Moab Rim Trail

The first ledge on Moab Rim Trail drops your stomach faster than the 40-foot cliff face beside your driver’s door. This 6-mile slickrock loop starts innocently enough from the Moab Rim trailhead, but within the first mile you’re committed to exposed sandstone shelves where one wrong move sends you tumbling into the Colorado River canyon 1,000 feet below. The BLM manages this classic moderate trail that gains 940 feet of elevation through a series of technical rock steps and narrow shelf roads carved into the rim above town.

A stock 4WD with decent tires can handle most of Moab Rim, but the slickrock demands respect and momentum. The steepest climbs require low range and steady throttle—hesitation on the smooth sandstone means sliding backward toward trouble. Several exposed sections offer no forgiveness, particularly the notorious Devil’s Crack area where the trail skirts dangerously close to vertical drops. Water crossings are non-existent, but carry extra water anyway because summer temperatures on this exposed rock can hit 100+ degrees. Cell service remains decent throughout most of the route, though that won’t help much if you’re hanging off a ledge.

March through May and September through November offer the best conditions, when temperatures stay reasonable and afternoon thunderstorms don’t turn slickrock into skating rinks. The trail takes 4-6 hours depending on your comfort level with exposure and how often you stop to let your passenger’s knuckles regain circulation. Most rigs complete the loop without damage, but undercarriage contact on the steeper ledges can happen—know your breakover angle before committing to the bigger steps.

What you get for the pucker factor is some of the finest high-desert scenery in the Southwest. The views from the rim stretch across the entire Moab valley, with the Colorado River snaking below and the La Sal Mountains rising beyond. This isn’t a beginner trail despite the moderate rating—the exposure and consequences demand solid 4WD skills and a healthy respect for gravity. But drive it clean and you’ll understand why Moab Rim remains a must-do for anyone serious about slickrock wheeling. Have a dirty day.