Mountain Biking Moab by David Crowell

Author:David Crowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Falcon Guides
Published: 2019-07-10T16:00:00+00:00

17 Porcupine Rim

Next to the Slickrock Trail (Ride 1), this is perhaps the most notorious of Moab’s rides. The view from the rim is as breathtaking as the cigarettes whose ads use the same background. It’s definitely an E-ticket ride to Moab’s original downhill romp. The ride has received mixed reviews; some find it too technical for their taste, but it induces perma-grin for those who like boulder boppin’ and ledge droppin’ along vertigo-inducing cliff sides. When ridden as a loop, it includes the climb up Sand Flats Road, which can get extremely busy and dusty during the high season, and it returns along narrow UT 128. The Moab Canyon Pathway is slated to connect to Porcupine’s exit, allowing safer returns to town. For shuttle information see appendix H. This is the classic Porcupine Rim Trail. You’ve probably heard of LPS and UPS. That refers to the Lower and Upper Porcupine Singletrack. They are prime examples of Canyon Country singletrack. Described in Ride 16, UPS is accessed at mile 11.1 of the Whole Enchilade (Ride 16) and LPS flows down from the UPS. All three Porcupines are part of the Whole Enchilada.

Location: 10 miles east of Moab

Distance: 15.0 miles point to point with a shuttle or a 31.2-mile loop

Riding time: About 2 to 4 hours one-way; 4 to 7 hours for the loop

Physical difficulty: Moderately strenuous. The first climb is fairly extended, but after 4 miles it’s all downhill. As a loop, this is definitely strenuous and often dusty.

Technical difficulty: Challenging. The majority of the ride is solid moderate-to-challenging work up and down ledges on steep, rocky slopes. The singletrack is famous for riding that challenges even elite riders. Cocky riders often take soil samples home along with a serving of crow pie.

Trail surface:11.7 miles on four-wheel-drive road; 3.3 miles on singletrack. The four-wheel-drive road is full of bedrock steps laid down on packed dirt with occasional sandy spots. The singletrack is packed dirt when it’s not climbing, dodging, and hopping the encroaching boulders.

Land status: BLM

Maps: USGS Rill Creek, Moab, Windows

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