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Klondike Bluff Outer Loop

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
 4.0 (118)
  1. Areas
  2. UT
  3. …Southeastern Utah
  4. …Moab
  5. Klondike Bluffs Trail System
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“Outstanding intermediate singletrack and a slickrock romp around Klondike Bluff. ”

Nick Wilder
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Map Key

14.6

Miles

23.5

KM

90%

Singletrack

5,253' 1,601 m

High

4,641' 1,415 m

Low

1,213' 370 m

Up

1,214' 370 m

Down

3%

Avg Grade (2°)

19%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Overview

Fifteen miles of intermediate fun on dirt singletrack and slickrock! This loop combines the best intermediate trails for a great tour of the Klondike Bluff area. The slickrock can be bumpy, but much of the trail is fast and flowing singletrack, and there are very few sections that can't be ridden by competent intermediate riders.

Don't be fooled by the vertical profile: the climbs aren't very big, but they tend to be bumpy and much slower than you might expect.

Description

From the north Klondike Bluff parking lot, continue on the dirt road to a second parking lot and head up Mega Steps. Generally climb uphill at a low angle up a mix of slickrock bumps and dirt. It's not steep, but you'll go a lot slower than it seems like you should.

After a mile or so, you'll encounter an enormous swath of slickrock and some bumpy riding for a little while. Then a mix of dirt singletrack and short bits of rock take you to the top of the bluff. You now have a great overlook over the Salt Valley and Arches National Park beyond.

Ride relatively flat trail along the top of this plateau on much easier dirt singletrack with nice swoops until you intersect Baby Steps Loop 4x4. This section is very fast and fun, and despite being an old Jeep road, it's nice to open it up a bit after the slow-going bumpy section you just finished.

Take a right turn when you hit Little Salty, and fly down the smooth dirt wash. Keep an eye out for UFO on the left - it's easy to bomb by the turn.

UFO starts with some bouncy slickrock but soon switches to smooth, flowy dirt singletrack. Wind in and out of several canyons with some cool rock features. It's fast and quite easy in this section. Near the end, you'll hit slickrock again, but this time it's very smooth and fast. This is perhaps the most fun trail in the Klondike Bluff area.

Near the end of UFO, look for a trail marker high up on the hill and head towards it (perhaps walking your bike). If you go left, you'll be on the Baby Steps Loop 4x4 and miss the singletrack.

You'll now be on Baby Steps Singletrack Loop 1 and in for another treat: the dirt sections flow fast through rock outcroppings and up and down small drainages. The climbs are short and not technical, but it does go up and down a lot. Many intermediates will walk their bike one short section, but this is tons of fun!

You'll be dumped back on Baby Steps Loop for a short section. Follow it until you get to a well-marked intersection for Baby Steps Singletrack Loop 2, and take a right. The southern of the two Baby Steps Singletrack is shorter and not quite as good as the other, but it's still a lot of fun. This one is all singletrack dirt with no slickrock, and it wiggles its way around small drainages and rock features. It's mellow and enjoyable intermediate riding.

You'll now be at Baby Steps South and it's time to cruise down this easy section of slickrock. Pass through the EKG section until you hit Dino-Flow.

Dino-Flow appears flat on the map, but that's decieving: it's constantly going up and down very small washes and rock ridges. There are just a few sections of slickrock, which tend to be knobby and a bit bumpy, but most of the trail is smooth dirt singletrack.

It's never very technical, and it's much faster and flowier than some of the neighboring trails, but it's not trivial either. There are many options to bail out and ride down to the very easy Copper Ridge 4x4 trail if you get tired.

Dino-Flow ends at the beginning of Mega Steps, where you turn left for a short hop back to your car.

Contacts

Local Club: Moab Trails Alliance

Land Manager: BLM Utah - Moab Field Office

Shared By:

Nick Wilder with improvements by Kristen Arendt
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 118 votes

#1

in Klondike Bluffs Trail System

#156

Overall
  4.0 from 118 votes
5 Star
29%
4 Star
47%
3 Star
20%
2 Star
3%
1 Star
1%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Klondike Bluffs Trail…

#25

in Utah

#156

Overall
288 Views Last Month
67,495 Since May 2, 2013
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult
2%
4%
49%
10%
33%
1%
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Photos

Cruising at sunset on the UFO trail.
May 18, 2015 near Moab, UT
Nice blooms on May 2.
May 4, 2013 near Moab, UT
Amazing cactus bloom on May 2.
May 4, 2013 near Moab, UT
UFO swoop in and out and up and down several valleys
May 4, 2013 near Moab, UT
Bones lining the singletrack.
Oct 23, 2023 near Moab, UT
The UFO???
May 4, 2013 near Moab, UT

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May 13, 2023
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