8 kilometers long with an elevation of +330/2 ft. 

 

The Whole Enchilada consists of several trails including Burro Pass, Hazzard County, and Porcupine Rim. You start this trail at 10,000 feet and climb 1,400 feet more to reach your starting point at Burro Pass. 

 

This trail takes you through wooded forests, Aspen groves, creeks, open prairie land, and miles of rapid, technical, and gnarly steep single track which gets you to the Upper and Lower Porcupine sections, until you finally end up at the Colorado River.

 

8. Mag 7: 7 trails = 1 Fun Ride

A trail that’s definitely more than the sum of its parts is Mag 7. This trail is great for intermediate riders looking to ride some of Moab’s sickest slickrock descents. 

 

Seven fun trails combine to give this trail its name (magnificent). The Magnificent 7 trail includes Bull Run, Arth’s Corner, Little Canyon, Gold Bar, Golden Spike, Poison Spider, and Portal making Mag 7 40.2 kilometers long with an elevation of +730/1 ft.

 

9. Porcupine Rim: Extremely Technical Downhill + Spectacular Singletrack 

Is the Porcupine Rim trail part of The Whole Enchilada? Yes. Is it special enough to be worth its own entry on this list? Definitely. 

 

The Porcupine Rim trail is an advanced 5.5-kilometer-long mix of solid climbs, arm-pumping doubletrack, and technical singletrack with some high exposure areas. To some, simply describing this trail doesn’t do it justice, you have to ride it yourself. 

 

Unfortunately, this trail is reserved for more advanced riders as it contains some of the most technical singletrack you can find. If you aren’t supremely confident in your technical abilities, it may be best to try other entries on this list.

 

10. Slickrock Bike Trail: Uniquely Tough  

If you’re an advanced rider looking for a unique trail to ride then the Slickrock Bike trail is definitely it. Considered by many to be the most well-known MTB trail in the country, this 17.2-kilometer lariat trail is sure to give you a challenge you don’t face very often. 

 

If the tread (rock), short steep climbs and descents, desolate landscape, and heat don’t give you a tough ride, we don’t know what will.