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Moab, UT

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Dkin

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Doing a trip out west this summer with the wife and 3 kids. Hitting a bunch of nat'l parks in CO, UT and AZ. Part of our trip is 4 days in Moab. I'm an avid road cyclist, but haven't done much mountain biking at all.

- Any general commments about Moab?

- Who's biked Slick Rock? What do you recommend for an experienced roadie, but relative newcomer to MTB?
 
Dkin said:
Doing a trip out west this summer with the wife and 3 kids. Hitting a bunch of nat'l parks in CO, UT and AZ. Part of our trip is 4 days in Moab. I'm an avid road cyclist, but haven't done much mountain biking at all.

- Any general commments about Moab?

- Who's biked Slick Rock? What do you recommend for an experienced roadie, but relative newcomer to MTB?
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Friend of mine just got back; I'll ask him. Would the kids be cycling as well, or just you?
 
lbE08 said:
Friend of mine just got back; I'll ask him. Would the kids be cycling as well, or just you?
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Probably a solo outing for me + an outing with my 13 yr old. He's done up to 50 miles at a time on the road, but is most comfortable in the 20-25 mile range.
 
Dkin said:
Probably a solo outing for me + an outing with my 13 yr old. He's done up to 50 miles at a time on the road, but is most comfortable in the 20-25 mile range.
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Noted. I'll send you whatever answer I get (for clarification I said you'd be riding solo, but you can take whatever info I get in response and figure out if it's good for your kid).
 
Go to the narrows in Zion. You'll thank me later.
 
Anything in arches is dope. Snagged a bite at the jailhouse cafe and it was tasty.
 
My brother has a place in Castle Valley and does a lot of MBing in the area. If you want his email PM me and you can get it from him first hand.
 
The response:


Moab rocks! (pun intended)

Fun town, go to the Love Muffin Café for breakfast, yum.

Best bike shop in town is the Poison Spider.

If you are looking for a shuttle check out Coyote shuttles. As for places to stay? We stayed at the lazy lizard hostel. A cabin with 2 bunk beds was $32. Detached showers, kind of a shithole full of freaky people, but cheap.

Most trails are pretty high skill level and most don’t have large sections of slick rock. The trails are lot’s of rock, and big rocks, but not necessarily slick rock. The Bar M trails are the easiest, some kid friendly loops there as well. The North 40 trail (at Bar M) is pretty fun and is “roadie” approved. Another fun trail system is the “Magnificent 7” or Mag 7. 7 trails that are linked together, 2+ hours, roadie approved.

There is an actual trail called the “Slick rock trail.” It’s in the Slick Rock National Park. It’s 10 miles that will take 2 hours. Lots of really steep ups and downs, crazy ride where 95% of the terrain is on rock. A must do in my book but not an easy ride. Biggest issue with the trail isn’t the difficulty but there is definitely a mental component because the consequences for crashing are high.

Tell him to rent a full squish bike.
 
lbE08 said:
The response:


Moab rocks! (pun intended)

Fun town, go to the Love Muffin Café for breakfast, yum.

Best bike shop in town is the Poison Spider.

If you are looking for a shuttle check out Coyote shuttles. As for places to stay? We stayed at the lazy lizard hostel. A cabin with 2 bunk beds was $32. Detached showers, kind of a shithole full of freaky people, but cheap.

Most trails are pretty high skill level and most don’t have large sections of slick rock. The trails are lot’s of rock, and big rocks, but not necessarily slick rock. The Bar M trails are the easiest, some kid friendly loops there as well. The North 40 trail (at Bar M) is pretty fun and is “roadie” approved. Another fun trail system is the “Magnificent 7” or Mag 7. 7 trails that are linked together, 2+ hours, roadie approved.

There is an actual trail called the “Slick rock trail.” It’s in the Slick Rock National Park. It’s 10 miles that will take 2 hours. Lots of really steep ups and downs, crazy ride where 95% of the terrain is on rock. A must do in my book but not an easy ride. Biggest issue with the trail isn’t the difficulty but there is definitely a mental component because the consequences for crashing are high.

Tell him to rent a full squish bike.
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Lazy lizard is an awesome spot. Met this old head there who spun the wildest evening of tales the likes of which I will never forget. Definitely good peoples.
 
Good advice above.

Moab is my favorite place on the planet. I've been there 3 times and if I didn't live so far away, Id go all the time.

Slickrock is a must do ride but not for the weak. Its worth doing as it is the most unique place I've ever ridden. Not good for a kid though. Its intense and hard. There are places where I would think, hmm if I did this wrong, I would die. They do have a short practice loop which is only a few miles and supposedly gives you the experience.

Klondike Bluffs is neat and a bit more family friendly. Includes some slick rock, dinosaur tracks and a great look into Arches. Very safe for kids.

There is another all down hill one, I think its called Gemini Bridges. I also rode a trail called Behind the Rocks which is where they do the 24 hrs of Moab. Epic ride. Cant imagine these guys do it in the dark.

There are some great road rides into the LaSal Mountains.

Poison Spider is the place to go. Have a t-shirt on from there as we speak.

I rode/camped the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands and they do day jeep rides around it. Its an incredible place and I recommend getting to it. Same for Deadhorse State park.

Arches too is great. No mountain biking but you can road ride in it. The hike to Delicate Arch worth it.

Both breweries are neat (Moab Brewery is the one I remember).

Man, Im jealous. I need to go there again.
 
I kind of want to go now after reading the advice from my friend, having heard about his trip, and just loving that area of the country. Zion is definitely my favorite park; your family is going to have a great trip.
 
3rd for Zion, it's pretty damn sweet. Hard to go wrong with really any of the parks out west that iv'e been to.
 
My buddy and I were pulled over and given a ticket for going like 10 miles over the speed limit on the stretch of road leading to Arches National Park. Sons a bitches.

It's beautiful out there, though. Have a good time.
 
ToughLoveDeac said:
My buddy and I were pulled over and given a ticket for going like 10 miles over the speed limit on the stretch of road leading to Arches National Park. Sons a bitches.

It's beautiful out there, though. Have a good time.
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Yup watch the signs there, they had a fucking sign about as large as my arm that shifted the speed limit from 75 to 65. A cop coming from the opposite direction "pinged" us (fucking chickenshit cop), and then illegally searched my car based on an odor (which was non-existent). Utah is beautiful. The people and law enforcement that live and work there are not.

As a gentleman from Colorado I met on a disc golf course in Colorado said of Utah, "I don't fuck with Utah." After what I went through, it was hard for me to argue that point.
 
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lbE08 said:
The response:
.

There is an actual trail called the “Slick rock trail.” It’s in the Slick Rock National Park. It’s 10 miles that will take 2 hours. Lots of really steep ups and downs, crazy ride where 95% of the terrain is on rock. A must do in my book but not an easy ride. Biggest issue with the trail isn’t the difficulty but there is definitely a mental component because the consequences for crashing are high.
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Do you mean Canyonlands NP? Pretty sure there is no Slick Rock NP. edit: it is in Sand Flats Recreation Area http://www.discovermoab.com/sandflats.htm

Moab is awesome. When is "this summer." Hella hot midsummer there.

What other parks? How long is the hole trip? I have tons of thoughts on everything out there.
 
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big moab fan. only spent a day during my xc drive, but i plan on going back when it isn't 10 degrees. i'll post some pics later on when i get a chance since i have nothing else to add.
 
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