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Sovereign Singletrack
The Sovereign Singletrack is new in 2003, but I think it's destined to become one of the Top 10 trails of the Moab area. This narrow singletrack trail combines dirt, open rock, ledges, climbs, and views. It's great fun, but we don't recommend it for beginners. Consider this an intermediate to advanced trail, moderately strenuous. Riders cruise along narrow singletrack, heading for the next section of technical rock. Photos by Bruce, May 5, 2003. |
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| There are several riding options, depending on your taste
for adventure (and on your tolerance for sand). North to South is easier,
and all of the riders I encountered on my exploration rides were going
that way. Some went up Dalton Wells Road to catch the southern 6 miles of
the singletrack, others forked left from the upper parking area to claim an
extra 2.3 miles of singletrack. Most elected to make the return loop by
means of the highway. But this is a new trail -- riders are going to vote
for the best ride option with their bike tires. Section of open rock on the southern end of the trail. The trail is marked with blue sprockets painted on rock. |
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My recommendation for advanced riders is the 16.5-mile Lariat Loop from Willow Springs Road. From the trailhead (2 miles from the highway), ride the awesome singletrack 6 miles north. At Dalton Wells Road, cross into the small wash and follow the singletrack another 2.3 miles. Turn right on dirt road, forking off the larger road after 0.4 miles. After a mile on DT, you enter a huge tilted slickrock area. Play all you want, then exit on the Dalton Wells Road about a mile southwest. Turn off the DW Road back onto the singletrack to do the first 6 miles of trail in the opposite direction! Barrel cactus in full bloom along the Sovereign Trail. |
| If you absolutely MUST ride a loop, I suggest the 15-mile
Pipeline Loop. This loop offers a bit more riding on the slickrock area,
but you'll spend your last 2 miles bombing down a rocky pipeline service road. This
loop can be shortened to 11 miles by turning right on Dalton Wells Road at
mile 6.
The 14-mile Dalton Loop runs the singletrack from north to south, returning via an often sandy doubletrack (very fat tires and thighs of steel recommended), or by riding to the highway on Willow Springs Road and heading up to Dalton Wells Road 1 mile north. Rolling onward along the trail... |
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And of course, you can ride the trail from either trailhead as an out-and-back. Or you can bring a second vehicle and ride it as a one-way. View to the west. The singletrack may keep your eyes from noticing the scenery.
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| You'll ride through layers of rock from the middle to late
Jurassic Period (208 to 144 million years ago). The white Curtis Formation
sandstone caps the underlying Entrada. You'll ride through ledges and
shales of the Summerville Formation, to the chunky caprock of white Salt
Wash sandstone from the Morrison Formation at the high point of the ride.
View to the north, just before dropping down to the Dalton Wells Road. The broad area of white rock is the far side of the lariat loop -- we'll skirt the west side of it on the way out, then cross it on the way back. In the distance, Entrada sandstone protrudes near the border of Arches National Park. |
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The big green mountain at the north end of the ride is shale and clay from
the later Morrison Formation, capped by the dark rough Buckhorn
Comglomerate of the early Cretaceous Period.
Bruce descends towards Dalton Wells Road. |
| This ride has a good sampling of every type of riding --
fast singletrack, technical sections, sand digs, steep drops, stiff
climbs, open slickrock. You're going to like this trail!
