Back in the day, mountain bikers flocked to Moab for the Slick Rock Trail, but things have changed. Now, they're all about The Whole Enchilada trail and its epic descent. It's called the Whole Enchilada because if you tackle the whole trail, you'll hit just about every kind of terrain you can think of for mountain biking. Unless you're a Tour de France-level rider and can handle an 8000-foot climb, you'll need a shuttle to get to the top of Geyser Pass. Luckily, Moab has plenty of shuttle services to help out. If you're feeling super confident and want to ride all the way up as part of a big loop, and that's your thing, check out the Moab, Climb.
When most people see the Whole Enchilada has 7800 feet of descending, they are like "sign me up"! Yeah, a 7800' downhill bike ride sounds awesome. I don't mean to spoil your fun, but before you ever get to coast down a single foot of trail, you will have to make a brutal climb from Geyser Pass at 10,500 ft to Burro Pass at 11,150 feet in just over a mile. First off a 650 feet climb is no joke but to do it at such a high elevation will leave your lungs feeling like they are going to explode. I made it with only one dab near the top, then I got to recover for the next 15 minutes while the rest of our group made the climb up. Trust me, due to the elevation, this will be one of the hardest climbs you ever do.
Once you get over Burro Pass, the downhill part finally kicks in. But don't get too pumped just yet. The first stretch is super steep, so you'll really need to focus to stay on the trail. Make sure to keep your speed in check—a friend of ours went too fast and ended up in the bushes. Thankfully, he wasn't hurt. I wish there was a smoother downhill section with some nice flow at the top, but for now, it's pretty steep. There's a little creek crossing with a bridge at the start of the descent that seemed freshly installed when we were there in 2018.
Notice the trees are conifers, like those in Colorado. This high alpine setting is so different from anything you typically see in Moab.
Aspens in Moab? Yep, the Whole Enchilada takes you through some beautiful aspen groves up top. You'll also get a taste of all sorts of weather on your ride. To finish the trail, you gotta start at sunrise, and even in August, it's in the 40s at the top. By the time we rolled back into town, it was over 95 degrees.
Why the big bag? Since the ride takes all day you will need some snacks to take with you or you will be famish by the time you reach the bottom. Also, the more food we ate, the more room we had to take off the cold weather gear we had on at the start. This ride truly will through everything at you even on the best of days.
We stopped for a lunch break near the end of the aspen trees. Once you get through them, you will be into the pinon and juniper trees, and there will not be much shade. It's too bad you are in the shade when it is cold and in the sun when it is hot.
Keep in mind this is not a beginner's trail. If the bike shops don't think you look like an experienced cyclist, they will not rent you a bike or shuttle you to the top of the trail. As mentioned earlier, even though this is a downhill trail, there is lots of climbing involved.
Also, the upper portion of the trail doesn't open until July. Some years the trail doesn't open till mid-August due to snowpack.
The starting point for this trail is weather dependent. The earlier in the season you go, the lower you will have to start. This is not open to interpretation but is published by the National Forest Service. The best way to know is to call a local bike shop in Moab, they will be more than happy to assist you. For the sake of this article, the Upper Whole Enchilada is from Geyser Pass to La Sal Mountain Loop. Trail is always being added some this map could be out of day.
If you are considering a Moab bike adventure? If so, we would recommend checking out the vacation rental homes at Moab Adventure Condo. We stayed with them 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. No more cramped hotel room with a bike taking up all our space. Most of their condos have bike repair stands and tools to keep your bike in working order while on your trip.
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