Are you looking for the best Moab bike trails for kids? We’ve got you covered. Our guide gives parents and kids alike the lowdown on all the best trails Moab has to offer. With information to help find great rides that suit any type of rider, we make navigating this outdoor mecca easy as pie! From grinding climbs to thrilling descents, our comprehensive guide ensures a fun ride time after time.
Moab is Utah’s adventure playground, so if you’re looking for a great place to take your kids biking, Moab is the perfect spot. With a variety of both paved and dirt trails, combined with beautiful scenery, Moab is a great place to explore on two wheels.
While Moab has developed quite a reputation for extreme biking, there are also lots of kid friendly Moab bike trails that the whole family can enjoy.
As Utah locals, and being the parents of a few VERY BIKE OBSESSED KIDS, we find ourselves biking in Moab a few times a year. While we love visiting Moab for all the great kids friendly activities, no matter why we’re visiting, we’ve got our bikes with us on the rack. We’ve discovered some great trails along the way (as well as some that weren’t great..), so we’re sharing the best Moab bike trails with kids to help make your trip incredible!
What To Carry When Biking In Moab with Kids
With the extreme heat in Moab, you need to make sure that you’re prepared to handle bike break downs or other mechanical problems, so you don’t get stuck out in the desert unprepared. Most of all, be smart and don’t go biking in Moab with kids in the summer. If you have no other option, than summer biking in Moab, you’ll want to be up at sunrise to beat the heat, and off the trail by 9:30am.
When you’re biking in Moab with kids, the most important things that you need to carry with you are a basic set of bike tools, a small pump and a bike tube. If you have more than one child, make sure to carry a spare tube for each kid in the appropriate size of their bike. So that one person doesn’t have to carry all of the tubes, you can tuck them into the kids hydration packs, or strap them under the bottom of their bike seat.
When biking Moab with kids, also make sure to always have plenty of food and water. Even if you’re planning on just going out for a short ride, having food and water with you could literally save your life in an emergecy.
We notice that our kids get dehydrated faster when they’re riding in Moab, so take some of these electrolyte drink packets with you to help keep them well hydrated (they’re cheap and taste great).
What Should Kids Wear For Biking In Moab
Hopefully it goes without saying, but the most important thing to wear when biking Moab with kids, or anywhere for that matter, is a good bike helmet.
We recommend dressing in layers for a family bike ride in Moab. The temperatures often swing by 50 degrees from early morning temperatures to afternoon, so layers will be your best friend. Wear layers that insulate, but also wick well. For kids, we often have them wear merino wool in the morning and they often keep it on for a good portion of the day since it wicks sweat so well.
Best Moab Paved Bike Trails For Kids
While Moab is most well known for it’s mountain bike trails, there are some fantastic paved trails in Moab for kids. We love these Moab trails for easy warm ups or cool downs on days where we do a longer ride, and they’re perfect trails for biking Moab with a kids bike trailer.
Moab Canyon Pathway
Distance: 8.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Trail Type: Asphalt
This path runs along the southernmost border of the Arches National Park in Utah. The Moab Canyon Pathway will offer stunning and scenic sights that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else or along any other bike path. This route bends along Highway 191 (the old version, which was renovated into an off-road, paved trail for biking, hiking, and other recreational activities. Electric bikes aren’t allowed on this trail at all or in any configuration. This Moab family bike trail can take over 3 hours to complete.
Mill Creek Parkway
Distance: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Out and back, urban
The Mill Creek Parkway is a gem in the middle of Moab, and if you’re a biker (or a family of bikers), it’s one you shouldn’t miss. There are many options for shade while you’re biking along this paved route, which makes it fun to ride along even in the summer heat. There’s also a stunning stream that flows alongside the path that comes from the nearby La Sal Mountains. You can walk, run, or bike on this path, and dogs are allowed (although they must be leashed). If you’re looking for a leisurely adventure in nature that you can enjoy with your entire family, then that’s this route – this trail is even wheelchair accessible. Check out the beautiful birdlife, foliage, and great waterside views. You can even use this trail to commute to and from work as it runs alongside the Grand County Middle and High Schools (it is also very safe). Just keep in mind that you can’t use any electric bikes on this path.
Best Moab Easy Mountain Bike Trails For Kids
If you’ve got mountain biking kids, start them off right, by introducing them to some of the best singletrack around. These easy Moab bike trails for kids are the perfect way to get your kids into some desert mountain biking that’s right on their level
Jurassic Trail
Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Dirt Single Track
The Jurassic Trail is a great trail for families with bikers of all ages. This smooth, single-track trail sits on the western side of the Klondike Bluffs, and there are few elevation changes during the course. There are also no tricky areas or stiff climbs, meaning that even your youngest beginning rider can go along this track. There are stunning views that you’ll be treated to, as well, such as the nearby mountain ranges and overlooking various bluffs. This track offers smooth riding and cruising as it hugs the mesa’s edge and treats you to sights of colorful clay that date back to the Jurassic Era. If you’re looking to make fond memories with your family, this trail is great to do – for the youngsters, it’ll bolster their confidence, and for older bikers, it’ll show them how fun it can be to feel the wind in their hair.
