Moab

Beta: Park at the lower shuttle lot in Moab (Chile Pepper, 702 S Main, or the Whole Enchilada lot at 675 N Main) and catch a shuttle. No practical self-shuttle option. The Burro Pass drop opens July 1 if the snow is clear; before then shuttles drop lower, and in early spring that can be as low as LPS or Porcupine Rim. Bring way more water and food than you think: 7,000 ft of descending over ~27 miles with no resupply. The LPS ledges and the ledge drops near the end of Porcupine Rim come when you're already tired, so save some in the tank.

Season: The top starts at ~11,000 ft in the La Sals and doesn't open until July 1 at the earliest, and only if the snow is clear. The Forest Service regulates that date. In early spring, shuttles start with the lowest drops (Porcupine Rim and LPS), and Hazard County generally opens around late May. Check with shuttle operators for what's open on your dates before planning the full ride.

Shuttle: Most people shuttle to the top. You can pedal up the UPS road but it adds 3+ hours of climbing.

Beta: Park at Sand Flats Recreation Area ($5 day pass per vehicle, $2 by bike) near the Porcupine trailhead, or self-shuttle with a car at the Hwy 128 finish. Most riders shuttle so it rides as a point-to-point descent: pedaling up Sand Flats Road is brutal and not worth it. Save energy for the rocky jeep-road chunder in the middle third and the notorious ledge drop near the end above the river. Session it or go around on the left. Expect other riders and hikers near the viewpoints.

Season: Rideable March through November, with peak conditions in April-May and September-October. At 6,000 ft, Porcupine is the first La Sal foothill trail to open in spring and stays accessible longer than the higher-elevation Whole Enchilada top. Summer rides require dawn starts: the exposed sandstone routinely hits 100F+. BLM Sand Flats manages access; shuttle operators are BLM-permitted and e-bikes are prohibited on Porcupine Rim under those permits.

Shuttle: Shuttle saves the climb up Sand Flats Road, but plenty of people pedal to various put-in points.

Self-shuttle: Locals self-shuttle UPS/LPS constantly: park at the Sand Flats vault toilet, ride down, drive yourself back up to the top. Classic DIY move. Brings total time to ~2-3 hours with the drive back.

Beta: Park at the main Slickrock trailhead inside Sand Flats Recreation Area ($5/day per vehicle, $2 by bike); lot fills on busy weekends so arrive early. Ride the Practice Loop first (right fork at 0.25 mi). If the Practice Loop humbles you, turn around; the main loop is harder. Main loop is ridden clockwise by convention: take the left at the loop junction and climb Swiss Cheese Ridge first. Follow the white painted dashes religiously, yellow = caution, don't cross biological soil crust between domes.

Season: Open year-round via BLM's Sand Flats Recreation Area ($2 bike day pass). Prime conditions run March-May and September-November when temps sit in the 60s-70s. Summer is dangerous: the exposed sandstone reflects heat and triple-digit surface temps are common, so locals ride at dawn or skip it entirely. Winter is rideable on dry days but can ice up after storms.

Beta: Standard play is a point-to-point shuttle: drop at the Gemini Bridges Road / Hwy 313 trailhead (13 mi west on 313 from Hwy 191) and finish at Gemini Bridges, Courthouse Wash, or Poison Spider parking if you commit to the Portal. Use a commercial shuttle or leave a car at both ends. Ride sequence is typically Bull Run → Arth's → Great Escape → Getaway → Little Canyon → Gold Bar Rim → optional Portal: the Portal is a hike-a-bike death ledge, skip it unless you've done it before. Carry 3+ liters; zero water and zero shade.

Season: Best ridden March-May and September-November. BLM-permitted shuttle operators do not run Mag 7 shuttles June through mid-September due to dangerous desert heat: the entire ride is fully exposed with essentially no shade. E-bikes are allowed on the Mag 7 system (unusual for Moab BLM trails). Plan around shuttle blackout dates for summer visits.

Shuttle: Point-to-point route. Shuttle to the top is common but you can loop it or arrange a car spot.

E-bikes: Class 1 e-bikes allowed on this route as of 2025.

Beta: Park at the Amasa Back trailhead on Kane Creek Blvd, 5.5 miles from the Chile Pepper bike shop (pit toilet, big gravel lot, fills by mid-morning in season). Ahab is downhill-only: climb up HyMasa (easier tech, 3 mi) to access the Ahab drop-in at the top. Pre-ride or walk the first two tech features to set expectations; nearly every drop and step-down has a go-around line. No bail once committed on the descent, and no water the whole ride, so carry 2+ liters.

Season: Best March-April and late-September through October when temps sit in the 60s-70s. The Amasa Back area is fully exposed with minimal shade, so summer riders start at dawn or pick dusk laps. Avoid riding after rain: the clay gets dangerously slick and damages tread. October weekends are crowded; weekdays in late March or early November are the sweet spot.

Beta: Park at the Bar M gravel lot off Hwy 191 about 8 miles north of the river (vault toilet, pavilion, free). Easiest Bar M Loop is ridden counter-clockwise starting south on Gas Line Connector toward Rusty Spur. Follow the black 'Bar M Loop' signs. Beginners should stick to Bar M, Rusty Spur, and Lazy-EZ; intermediates add North 40 and the Circle O / Rockin A slickrock loops on the east side. Killer B drop to old 191 is a good optional finish but commits you to a road pedal back.

Season: Rideable March through November. Lower elevation and well-drained slickrock make Bar M one of the earliest trails to open each spring and a reliable shoulder-season option when higher trails are still muddy. E-bikes are permitted on the Moab Brands system starting March 1 (rare for BLM trails in Moab). Summer rides require dawn starts due to full sun exposure.

Beta: For EKG, use the Northern Klondike trailhead: Hwy 191 about 8.5 mi south of I-70, turn east onto the dirt road at the 'Northern Klondike' sign. EKG is a traverse, not a loop: no sustained climbing, just up-and-down tech the whole length, and it's the most technical trail in Klondike. Most riders link EKG with Mega Steps, Dino Flow, or UFO as a stacked loop out of the north lot. Zero shade, zero water, and the dirt road in gets washboarded. Drive slow.

Season: Season runs March through November. Klondike sits north of Moab on BLM land and dries out early in spring, making it one of the first Moab systems to come into shape after winter. Fully exposed desert terrain means summer rides need dawn starts: midday temps routinely exceed 100F with no shade. Fall (October-November) is peak season with mild temps and fewer crowds.

Beta: Park at the Falcon Flow lots on Sand Flats Road: lower at mile 4 from the entry gate, upper (better) at mile 6.8 just before Porcupine Rim parking ($5/day entry fee). Parking is tiny at both, so arrive early on weekends. Climb the dirt road up, descend Falcon Flow south to north (flow-style berms, tables, one signature slickrock roll), then link Eagle Eye and Hawks Glide for the full Raptor Route. Downhill-preferred: don't climb it during peak hours.

Season: Season runs roughly March through November, matching the general Klondike Bluffs north area. These are newer trails built on BLM land with good drainage. Coyote Shuttle runs a BLM-permitted drop for the Raptor Route linkup. Like the rest of Klondike, full exposure means summer rides are dawn-only; April-May and October are ideal.

Shuttle: Falcon Climb (opened late 2025) provides a dedicated uphill route, making this a self-contained loop. Can also be ridden as an alternate finish to the Whole Enchilada.