Slickrock
Trail - The Trail That Made Moab Famous!
The famous mountain
biking trail in Moab...The granddaddy of them
all!
Close to Moab. A few minutes drive, or you can
add to the challenge by biking to the trailhead
from town!
2 Official rides: The practice loop, which is
about a mile, or the full shebang which is 10
1/2 miles.
Either way, this is a really challenging ride
that should only be attempted by experienced riders.
Want to ride in Moab but you don't really know
the area? Take a Moab Bike Trip with Western Spirit
Cycling and discover Moab Mountain Biking as you
never imagined! For information about our bike
trips in the area and dates, please call us at
1-800-845-2453
The Slickrock trail - This isn't
a ride to be taken lightly. To do the whole thing,
a decent rider can expect to be out in the desert
for about 5 or 6 hours. No kidding! If you try
this ride in the middle of the summer, make sure
that you take a LOT of water. It is also advised
to start this ride early in the day. Take extra
tubes or a patch kit. This ride can be just as
hard on your bike! Riding with a friend is also
highly recommended.
Ok, enough of the serious stuff. Make sure to
pack a camera on this ride. You will be riding
on the famous Moab Slickrock - or in geologic
terms, you will be riding mostly on Navajo Sandstone.
This is what Moab is famous for, and you'll have
miles and miles of it. Riding on slickrock allows
you to ascend hills with pitches normally reserved
for rock-climbers. Your tires just don't slip
on this stuff. That's what makes it fun! And if
you have been diligently keeping up with your
weekly aerobics or ski-conditioning classes, your
body will thank you. This ride is strenuous and
exhausting. It is a very good thing that the entire
trail is marked with white dashes. Believe us,
your brain will check out from time to time either
from the fight to keep oxygen going, or from the
breathtaking scenery.
Riding the Slickrock Trail on a weekday, or not
during the high season is also recommended. Every
year this ride seem to get more and more crowded
and popular. However, if you happen to be riding
here on a busy day, you count on some good entertainment
watching the other riders attempt some of the
challenging sections.
To get to the trailhead, start at the Moab Visitor
Center and go right on Center Street. When you
get to 400 west, take a right. You'll be heading
south for about a half mile, when you will take
a left at Mill Creek Drive. Hey, you are passing
Western Spirit Cycling on your left! Why don't
you stop in and say hello! We can show you some
of the great local excursions that we have coming
up. Ok, back to the directions - keep going up
Mill Creek Drive and you'll come to a stopsign.
You should see Sand Flats Road. Go up the road
a few miles and you will be at the trailhead.
Make sure to take some cash with you as there
is a fee to enter the park.
To get a current map and ride information, stop
into the visitor center in Moab. You will find
books with detailed ride information, topographical
maps, and other valuable riding and hiking information.
Aprés Bike Recommendation: Moab
Brewery: Great locally brewed beer and a savory
menu are the perfect way to nourish your body
after riding the Slickrock Trail!
Moab
Slickrock Trail
