Moab in 3 Days: The Intermediate Classics Trip

Morning: Get into town, sort your rental, and let the tires adjust to sandstone before you commit to anything big.

Afternoon: Shake out on Bar M / Moab Brands, the mellow loop system off Hwy 191 north of the river. Lazy EZ and Rusty Spur ease you in, and North 40 adds a little slickrock if you want it.

Eats: First-night beers and big portions at Moab Brewery. grab the patio and the Dead Horse Amber.

Morning: Ride the Slickrock Trail, the petrified-dune classic that put Moab on the map. Do the Practice Loop first, then the 10.6-mile main loop clockwise up Swiss Cheese Ridge, following the white painted dashes.

Afternoon: Easy afternoon. spin around town, hit a bike shop, and stay off the legs before tomorrow's long day.

Eats: Burgers, tots, and a shake at Milt's Stop & Eat. it has been feeding riders since 1954.

Morning: Catch the Coyote Shuttle up to the Gemini Bridges Road trailhead and ride Mag 7 point-to-point, roughly 26 miles of mesa-top trail linking Bull Run through Gold Bar Rim. Skip the Portal unless you have ridden it before.

Afternoon: Roll back into town, clean up, and let a big day sink in before you head out.

Eats: Fuel up early at Love Muffin Cafe. the green chile breakfast burrito packs well for a long shuttle day.