more stats
3.3 miles
Distance
228 ft
Climb
-304 ft
Descent
00:38:07
Avg time
-77 ft
Altitude change
5,242 ft
Altitude min
5,396 ft
Altitude max
5,365 ft
Altitude start
5,289 ft
Altitude end
-0.4%
Grade
-23.2%
Grade max
43.4%
Grade min
1 mile
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
2,871 ft
Distance flat
00:38:07
Avg time

Big Mesa Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Navajo Rocks
    Moab, Utah
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (3 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 90 in Trail Running
    • 90 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #3059 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #1161 in Trail Running
    • #2060 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    One Direction
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Sometimes hard to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    BLM

Unique singletrack trail that hugs the bottom of a huge mesa. Has shade in the late afternoon

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 10 miles average
6 Months
  • 329 rides
  • 16 miles avg distance
All
  • 2,707 rides
  • Last: Aug 28, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Big Mesa Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Apr 24, 2026 @ 11:20am (America/Denver)
Apr 24, 2026
Apr 24, 2026 @ 10:41am (America/Denver)
Apr 24, 2026
Apr 17, 2026 @ 4:08pm (America/Denver)
Apr 17, 2026
 Great condition following a small rainstorm, leaving puddles in the depressions of the slickrock, sand was nice and packed down.
Apr 4, 2026 @ 10:52am (America/Denver)
Apr 4, 2026
 Great conditions. Some short sections with loose sand, but overall packed and tacky.
Mar 29, 2026 @ 9:44am (America/Denver)
Mar 29, 2026
more »
Status:
on Apr 24, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.34 (83 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Ridden
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans activity logs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Think of this as a heatmap, more activities = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where users jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to big-mesa trailhead (38.634760, -109.807260)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        117 more »
        mtb
        624 |
        Nov 6, 2018 @ 7:29am
        Nov 6, 2018
        mtb
        668 |
        Dec 3, 2017 @ 5:54pm
        Dec 3, 2017
        mtb
        66 |
        Oct 24, 2025 @ 10:10am
        Oct 24, 2025
        mtb
        56 |
        Oct 24, 2025 @ 10:09am
        Oct 24, 2025

        Videos

        10 more »
        youtuber Blue Trail alongside a Canyon in Moab
        mtb
        9:33 | 1048 | Nov 4, 2018 , Moab
        Navajo Rocks - Big Mesa - Full Trail (Moab, UT)
        mtb
        25:30 | 151 | Jul 28, 2025 , Moab
        Big Mesa
        mtb
        27:10 | 150 | Apr 17, 2025 , Moab
        Big Mesa - Fast and Fun Sections
        mtb
        10:02 | 123 | Apr 17, 2025 , Moab

        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Routes with this trail

        271
        MOAB-Navajo Rocks full loop
        ★ 3.5 • 17 miles • 1,596 ft • 8 • Loop •
        All of Navajo Rocks goodness in the correct (Clockwise) direction. Sometimes referred to as "Chaco Loop".
        197
        The Big Big Cheese
        ★ 5.0 • 18 miles • 852 ft • 5 • Shuttled •
        Great shuttle ride. 18-19 miles total, mostly downhill. Leave a vehicle at lower Navajo Rocks parking lot,...
        117
        Moab Run The Rocks - Stage 1: Half Pint
        9 miles • 728 ft • 2 • Race •
        Stage 1 of Moab Run the Rocks. This is the shorter course for day one of the event. We have two different...
        4.4 ★★★★★
        83 Ratings
        5 ★ 58%
        4 ★ 28%
        3 ★ 8%
        2 ★ 5%
        1 ★ 1%

        12 Reviews & Comments


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        Frequently Asked Questions About Big Mesa

        ▼ Where is Big Mesa located?
        Big Mesa is located in Navajo Rocks, Moab, Utah, United States. It is part of the Navajo Rocks trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 38.63476, -109.80726.
        ▼ How hard is Big Mesa?
        Big Mesa is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Big Mesa?
        Big Mesa has 228 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 304 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 5,242 ft to 5,396 ft.
        ▼ Is Big Mesa a point to point trail?
        Yes, Big Mesa is a point to point trail. The direction is One Direction. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Big Mesa?
        Big Mesa is 3.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Big Mesa?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on Big Mesa. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Big Mesa?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Big Mesa are:
        • October (406 activities)
        • April (200 activities)
        • May (176 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Big Mesa? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Big Mesa are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Big Mesa?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 38 minutes to ride Big Mesa. The trail is 3.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Big Mesa?
        Big Mesa is a very popular trail. There have been 10,978 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 10,842 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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