Mtnbiker
03-17-2007, 10:37 AM
Alright kids, here's a sweet little ride in Moab that I'd never heard of until I searched mtbr for new trails.. and this is a little gem! :2thumbs:
The Top of the World trail in Moab starts 30+ miles east of Moab off of hwy 128 near Dewey Bridge. It climbs up to the top of the Mesa which overlooks the backside of the Fisher Towers, and offers a commanding view of the LaSals and the Colorado National Monument to the Northeast.
There are two options once you reach the Dewey Bridge parking lot:
1) park here and start riding and you have about 9.5 miles of climbing to look forward to, gaining about 3,000 vertical. About 5.5 of this is relatively boring dirt road until you reach the fun jeep road - but hey, if it's miles you are looking for, that's a good one to shake the cobwegs loose.
2) Drive the first 5.5 miles (low clearance ok) and park where the Kokapelli trail intersects. Start your ride here and you will climb from about 5,050ft to 7,000 feet over the next 4 miles to one of the best views of Moab you will see.
We chose option 2 because we were looking for a camping spot anyway, and quite honestly it would've been a long slog up that dirt road! There's a great campspot (3 sites) about 4 miles in, called Cow springs, or something like that. No fees, and first come first serve.
So.. on to the trail. I would equate this ride to climbing up some of the tougher doubletrack on Porcupine Rim. It's tough, but very fun as well. Once you reach the top though you will forget about your legs and lungs burning and you will be glad you are there, and alive! (Rider Mel's book explains this is a masochistic ride for the kind of people who have genital peircings.. :roflol: but honestly I dont think it was that bad!)
It is a pretty stiff climb up to the top, so I wouldn't recommend it for newbies, but the ride back down is like Porcupine Rim all over again :rockon: Very fast, and very ledgy!
On to the pics......
The Top of the World trail in Moab starts 30+ miles east of Moab off of hwy 128 near Dewey Bridge. It climbs up to the top of the Mesa which overlooks the backside of the Fisher Towers, and offers a commanding view of the LaSals and the Colorado National Monument to the Northeast.
There are two options once you reach the Dewey Bridge parking lot:
1) park here and start riding and you have about 9.5 miles of climbing to look forward to, gaining about 3,000 vertical. About 5.5 of this is relatively boring dirt road until you reach the fun jeep road - but hey, if it's miles you are looking for, that's a good one to shake the cobwegs loose.
2) Drive the first 5.5 miles (low clearance ok) and park where the Kokapelli trail intersects. Start your ride here and you will climb from about 5,050ft to 7,000 feet over the next 4 miles to one of the best views of Moab you will see.
We chose option 2 because we were looking for a camping spot anyway, and quite honestly it would've been a long slog up that dirt road! There's a great campspot (3 sites) about 4 miles in, called Cow springs, or something like that. No fees, and first come first serve.
So.. on to the trail. I would equate this ride to climbing up some of the tougher doubletrack on Porcupine Rim. It's tough, but very fun as well. Once you reach the top though you will forget about your legs and lungs burning and you will be glad you are there, and alive! (Rider Mel's book explains this is a masochistic ride for the kind of people who have genital peircings.. :roflol: but honestly I dont think it was that bad!)
It is a pretty stiff climb up to the top, so I wouldn't recommend it for newbies, but the ride back down is like Porcupine Rim all over again :rockon: Very fast, and very ledgy!
On to the pics......