Kaibab: 801.259.7423
Rim Cyclery: 801.259.5333
Poison Spider: 801.259.7882
Moab area maps: Latitude 40 publishes the popular Moab East and Moab West series (1:75,000).
Trails Illustrated (http://www.trailsillustrated.com/) publishes the popular Moab Map (# 501) that covers approximately the same area (perhaps not as far west in coverage) at the two Moab East and Moab West maps. Map 501 is a two-sided map.
Some information about Moab area rides, particularly information that is not available in the standard guides.
Conditions as of spring, 98. The Spring Canyon Road, down to the bottom of Spring Canyon, is 2WD. The actual descent portion into Spring Canyon, while 2WD, is a bit sporty (tight curves, big drop-offs), and not suitable for RVs, etc. The Spring Canyon Point Road, out to the Happy Joe Canyon Rim turnoff, is 2WD (despite the 4WD designations on the various maps and the road signs). The major limiting factor on these roads appears to be drifting sand, which could make the conditions deteriorate to 4WD.
The Spring Canyon Loop Ride, as described on the Latitude 40 Moab West map, is mostly a dirt-road ride, but the portion along the Green River is very enjoyable and the hike-a-bike out of Happy Joe Canyon is cool.
There is a lot of slick rock in the Spring Canyon area. The formations are not as large as the Slick Rock Trail, nor is the slick rock surface generally as smooth as Bartlet Wash. But the exploration factor is high, the possibilities abound, and the crowds don't exist (yet). One large formation area is the white Navaho slick rock that lies at the base of Red Wall Mesa (the large mesa that is a mile northwest of Tombstone Tower -- not the mesa that actually connects with/touchs Tombstone). It is possible to circumnavigate three quarters of Red Wall Mesa on this Navaho, and the south west corner has a number of possibilities spreading out from the base of Red Wall Mesa. The riding is somewhat bumpy, but fun.
There are interesting landmarks and good riding from the Big Pouroff area across to the First Notch area.
South of Big Pouroff (more over towards Little Pouroff) is another area that looks to have potential, and also the Big Ridge area looks promising.
There is large dome of good looking slick-rock on the Temple Mountain Road entrance (the northern approach) to Goblin Valley State Park The Temple Mountain Road turns west off Highway 24 north of Goblin Valley and heads over to the swell. At the base of the swell, the road T's, with the Temple Mountain Road continuing to the west (straight), and the road to Goblin Valley turning off to the south. Right here, to the west, the swell makes a lovely-looking dome of slick rock, which appears rideable, with perhaps a steep ride up on the out leg and a down-hill bonaza on the ride back to the car.
The slick on the west side of Bartlet Wash. The standard Bartlet Wash "out and back" is less technical than the Slick Rock Trail, more rideable by beginners. Much more popular in the last few years. A few Bartlet Wash photos (spring, 98):
The trail runs from Loma Colorado (just west of Grand Junction, CO) to Moab. The Colorado end starts at the Loma Boat Launch. Loma is about 15 miles west of Grand Junction along I-70. It passes west from Lomma on the north side of the Colorado River, crosses the Colorado at the Dewey Bridge, and then heads up to Polar Mesa, to the La Sal Mountain loop road at the head of the Fisher Valley, to the Sand Flats road and over into Moab. High point is the Polar Mesa, at about 7,500 and the next Mesa to the West, Fisher Mesa, at a little over 8,000. Distance is about 140 miles. Most parties take 3 to 5 days. Rumored to be sandy. Described by some as "not one of Moab's best," but that's perhaps unfair. It is a different beast than spending the afternoon out blasting around the lovely surface of Slick Rock. There is an approx. $5 book (published by Barnes?) entitled something like "The Kokopelli Trail" that describes the trail and comes with a map.
COPMOBA (Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association publishes a number of trail maps for rides in the Fruita area, including a map of the Kokopelli Trail. The 3rd edition, 1996, of this map shows the re-routed eastern end of the Kokopelli Trail. Earlier maps show the old route for the eastern end.
Copyright © 1999 Randy Day
Last modified: September 14, 2001