Rowdy/Wrangler – Horsethief Campground
Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Beginner
Trail Type: Single Track
The Wrangler and Rowdy trails some of the best easy bike trails in Moab for kids, The loop isn’t too long, and it’s really easy to access from are adjacent loop trails that you can access if you’re staying at the nearby Horsethief Campground (which is great for camping with kids). These are great trails for a kids first mountain bike rides since they’re relatively easy, and there are several points where you can just go back to the campground if things get frustrating. There’s some slick rock, twisty corners, some up and down areas, and sand, as well as rock ledges that can help introduce kids to a wide variety of biking. This is the best beginner bike trail in Moab for kids.
Intrepid Loop Trail – Dead Horse Point State Park
Distance: 1.1 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Trail Type: Single Track
This is the best place to bike with kids at Dead Horse Point State Park, and one of the top easy Moab bike trails for kids. The Intrepid trail is a short trail that is perfect for bikers who are just learning. There are some sections of rocky terrain, but there isn’t much elevation change, meaning that the bikers will be treated to a mostly-flat ride. The end of the trail offers a stunning view of the Colorado River below as well. You can decide to continue your journey into the longer and slightly-more-difficult Great Pyramid Overlook or return how you came. Keep in mind that shorter riders might need to walk a few sections that have little rock shelves. This is a fantastic family bike ride in Moab.
Rusty Spur – MOAB Brand Trails
Distance: 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate
Trail Type: Single Track
This loop trail is a great one for beginners and intermediate riders alike and starts and ends at the Moab bike path. It’s mostly single track for the entire trail, although there are a few small areas that have cattle guards and rocky stretches. You can take this trail from either direction, and no matter what you start with, you’ll begin by riding downhill along a stretch of land that has with beautiful views of the the red rocks around you. Overall, you’ll have about 150 feet of climbing, but nothing technical. The Rusty Spur trail also acts as a jumping-off point for many other trails in the area. You may also come across hikers on this route, so be careful!
Inside Passage – Klondike Bluffs
Distance: 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Intermediate
Trail Type: Single Track
This is a trail that goes from easy to intermediate, so make sure that the skill level of your bikers aligns with this. You’ll start from a parking area that allows you to choose from one of two starting directions. Whichever direction you start with, make sure that you close the small gate behind and then travel towards the nearby bluff. Once you get there, you’ll find that the path will weave through a bunch of boulders and across a bit of rolling terrain. The Inside Passage’s route winds along with the contours and edges of the hill. It’s often used as a bypass around the deep sand at Klondike Bluffs but can be ridden independently. Depending on when you go, you can see blooming wildflowers that will offer pops and sparks of color to the trail. This easy Moab bike trail is also one of the best ways to access the Klondike Bluffs, and you can also choose to continue your journey along the Jurassic trail, as this trail funnels into there as well.
Great Pyramid Loop Trail – Dead Horse Point State Park
Distance: 4.4 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate
Trail Type: Single Track
This loop trail is another that is out at Dead Horse Point. It’s considered to be of moderate difficulty, and if you’re feeling confident and skilled after trying the Intrepid Loop, try this trail as a good step up. Between this trail and the Intrepid loop, you’ll likely spend at least 60-90 minutes on the trail, so make sure you bring lots of snacks and water, especially on sunny days. You will also have to share the trail with runners and hikers, so make sure to yield to them whenever necessary. The views from the Great Pyramid Loop are some of the best in all of Moab, so we recommend bringing a camera for a few pictures. Some tricky sections are very rocky that might require you to dismount and walk over, but overall, this is a great trail that is wonderfully built.
Lazy and EZ Bike Trail – MOAB Brand Bike Trails
Distance: 1.5 miles for Lazy and 1.25 EZ
Difficulty: Intermediate
Trail Type: Single Track
This is a great loop to put intermediate bikers on, and it offers a scenic and fun ride. For bikers who are more skilled, it counts as a great warmup option, too, especially the speedy and flowy downhill section. There is about 200 feet of climbing overall. You are meant to ride along this trail in the counterclockwise direction (which flows from the central area parking). Along this path, you’ll wander through rocky areas and across washes, and you’ll also be treated to some climbs. Turn right at the Lazy-EZ sign and go until you reach the split. To the left is the Lazy trail and to the right is the EZ bike trail but they make a fantastic loop together.
Dino Flow – Klondike Bluffs
Distance: 5.6 miles
Difficulty: Intermediate
Trail Type: Single Track
Dino Flow is a great track for intermediate bikers. This Moab kid friendly bike trail offers numerous up and down sections that can tire out beginning riders (nearby Jurassic is best for them). However, the trail is extremely well marked (look for the pink pain markers on the sandstone). There are some sections on this trail that have slickrock, but over 90% of the track is made of dirt. If you feel like the trail is getting too hard for your kids, there are lots of options where you can stop and turn around.
White Rim – Canyonlands
Distance: 100 Miles
Difficulty: Intermediate
If you want to take your Moab biking to the next level, get a permit for the 100 mile White Rim trail through Canyonlands National Park. We did this trail last year with our kid and their cousins and it was incredible.
Read: Canyonlands 100 Mile White Rim Trail with kids
We had 9 kids between ages 5-15 and were blown away by how well they did on this multi-day family bike ride in Moab. While we did have car support so the little ones could ride when they got tired, several of the kids rode the full trail.
Moab has an abundance of incredible bike trails that are great to discover with the whole family. These trails offer both breathtaking views and fun, challenging trails that make it the best place to bike with kids in Utah. Whether you have young children just learning how to ride or more experienced riders looking for some new terrain, one of these top-rated kid-friendly Moab bike trails is sure to fit everyone’s needs!
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