One-way Distance: 0.8 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
MTB Skill level:
Elevation: 5493 - 5611 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 15 mins.
Trailhead: Horsethief
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic connector
The Wildcat trail is part of the Horsethief Mountain Bike Trails near Moab, Utah. The trail begins off of the Whirlwind Loop where it travels for less than a mile through a small valley that drains into the South Fork of Seven Mile Canyon. The trail is connected to by the Hildalgo trail and comes to an end at a junction with the 7-Up trail. Loops of different lengths can be created by combining the Wildcat trail with other trails in the area.
The Wildcat trail begins off of the east branch of the Whirlwind Loop a couple tenths of a mile from its junction with the Mustang Loop. The total distance from the Horsethief trailhead to the start of the Wildcat trail is about 1.4 miles.
The highest elevation of the Wildcat trail is where it departs from the Whirlwind Loop. From here it is going to drop down into the drainage losing a little over 100 feet of elevation and then regain about half of it back before reaching the 7-Up trail.
A long sweeping switchback makes easy work of the elevation change as the trail starts out.
The trail base is a good mix of sandstone and dirt.
In less than a quarter mile the Hildalgo trail branches off on the left.
From there the trail continues its easy roll through the valley.
Much of the slickrock is no rougher than the dirt track.
There are a couple of well ramped up ledges that provide the only real technicalities for the intermediately rated trail.
As the trail nears its end it continues across a scenic track of red dirt.
