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A big, unlikely desert adventure to an abandoned uranium mine, well off the beaten track.


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Map Key

38.7

Miles

62.3

KM

0%

Singletrack

5,304' 1,617 m

High

3,961' 1,207 m

Low

2,551' 777 m

Up

2,547' 776 m

Down

2%

Avg Grade (1°)

44%

Max Grade (24°)

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Unknown

NO LONGER BIKEABLE IN ENTIRETY.
Both this route and the Hey Joe Safari Bikepack route are no longer bikeable as mapped due to the BLM restrictions put in place by the Labyrinth Canyon/Gemini Bridges Travel Management Plan. From miles 11 to 21, riders will need to CARRY their bike or get a permit to float the river.
bikepacking.com/routes/hey-…
eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning…

Overview

The Hey Joe - Spring Canyon Loop is one of those crazy Moab rides that takes you up and down places that seem totally impossible. This is a ride suitable to philosophical reflection.

You ride across a huge mesa top, down a beautiful sandstone canyon, along the Green River to another canyon where an eerie abandoned uranium mining operation slowly decays in the desert sun.

From there, you do a hike-a-bike that is more like Class 3 slabby rock climbing to reach the mesa and return to the start.

With blistering solar exposure and a fair bit of sand, this is a great ride to do in the winter (if there's no snow!).

Need to Know

NOT BIKABLE IN IT'S ENTIRETY! See access issue for details.

Wear shoes that definitely stick to slickrock! The hike-a-bike is the most technical one I've seen. You'll probably be tag-teaming over some bits.

Description

Park just off Highway-313 on the Dubinky Well Road, or save 2.5-miles of riding by driving in to the first major road split, as mapped.

You'll want to ride this loop clockwise, so bear left and take the Spring Canyon road. At about 9-miles, the road begins to run along the rim, then descends into Spring Canyon. This may or may not be difficult, depending on when the road was last graded. To derail environmentalists, Grand County is very attentive to maintaining even remote and unused roads. They even have a bedrock crusher, so this is not the challenging track it once was.

Once in the canyon bottom, proceed down the wash, reaching the Green River at Bowknot Bend. Turn right and follow the river roughly 8-miles to the next canyon: Hey Joe.

Ride up this canyon less than 1/2-mile, past remnants of equipment and buildings left after the abandonment of the Hey Joe uranium mine. The mine shaft is collapsed, so don't bother looking for it.

Now you should be watching on your right for a workable way up and out of the canyon wall. There may be rock cairns and a faint trail at first. Lug your bike up steep slickrock benches until you reach the rim. A short hand line may be helpful in spots.

Pedal out a scruffy track until it joins a dirt road. Turn left and contour around Spring Canyon, past the Tombstone formation, and back to the car.

History & Background

The IMAX movie "Everest" included a mountain biking scene on the Spring Canyon rim.

Contacts

Shared By:

F Felix with improvements by Kenny DeRose

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 5 votes

#2

in Navajo Rocks

#2646

Overall
  4.0 from 5 votes
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Recommended Route Rankings

#2

in Navajo Rocks

#142

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Photos

The hike-a-bike out of Hey Joe Canyon
Jun 3, 2019 near Moab, UT
Descending into Spring Canyon.
Dec 24, 2013 near Moab, UT
The Hey Joe hike-a-bike begins.
Dec 24, 2013 near Moab, UT
Following the Green River.
Dec 24, 2013 near Moab, UT
Hey Joe hike-a-bike.
Dec 24, 2013 near Moab, UT
Topping out.
Dec 24, 2013 near Moab, UT
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Weather


Current Trail Conditions

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Check-Ins

Apr 22, 2021
Wesley Toews
Fun ride-a lot of sand-I was able to ride though the sand with 2.25s. The hike a bike was not as bad as some make it sound-we did it in MTB shoes up. 38.7mi — 4h 38m
Oct 20, 2019
Meghan Rooney
7h 00m
Jun 24, 2018
Brent H
Q
Nov 23, 2014
Christian Huber
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