Round Trip Distance: 1.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
MTB Skill level:
Elevation: 4564 - 4796 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Bartlett Wash Campground
Fee: none
Attractions: Fun slickrock playground
The Jedi Slickrock trail is located in the Bartlett Wash area north of Moab, Utah. The trail is an open playground area where mountain bikers can follow any route that they choose as long as they remain on the slickrock. Slickrock benches and bowls provide features that range from the technically intermediate to the much more advanced.
To get to the trailhead drive about 15 miles north of Moab on Highway 191 and turn west onto the Blue Hills Road. The turnoff comes up before reaching the airport. Once on the Blue Hills Road follow the Bartlett signs. Measuring from the highway drive 2.4 miles and turn left. Stay to the left after another 0.8 miles and 0.8 miles after that stay to the right. Continue for a little less than a mile to the campground where there is a parking area on the left. The total distance from Highway 191 is about 4.5 miles. Passenger vehicles with moderate clearance can usually make it to the trailhead when the road is dry and in good shape.
From the parking area follow the road up Bartlett Wash for about a quarter mile. The road usually has a little water trickling down it.
Stay to the left at the fork and follow the sign for Jedi.
After a short distance the Jedi trail branches off on the left. The initial climb out of the wash is up a challenging sandy slope.
The trail levels off once it gets onto the slickrock. From here the area can be surveyed for possible routes.
One obvious choice is to follow the contours of the slickrock at the current level.
Several bowls provide good spots to climb up to another level.
The ribbon of slickrock in the Jedi area doesn't extend nearly as far as it does across the wash at the Bartlett Slickrock. After about a half mile the slickrock runs into a talus slope of dirt and boulders that cuts it off from the area further to the south.
Swirling lines in various hues of pink and white create a pleasing array of colorful textures for an awe inspiring scene that reminds visitors that the petrified dunes are much more than just a good place to ride.
This particular ride was quickly being cut short by a fast approaching spring thuderstorm.
