Note to self - Remind everyone who reads this review that "Slickrock" is a very grippy sandstone formation that is NOT slick to ride on. In fact it grips tires very well. - End note to self.
Slickrock trail at Sand Flats rec area in Moab, UT is a good intermediate to expert level (and I use the term "expert" liberally here) trail depending on which direction you choose. After you roll out of the natural half-pipe at the beginning of the trail, you encounter a few uphill runs with rollout's that eventually take you to a "decision point" on the trail. Right is easy, left is hard. We've ridden both directions, and enjoyed them equally. The hard direction has more climbs, and the drops are more challenging due to landing flat (no transition) in sand pits, but it isn't ALL that more exciting than the easy direction (to the right). A few spots run along the edge of the Colorado River Canyon, and have some nice views where the trail goes from 3 to 6 feet wide right next to the canyon edge. On the easy loop, there are also quite a few drop-offs to squeeze thru as well as an Indian Cave that was inhabited for over 10K years.
Primarily, both trails wind around the slickrock formations located in Sand Flats for about 12 miles each. The Slickrock itself is essentially fossilized Sand Dunes, and is very misleading in name, as it is very grippy and akin to the grain of coarse sandpaper. So anyone who tells you it is "slick" has never been there. ;-)
The trail is marked by painted lines, and very easy to follow.
I've taken my sweetheart on this ride twice now, and she is pretty much a beginner. She did just fine, and simply walked what she felt was beyond her skilz. Both of us had a great time! I'll post some photos from our trips to compliment this review in the coming days.
Make sure you wash and lube your bike after each ride at Sand Flats. The grit is really hard on the bearings.
Please do visit Sand Flats and ride. It's a blast! read more