Utah's mountain bike mecca

Sunset, April, 1992 by David Mahoney

Moab hasn't seen anything like it since the 1950s, when the discovery of uranium drew thousands of prospectors to the area. Although the small southeastern Utah town has long been a base for visitors exploring nearby Canyonlands and Arches national parks, the rush of mountain bikers descending on Moab from around the world has raised its prominence as a tourism hub to an entirely different level.

With a wide strip of motels and fast-food joints running down its center, Moab bears little resemblance to such posh desert oases as Palm Springs or Scottsdale, Arizona. It's the surrounding natural landscape, however, not the human "improvements," that has made Moab a mountain biking mecca.

Rough dirt roads wind along high-walled canyon bottoms and traverse sagebrush-covered mesas, offering astoundingly scenic mountain bike routes through this high-desert tertrain. Though they do not stand out on maps as conspicuously as the national parks, public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management stretch out for miles in almost every direction from Moab. Access to BLM lands is limited mostly by a cyclist's endurance and ability to follow trails.

Maps and books focusing on mountain bike routes around Moab are helpful, as are tour companies that offer guided trips. Only a few years ago, there was just one such company in Moab; now there are several.

Spring and fall are the best times for bicycling here. (Summer brings sizzling hot weather; in winter, temperatures can hover around freezing.) Desert rides in the immediate vicinity of Moab are invitingly cool in early spring. Later, as temperatures begin to climb, higher-altitude routes in the nearby La Sal Mountains become more appealing.

A DAY-RIDE SAMPLER

While Moab certainly attracts its share of hard-core bike bums who are happiest when grinding up or flying down a seemingly vertical rock face, less dedicated mountain bikers can find plenty of ride options that provide thrills and stunning scenery without putting life and limb at risk.

Here are four favorite routes that can be enjoyably negotiated by riders with only a modicum of off-road experience. Maps of the first ride described are available at the trailhead parking area; for help with navigation on the others, you should use a map and/or guidebook (see page 26).

1. Moab Slickrock Bike Trail practice loop. The main Slickrock trail, developed by motorcycle enthusiasts, has gained legendary status among the motorless two-wheeling set. On some weekends, a steady stream of cyclists (one local bike shop manager refers to them as "the Lycra parade") can be seen making the pilgrimage around the 10-mile circuit, following its painted white dashes up and down undulating sandstone humps.

However, legend may collide painfully with reality for those attempting to negotiate the course without well-honed technical riding skills. But inexpert riders need not despair: they can get a glimpse of greatness on the Slickrock's adjacent 2.3-mile practice loop. Similar to the main trail but over somewhat easier terrain, the shorter loop requires much less of a commitment; you're never so far from the trailhead that you can't walk your bike back if necessary.

Be sure that your brakes are in good working order. Even on the practice loop, you'll have to squeeze hard to check your speed on precipitous declines that seem to run headlong into equally steep rising slopes. Despite the impression that the trail's name might give, the sandstone it traverses offers remarkable traction; bike tires rarely lose their grip on even the toughest climbs or descents.

2. Kane Creek Canyon, Hurrah Pass. This 21-mile out-and-back ride snakes up a canyon between rust-colored cliffs before ascending to a stunning overlook. It requires little technical skill, but stamina for long climbs.

The ride begins near where Kane Creek empties into the Colorado River, just a short drive from town (you can easily ride there if you prefer). A graded dirt road climbs steadily south along sandstone walls resembling slabs of fudge dusted with chocolate powder, then makes a rapid descent through hairpin turns to the canyon bottom, where an icy spring gushing from a rock wall and shady cotton-woods provide welcome relief.

After a few more twists and turns, the canyon widens to a broad valley. The road continues along the mostly level valley floor, eventually crossing Kane Creek (or its dry bed, depending on recent weather). Bearing right at a junction, you begin the relentless 600-foot climb along the canyon wall to Hurrah Pass. A BLM sign that greets you at the pass identifies your elevation as 4,740 feet. You'll quickly forget the rigors of the climb as you drink in the sweeping views back over Kane Creek Canyon and ahead over meanders of the Colorado River. And you might forget them completely in the exhilaration of your descent as you begin to retrace your route.

3. Gemini Bridges Trail. When done as a one-way ride, this 13.5-mile route lets you coast downhill most of the way, leaving you free to enjoy the high-desert scenery. Starting with the trailhead turnoff, the trail is well signed throughout.