In recent years, the Amasa Back mountain bike area has established itself as one of the leading mountain bike trails in the Moab region. The primary trail in this area is the Captain Ahab mountain bike trail. For mountain biking enthusiasts, riding the Captain Ahab trail in Moab, Utah, offers an exhilarating experience of flow trail over rocks. This challenging and picturesque trail is renowned for its breathtaking views and technical features.
Captain Ahab is a purpose-built directional trail just for mountain bikes. The trail features a relatively easy climb and then combines a screaming downhill with perfect jumps and ledges.
Over the last few years, the trail has slowly grown from the Hymasa trail, a trail without even a parking area to the beautifully designed trail we have today. Before you were required to ride up Kane Creek Road to the Cliffhanger Jeep road. Now there is a purpose-built single track along Cane Creek known as Connector Trail that connects directly to the Hymasa parking lot. From the connector trail, you will climb on the original Hymasa trail before beginning the awesome Captain Ahab descent.
We rented bikes in town and figured it was easier to skip the hassle of dealing with a bike rack on a rental car, so we just rode straight to the trail from the bike shop. If you're in decent shape, the ride from town to the trail is pretty easy and flat since it follows the Colorado River along Kane Creek Road, keep an eye out for rock art on the canyon wall.
Like all great adventures our trip to the Captain Ahab trail started with my buddy watching a YouTube video about the trail. Sure he lives in the flat lands of the East Coast and had zero experience with the rock drops that are so common along Moab's mountain bike trails, but the YouTube video made it look so easy. The video made it look like anyone could do it.
The guys in the video definitely had more experience than us. Their fluid movements and confident handling of the terrain showcased a level of skill that we could only aspire to. After the first few drop-offs, which were more challenging than we had anticipated, I was starting to think this might take all day. My friend, who had initially been excited about the trip, was visibly losing his enthusiasm with each successive rock drop. Turns out, playing YouTube armchair quarterback is way easier than the real thing. I gave my friend some tips, hoping that he would find his rhythm amidst the challenges. Each drop-off we encountered felt like a test of our abilities, pushing us to confront our fears and expand our limits. The breathtaking views were a constant reminder of the beauty of the place, but they also served to highlight our inexperience.
Luckily he is a natural athlete and it didn't take him too long to get the hang of the trail. He also learned that the builders of the trail didn't want to kill anyone, so even though the ledges looked deadly, they were all easy to roll over and relatively safe. By the time we got to the bottom, he was leading the way. He actually got so good at riding Moab's terrain that when we hit the Whole Enchilada a few days later I could hardly keep up with him.
Typically, when I bring new riders to the Moab trails, I like to start with a 7-UP descent. The next day, I will typically follow up with a Captain Ahab trip before heading to the main attraction, The Whole Enchilada.
Like most areas of Moab, there is more to the trail than just the trail. The area around the Captain Ahab trail system is loaded with hidden secrets. If you have time or just a sharp eye, the trail passes right by the Owl Panel. This is the best and most well-preserved petroglyph site close to town. To locate the panel from the bike trail look for a large alcove just as the Cliffhanger Jeep trail intersects the Connector Trail. The panel is to the left of the alcove. You can hike up to it but you might not want to if you are wearing clip-in bike shoes. Another nearby rock art site is Magic Theater Arch, directly across the street from the parking lot.
If you are considering a Moab bike adventure we would recommend checking out the townhomes at Moab Adventure Condo. We stayed in their vacation rental home and it was so nice to have room to relax and not be stuck in a cramped hotel room. They also had large double garages so we could securely store our bikes at night. Most of their condos have bike repair stands and tools to keep your bike in working order while on your trip. Sign up for their email list and get 10% off your rental!
