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Moab Brand Trails Bar M, Circle O, Rockin A, Bar B (plus Lazy-EZ, Deadman's Ridge, Killer B, Rusty Spur, Longbranch) The "Brand Trails" are a network of trails a few miles north of Moab. The trail names are based on cattle brands and spell out M-o-a-b. The easy Bar M trail forms a loop from which the other trails can be reached. Bar M, Rusty Spur, and Lazy-EZ are suitable for pure beginners. The others require reasonable shifting skill, bike handling ability, and leg power. For experts, there's Deadman's Ridge, Longbranch, and the "Killer B" descent off the Bar B loop. |
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Bar M Loop The Bar M Loop is a fairly easy ride technically. Elevation change is modest at about 300 feet. Many families ride this trail, including baby trailers and trail-a-bikes. The loop is 7 miles long. It can be ridden in either direction. Most riders go counterclockwise. This direction also is the optimal direction for riding the more-technical alternate route using Bar B, Rockin A, then Circle O. [ Bar M trail page ] |
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Circle O Loop The Circle O trail is 100% slickrock, on top of Entrada sandstone. The Circle O trail itself is only about 3.5 miles long with only 200 feet absolute elevation change. To ride it as a loop, include 1.3 miles of the Bar M between the two trail ends. But to get there via the Bar M, your minimum riding distance will be about 10 miles. This trail is quick up-and-down riding, with a few upper-level moves to cross tire-traps and ledges. You can ride either direction, but south-to-north is most common. |
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Rockin A Rockin A connects the Bar B loop to the slickrock portion of Circle O. The riding is very similar to Circle O -- quick moves on slickrock requiring good shifting, balance control, and stand-and-grunts. It's only 1.7 miles in length, but to loop around via Bar M is 4 miles. Advanced riders use Rockin A as a route between Bar B and Circle O. |
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Bar B Loop The Bar B trail starts at the southern end of the Bar M loop. It starts as desert singletrack, then throws in technical rock-rolling singletrack. The return half of the loop is easy doubletrack and slickrock. Ridden counterclockwise, the end of the loop connects to the south end of Rockin A. [ Bar B trail page ] |
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Killer B Killer B is a steep one-mile descent from the south end of Bar B to old highway 191 in the valley below. It drops 500 vertical feet in 0.7 miles. There are a few extreme rock-clearing stunts, and a couple of very steep sandstone sections. Near the bottom, there's a 600 foot stair-step hike. From the bottom, use Old 191 to go back to Bar M or head downhill back to Moab. |
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Lazy - EZ Loop Lazy-EZ is a lariat loop ride that starts on the "Short Loop" cutoff of the Bar M. The 3-mile loop is easy riding, intended for those who are just getting their wheels on singletrack. But it also gives a more interesting route for experts to reach the more tech trails. At the southern end, the loop connects to Deadman's Ridge. |
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Deadman's Ridge This trail is partially finished. It starts from Bar M, right where the Lazy-EZ loop hits Bar M. Deadman's Ridge connects to the north end of the Bar B trail, just after it leaves the south end of Bar M. The continuing trail goes south then curves back north to join Old 191 paved trail. |
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Rusty Spur This is a short and very easy dirt singletrack suitable for beginners and children. It starts off the Old 191 paved trail and loops 1.3 miles around with views of the cliffs to the west. |
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Longbranch Longbranch is a very technical 1.1 mile trail that forks off Deadman's Ridge (just before the Deadman's Ridge trail descends down to Old 191) and joins the south end of the Bar B loop near its connection to Killer B. |
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| Coming soon! North 40: a loop inside the northern end of Bar M, it will start just across the Short Loop cutoff from the northern end of Lazy-EZ. As of November 2011, it's NOT open -- don't go looking for it! |
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Getting there: From the north, exit I-70 at
Crescent Junction and drive south on US-191 for 22 miles. From Moab, drive
7 miles north from the Colorado River on 191. When you see the Gemini
Bridges parking area, look for a gravel road on the opposite side (east,
away from the cliffs). Turn onto the gravel road and immediately go right.
Drive past the first parking lot. (This is restaurant parking or fee
parking GPS N 38° 39.38' W 109° 40.66'.) As you approach the fence and
kiosk at the paved trail, turn left and drive 1/4 mile to the gravel
parking lot in the bottom of the valley N38 39.107 W109 40.110. Ride
either direction to reach the east or west side of the Bar M loop. For
other trails, see the individual trail pages.
Alternate: From Moab, ride the Old Highway 191 paved trail until you reach the Bar M sign. |
| Track Files: GPX
all Moab Brand area trails See individual trail pages for single-track files. Higher resolution topo map for printing: View Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Moab area resources |
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