It’s you… only faster! The sun is on your back and snow-capped mountains rise in the distance. Welcome to Moab! You might even forget that you’re riding an e-bike during this exhilarating tour of the backcountry.
Even if you’ve never visited Moab (pop. 5000) before, you’ve very likely seen it. About 245-miles south of Salt Lake City, Moab and its dramatic surroundings served as the backdrop for countless Golden Era Westerns, including “Wagonmaster”. More recent films—from Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade to Thelma and Louise, City Slickers II and Mission Impossible II—were shot here, in and around the La Sal Mountains to the East, part of the 200-million year old Colorado Plateau. The latter also inspired the larger than life animated vistas and exaggerated settings for The Coyote and Roadrunner Show, as well as the Radiator Springs/Route 66 ghost town depicted, with great detail in the Lightning McQueen/Cars Disney films.
Moab’s history is by turns rich as varied: From a Mormon outpost on the Spanish Trail, to Wild-West era outlaw haunt or lair, to base for hard-rock miners and rare mineral prospectors. Inasmuch its latest reincarnation is a fairly new one. While the beauty that verges on hyperrealism of Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Parks has drawn nature-lovers for generations, it’s the land edging and surrounding the parks that’s utterly redefined Moab, from erstwhile park lodging base to world-class adventure travel destination.
The famed Slickrock Bike Trail was originally carved out, in 1959, for motorcycle riding. But tales of the incredible mountain bike riding to be had here soon became legion. As Jerusalem is to religious pilgrimage, Moab is to fat tire devotees and assemblies: a network, if not a legacy carefully built and handed down by the first generation of intensely dedicated local riders and throwback cycling personalities. Today, mountain bikers from Europe to Australia to South America, from Maine to Marin County come for Moab’s world famous routes and epic lines in the sand: Poison Spider, Porcupine Rim, as well as the abovementioned Slickrock Trail.
Moab, circa 2018, has it all: from white-water rafting to horseback riding, phenomenal climbing routes to the afore-described five diamond mountain biking. Forasmuch, it was this incomparable grouping of big outdoor recreational opportunities and pursuits that compelled the first wave of adventurer-seekers to settle here, and thus transform this delightful little city.
Our combo tours are like a Moab’s Best Of/greatest hits album. Signature slickrock trails offer challenging, if fun rides for all levels of riders, marked by seemingly endless singletrack that shade each day. Off the bike, our tours have built-in side hikes. The latter lend intimate optics onto some of the area’s most astonishing natural features, as we view-find from characteristic natural arches to age-old petroglyphs. Invariably it’s not a stretch by any means to see a genuine dinosaur footprint out on one of our select trails.
This trip is a great introduction to the incredible riding found in the Moab area. Our e-bikes will allow you to travel farther and faster than you can imagine. This spectacular tour is perfect for cyclists new to mountain biking and groups of mixed ability levels.
Day 1-2: Meet in Moab. Ride beautiful slickrock and Klondike Trails. Customized to each group.
Day 3-4: Ride sections of Porcupine Rim Trail. Hike amongst the massive sandstone arches of Arches National Park.
Day 5: Ride amazing trail through Dead Horse Point State Park on the border of Canyonlands National Park.
** Day to day itinerary may vary slightly on eBike MTB tour.
Escape Adventures
Since 1992, we at Escape Adventures have been blessed to shape and lead adventure travel vacations through some of the most awe-inspiring natural destinations in the world. Each successive season, our passion for adventure grows through memorable moments with our guests. Fresh air, faith, fitness and friends are the building blocks for our ventures, the treasured experiences that keep us moving forward. For those of you who have trekked and traveled with us over the past quarter century, Heather and I express our sincerest gratitude. The memories are priceless.
For those who have yet to tour with us, we appreciate the opportunity to introduce you to our family-run company and guiding principles of sustainability and adventure. Our portfolio specializes in Western North America and is rapidly growing internationally. Building on over 100 destinations, we cater to the full spectrum of active traveler, respective to fitness level and activity type. From road cyclist to mountain biker to electric biker, hiker, and multi-sport enthusiast, and from first-timer to friends and family groups of all ability levels, on behalf of our Escape Adventures family, we look forward to many new and exciting adventures with you.
With much gratitude, and happy trails,
Jared and Heather Fisher
Founders and Owner-Operators
Escape Adventures