Handlebar view on the open slickrock section. Stay and play. You can find some ledge drops and technical challenges in the washes that cut through this area. |
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| Lariat Loop (Willow Springs Rd) Do the best part both directions! 0.0 Continue E on road N 38° 41.876' W 109° 39.868', alt=4350 0.1 Fork L on DT 0.6 L on ST as DT crosses wash N 38° 42.277' W 109° 39.485' 3.0 Drop from mesa into valley 4.0 Stiff climb onto mesa 5.3 View north over rock, altitude 4850 ft 6.0 Cross Dalton Wells Rd N 38° 44.154' W 109° 39.820', alt=4500 Follow small wash 0.1, then exit R (N) 6.5 Arrive at open rock, veer L |
7.1 Fork after stiff climb,
straight (L) N 38° 44.489' W 109° 40.125', alt=4675 1/4 mile of sand 8.2 R on road N 38° 44.180' W 109° 40.370' 8.6 R at road fork, L at next fork 9.4 Slickrock - head R - no trail markings 10.0 R off slickrock onto L fork Dalton W Rd (smallish flat-topped red hill at rock edge) N 38° 44.448' W 109° 39.533' 10.3 Join R fork of Dalton W Rd Continue downhill 10.5 L onto original trail, begin stiff climb 16.5 Back at trailhead. |
| Pipeline Loop (Willow Springs Rd) 0.0 Continue E on road N 38° 41.876' W 109° 39.868', alt=4350 0.1 Fork L on DT 0.6 L on ST as DT crosses wash N 38° 42.277' W 109° 39.485' 3.0 Drop from mesa into valley 4.0 Stiff climb onto mesa 5.3 View north over rock, altitude 4850 ft 6.0 Cross Dalton Wells Rd N 38° 44.154' W 109° 39.820', alt=4500 Follow small wash 0.1, then exit R (N) 6.5 Arrive at open rock, veer L 7.1 Fork after stiff climb, straight (L) N 38° 44.489' W 109° 40.125', alt=4675 1/4 mile of sand |
8.2 R on road N 38° 44.180' W 109° 40.370' 8.6 R at road fork, L at next fork 9.4 Slickrock - head R - no trail markings 10.0 Pass L fork of Dalton Wells Rd N 38° 44.448' W 109° 39.533' 10.6 Find R fork of Rd on edge of rock N 38° 44.224' W 109° 39.426', alt=4600 Turn L, head E along edge of rock 11.4 Fork L (R goes to valley -- m3.5) N 38° 43.925' W 109° 38.860' 12.1 R at 4-way N 38° 44.015' W 109° 38.357', alt=4900' 12.3 Pass pipeline pumphouse 14.8 Pass outbound ST in wash 15.4 Back at parking |
| Dalton Loop
(from Dalton Wells Rd) 0.0 L fork from parking N 38° 43.584' W 109° 40.783', alt=4450 (Consider R fork 1.1 miles then R on ST, to shorten ride by 2 miles, skip some sand) 0.4 Straight up slickrock, L onto road 0.9 DT comes in from L Begin looking for ST on R at N 38° 44.180' W 109° 40.370' 2.0 Straight (R) at fork N 38° 44.489' W 109° 40.125', alt=4675 2.6 Veer R on rock, down wash 3.1 Cross Dalton Road, begin climb N 38° 44.154' W 109° 39.820', alt=4500 3.9 Finish climb, alt=4850' |
4.1 Big loose descent into canyon 6.9 Climb out of canyon 7.1 Gentle slope, tech downhill 8.6 R out of wash on DT N 38° 42.277' W 109° 39.485' 9.0 R on Willow Springs Road 9.1 Straight past parking 9.3 R on DT N 38° 41.833' W 109° 40.094' (Alternative: straight to highway, R 1 mi, L on Dalton Wells Rd., add 0.4 mile) 13.6 L on Dalton Wells Road N 38° 43.640' W 109° 40.576' 13.8 Back at parking |
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From the north, Dalton Wells road is 17 miles
south of I-70, on your left. Willow Springs Road is exactly 1 mile further
south, also on the left. Coming north from Moab, Willow Springs Road will
be on your right, 1.8 miles past the junction with Highway 313 (Canyonlands
and Dead Horse Point).
Getting there, Willow Springs Road Trailhead: On US-191 north of Moab, turn east on dirt Willow Springs Road. Keep L at fork at mile 1.3. At mile 2.0, park in the rock-outlined area on your left N 38° 41.876' W 109° 39.868', just before a natural gas pump building on the R. Start the ride by continuing down Willow Springs Rd. Getting there, Dalton Wells Road Trailhead: On US-191 north of Moab, turn east on dirt Dalton Wells Road. As the cindered path turns R, go straight onto the dirt road. Reclose the gate at mile 0.2, and cross the broad sandy wash. At mile 1.7, park at the fork in the road N 38° 43.584' W 109° 40.783'. The R fork takes you to the top of the trail for the Dalton Loop. The L fork takes you further on Dalton Wells Road, where you can connect to the southern 6 miles of trail. |
| Riding Resources: GPS Track File for section from Willow Springs Rd to Dalton Wells Rd (Right-click and "Save as...") Garmin GPX Google Earth National Geographic Large-format topo map: Download For a printable one-page riding guide, click here! |
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This trail has a video. |
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For additional information, including
nearby lodging, rentals, camping, and current conditions, may we suggest: |
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