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+ 128

Arches via Willow Springs

Gravel Riding Trail

Moderate
30.59 mi
2,099 ft
A gorgeous mixed-surface loop into the backside of Arches National Park.

Willow Springs Road provides a dirty way to get up into the backside of Arches National Park, making for a stellar mixed-surface drop-bar ride!

The route shown here begins at the Lions Park trailhead, but if you so choose you can easily pedal to Lions Park from downtown Moab via the bike path. From Lions Park, the ride begins climbing via the Moab Canyon Pathway, passing the main entrance to Arches and heading uphill through beautiful rock formations.

After passing under the main highway, the path ends at the junction with Highway 313. The route shown here heads toward the gas station and picks up a rough doubletrack road to finish the connection to Willow Springs in order to avoid the highway.

The first stretch of Willow Springs road is wide, heavily-traveled, and well-maintained. However, it can get washboarded due to traffic. After pedaling through the Klonzo Trail System, the road will get rougher and narrower, and you'll see a sign noting the entrance to Arches National Park—you made it! From here on out, the road is narrow and sandy, but largely free of traffic. Be sure to savor this beautiful stretch of pedaling along a wide-open mesa, with views of Arches improving as you draw ever closer.

Soon, you'll reach a right turn onto the paved road, which leads through the southwestern region of Arches, providing spectacular views of stunning rock formations the entire way! Pedaling through national parks is always a surreal experience. As you see people drive by in their climate-controlled vehicles, not even bothering to step out and take in the view, you may realize that by immersing yourself in the warmth of the sun and the cool of the breeze, you are experiencing the park in a much more intimate way than millions of typical tourists.

The ride finishes with a fast, twisty downhill to the entrance station, where you'll pick up the bike path to return to Lions Park or downtown Moab. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
TO ARCHES 0.45 mi20 ft0.1%
Moab Canyon trail to Park Entrance1.76 mi56 ft0.4%
Path Climb4.44 mi620 ft2.6%
Section of Moab Bike Path3.05 mi328 ft2.0%
Between the Guards Split UP1.77 mi328 ft3.5%
Old Highway Climb1.28 mi305 ft4.5%
Gemini to 3131.25 mi-95 ft-1.2%
the sahara1.72 mi-128 ft-0.9%
Full willow7.75 mi705 ft1.5%
Willow Springs to Arches7.72 mi719 ft1.5%
Willow Springs Trail Climb1.20 mi262 ft4.2%
Back Door3.56 mi423 ft2.2%
Balance Rock back to Visitors Center8.86 mi-902 ft-1.9%
Rock On Tilt to Courthouse Downhill4.30 mi-853 ft-3.8%
Courthouse Wash to Park Avenue2.19 mi397 ft3.4%
Courthouse Wash to Overlook Parking Lot1.86 mi351 ft3.5%
Arches Entrance Rd Climb1.67 mi358 ft4.1%
Courthouse View to Park Ave1.44 mi315 ft4.0%
The Pet Door0.23 mi-30 ft0.0%
Hill Spring0.22 mi26 ft1.9%