Photos: Tyson Swasey

Moab, Utah, is one of the most well-known mountain biking destinations in the world. If you haven’t been there, I’d be willing to bet that it is on your bucket list. Each year, Moab and Grand County attract tens of thousands of mountain bikers looking to ride the infamous rock slabs and desert tech.

But those seeking berms and flow have historically been out of luck. Fortunately, that has changed with the opening of new singletrack at Mud Springs this past weekend.

Beyond the lack of “flow” trails, Moab also lacks options for beginner and intermediate riders — especially green trails. And even the intermediate options it currently has could have an asterisk next to them, mentioning that these are “Moab blues.”

This first phase at Mud Springs will serve as a great launching pad for newer mountain bikers. But while the new trails are green and for beginners, Tyson Swasey of Grand County Active Transportation and Trails (GCATT) previously told Singletracks that they are “not flat beginner.”

Mud Springs officially opened on September 11th with 7.5 miles of green singletrack. The mileage is split between four trails — an uphill-only, a downhill-only, a “downhill-primary,” and a short connector. The two directional routes stretch roughly two miles each, while the primarily downhill trail is three miles long.

There’s also good elevation. Each trail gains or loses roughly 400 feet of elevation. Mud Springs will be a great trail system for new riders, while more experienced riders will enjoy the speed and flow that comes with proper elevation.

Another 3+ miles will be done this season

Trail crews are still hard at work adding more mileage to Mud Springs, hoping to add another three miles of trails to the network this season. This latest addition, however, will lean more toward blue trails compared to the 7.5 miles of greens just opened.

In previous reporting, Swasey also told Singletracks that the building window for Mud Springs is relatively short, from early August to mid-November. The area closes each year, from December to mid-April, for wildlife habitat. This is also when wetter weather makes “Mud” Springs live up to its name.

When we first reported on the new system, some 25 miles were initially proposed — fingers crossed that these 11 miles will be the first of many. The new trails also accommodate adaptive riders and will host NICA races and practices.

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