 | 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. (Occasional washouts and other erosion changes may occur -- ask for current conditions.) The loop is 7 miles long. The "business side" (east half) of the trail hugs the border between red dirt and the top of the Entrada sandstone. There are a couple of spurs that take you to overlooks. |
| You can ride this trail either direction from the Bar M trailhead (named for the Bar M restaurant near the trailhead). Most do it counter-clockwise. I like clockwise -- I'm going slightly uphill for the interesting parts, so I can take more time to watch the scenery, then flying downhill after leaving the sandstone. Despite its reputation as an "easy ride," the Bar M is definitely worth doing. Use it as an afternoon "quickie" or a recovery-day ride. One popular riding option is to climb from Moab on the Old Highway 191 trail. After riding the Bar M, you bomb back to town the way you came. This makes a fairly quick 17-mile ride. The north end of the Bar M connects to the Sovereign ATV trail, which heads north to the Sovereign Singletrack mountain bike trail. |
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| Getting there: From the north: Drive south on US-191 for 22 miles south of I-70. 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, then right again into the parking area. GPS N 38° 39.38' W 109° 40.66'. The trail starts by riding the gravel road either north or south. Alternate: From Moab, ride the Old Highway 191 trail until you reach the Bar M sign. Copyright 2006 Mad Scientist Software Inc
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