Trail difficulty
Green
Elevation Gain
69.00 ft (21.03 m)
Trail type
Loop
Distance
5.10 mi (8.21 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

At some point during your epic Moab mountain bike adventures you may get a little fed up with the crowded trails, or the endless slickrock, or the high temperatures, or you may just need a little change of pace. Luckily, Good Water Rim Trail offers a stunning alternative within a relatively short distance.

This trail is buried deep within BLM property and is rather remote. However, due to its proximity to the Little Grand Canyon overlook, it is relatively easy to find, and the roads leading to it are very well maintained despite being gravel. The trail winds along the rim of the San Rafael River Canyon and offers incredible views of this, the deepest section of the canyon. It is relatively flat with very few technical challenges, which makes it a very easy and relatively fast pedal. The trail will twist through junipers, run over exposed sandstone, and eventually take you around the leaf-like formation of the canyon.

However, the trail often comes into tangential contact with the camp road that nearly parallels it, offering many options for shortening your ride. If you choose to take the first obvious bail-out, it will cut your ride down to about 30% of the full loop while still offering many of the benefits of the full ride. The return pedal is a quick run along the double-track camp road through the trees. It eventually drops you back to your original parking spot.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Epic vistas. Fast trail. Family friendly.

Cons

Out-of-the-way access.

Pets allowed

Allowed

Trailhead Elevation

6,200.00 ft (1,889.76 m)

Features

Bird watching
Wildlife
Big Game Watching
Wildflowers
Big Game Watching

Suitable for

Hiking

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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