We love all things outdoors here at Red Rock Base Camps but one our favorite things to do is mountain bike!
Our founder Wendy was a professional downhill, slalom and mountain cross mountain bike racer once upon a time. It was her love of mountain biking that brought her to Moab over 20 years ago. Moab was just so exceptional that she ended up staying.
Here is a list of Wendy's favorite trails in Moab:
The Whole Enchilada (or any variation of that trail network.) TWE is a shuttled 27 mile descent with over 7000 feet of elevation loss from the tippy top of our La Sal mountains where the scree meets the coniferous forest at Burro Pass allllll the way down through aspen groves, scrub oak, pinyon pines, down to the sage brush and juniper desert finishing at the mighty Colorado river. This world class ride is a black diamond ride, meaning it is for experienced mountain bikers only. It is rough and rugged and relentless from top to bottom so bring plenty of snacks and water. Book a shuttle on one of our three shuttle companies delivering to as high as the snowline allows(Coyote Shuttle, Porcupine Shuttle, and The Whole Enchilada shuttle company.) TWE is rideable from the snowline down with multiple entry points accessed at different times of year. Typical entry February-March : Original Porcupine trailhead at the stock tanks, March-April : LPS trailhead at the cattle guard, April-May : Kokopelli from the loop road, May-June : Hazzard County off of Warner Lake road, July-September : Burro Pass(The top!) from Geyser pass road, October : Hazzard or Kokopelli, November : LPS, December-January : Original or ride up from the bottom depending upon the snow line.
Amasa Back The Amasa Back trail network is outstanding and includes the famous Captain Ahab trail. There are many ways to ride this network of trails in figure eights or short loops. All of the trails are advanced and like TWE require expert bike handling skills. Amasa Back is located in the gorgeous canyon down Kane Creek road. It is a favorite for it's technical ledgey moves both up and down and can be made into a long all day adventure or a quick hour ride after work. Amasa Back trails are rideable year round.
Slickrock Slickrock doesn't always make the cut these days for Moab's best rides, but this Moab icon is one of Wendy's favorites because of its unique terrain and flow. Often described as a natural skate park, you can carve the rocks and find fun essentially everywhere on this unusual terrain. The hills are out of the saddle harsh, steep and punchy but are always immediately followed by a ripping downhill. It is an advanced level challenging and an anaerobic ride that is both fun and fitness. This 9.5 mile lollipop loop should take you anywhere from an hour to 3. Or ride it like Wendy and just play around a bit and come back for a quick fun workout. It is a great afternoon second ride of the day, especially if you are camping in Sand Flats Recreation Area.
Raptor Route Raptor route is an intermediate level single track trail network that is accessed via Sand Flats road. There are three trails that can be connected, Eagle Eye, Hawk's Glide, and Falcon Flow. We prefer to shuttle it but it can be ridden as a loop by parking at the trail tail of Falcon Flow and riding up Sand Flats to your desired entrypoint. This fun flowy trail network has plenty for intermediate and advanced riders. The corners are fun, fast and flowy, and the technical bits are easily doubled for expert riders or a hearty challenge for intermediates. Wendy highly recommends giving it a try. Alternatively you can choose to ride the raptor route as your exit to the Whole Enchilada instead of Porcupine rim. Go big and finish it out on Slickrock on your way down!
Navajo Rocks Navajo Rocks is another awesome intermediate trail network. Our favorite way to ride it is to loop Rocky Tops and Ramblin for a nearly 9 mile loop. Park at the lower parking lot on your way up Highway 313. Start by crossing the road to access Rocky Tops and ride the trails in a clockwise loop. This single track and double track blended trail network is a super fun and moderately challenging. Cross the road again at the top, ride through the main parking lot to access Ramblin. Ramblin has some super fun swoopy slickrock fields mixed with a fun techy singletrack.
Moab Brands The Brands trail network is fun for the whole family. No matter your skill level you can find a trail that you will enjoy out there. This extensive network has many short trails to link together from beginner to expert level all easily accessed from the main parking area. The Brands is located 15 minutes north of town on Highway 191. When visiting Moab to mountain bike it is always a good idea to pop into a local shop for up to date trail conditions, advice and gear. Our favorite shop, and the shop that Wendy managed for 15 years, is Chile Pepper Bike Shop. They offer high quality rentals, expert service, and the most exstensive selection of gear and apparel for both men and women. Shoot us a message if you have any trail questions or want help planning your trip.
