Moab has been the mountain biking capital of the American West for thirty years, and the trail system here is one of the reasons. The Slickrock Trail is probably the most famous trail in the world — but it's also Expert-level terrain that will eat unprepared riders alive. The guided experiences we recommend start at a more sensible entry point and build from there.
Moab Brand Trails: The Right Way to Start
The Moab Brand Trails system — a network of flowy, purpose-built singletrack on the outskirts of town — is where Moab mountain biking actually begins for most people. The trails are designed to be enjoyable at beginner and intermediate level, with smooth-flowing berms, manageable grades, and desert scenery that makes you forget you're supposed to be working.
The guided beginner tour uses this network because it rewards good technique without punishing inexperience. The guide coaches body position, braking, and line choice throughout — which makes it as much a skills clinic as a ride. You come away a better rider than you arrived, and you've seen a beautiful corner of the desert in the process.
Dead Horse Point: When You Want More
Dead Horse Point is a different proposition. The singletrack here runs along the mesa rim, 2,000 feet above the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park below. The views are stop-you-mid-pedal extraordinary, and the trails have more technical character — tighter lines, more exposure, more decision-making required.
This is the tour for people who are comfortable on singletrack and want bigger terrain and bigger views. Four to five hours, more vertical, more challenge. The Dead Horse Point overlook is one of the most photographed viewpoints in Utah for a reason — and arriving at it on a mountain bike, having earned it, is a particular kind of satisfaction.
Which to Choose
First time on a mountain bike, or first time on desert terrain: Brand Trails, no question. Comfortable rider looking for a genuine Moab experience: Dead Horse Point. Both tours are guided, both include bike and helmet rental. Book ahead in March through May and September through October — peak season fills up fast.
"The canyon rim at Dead Horse is one of those views that doesn't diminish. I've ridden that trail dozens of times and it still gets me." — James Whitfield
