Longboarding Moab Canyon Trail - The Lost Longboarder

There is no shortage of adventure in Utah! The scenery and geology throughout the state are just stunning which could be why there are five national parks in Utah! Moab is a great hub for adventures of all sorts. There is also a nice assortment of paved paths. So while we were in Moab we got to experience longboarding Moab Canyon Trail. Read on to find out more about this smooth and scenic trail!

We parked at the Lion’s Park Transit Hub which is about a mile North of Moab on Route 191 at the junction of Route 128. At the hub there was a large parking lot, bathrooms, and picnic tables. The park at the trailhead has some great playgrounds and also some awesome boulders to rock climb on.

The Colorado River is near the Hub and the trail starts by going over the river on a really cool iron bridge.

You can take the Moab Canyon Trail approximately 28 miles running north out of Moab. The trail runs parallel to Route 191 for part of the distance and veers away for a portion of it.

What It’s Like Longboarding Moab Canyon Trail

Longboarding Moab Canyon Trail is a very smooth and very scenic path through the desert and red rock canyons of Moab. There are also sections of substantial changes in elevation along the way – from mile marker six to one there is a 600 ft change in elevation.

We found ourselves kicking uphill and against the wind for quite a while, which made it dangerously fast on the way back down.

The trail parallels Route 191 and then intersects with the entrance to Arches National Park. The road going up into Arches National Park looks like a downhill crazy adventure. Not for me, but I know there are some daredevils out there who would love to bomb that hill.

After the park entrance, the trail continues for about 11 miles through beautiful canyons and red rocks.

There are multiple opportunities to extend the trail length which would require skating on roads. These extensions can take you toward Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse State Park. Or where the path ends near the junction of Route 313 there is the Gemini Bridges Trailhead. There are hiking and mountain biking opportunities right off of the path as well. This trail has a decent amount of cyclist traffic with downhill grades and speed limits posted.

As I mentioned, there are a few hiking/biking opportunities right off of the trail. While we were longboarding Moab Canyon Trail we stopped at one of the side dirt trails called the Killer B Trail. The trail was cool, with a fun climb to some nice views of this beautiful area.

Heading Back to the Trailhead

After the side trip we decided it was time to head back. Longboarding Moab Canyon Trail is a beautiful and smooth trail with many fun downhill sections.

The trail is fun but it can also be dangerous because of the possible speed gain.

On our way back, we had the opportunity to witness the Death Wobble first hand. While gaining speed downhill, there is an area where the pavement transitions and results in a sideways dip in the path which initiated the death wobble for Katie. The hill was not extremely steep but it continued quite a distance. There was no chance of recovery from this death wobble. The momentum from the downhill speed ripped holes through a hoodie, long sleeve shirt, and her elbow. Her knee took the brunt of the force and the impact left her knee swollen and bruised for weeks.

Thanks for Reading!

All in all, I would recommend this trail to anybody who enjoys longboarding long distances. Taking this trail uphill is definitely a workout. If you can, I would suggest alternating your kicking leg. There are a few spots on this trail that require dismounting your board for cattle guards and asphalt cracks.

If you have had a similar experience with the death wobble please feel free to pick up a Death Wobble or Road Rash shirt from our Lost Coast Longboarding shop to help support us and what we are doing here at The Lost Longboarder.

Looking for more longboarding adventures? Check out the articles below:

If you have any questions about this longboard adventure please feel free to leave your comments in the comment section below! Thanks for your support!

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