Description:
Sovereign is one of the newest mountain biking trail systems in Moab. The topography in and around Sovereign is generally flatter than most of the terrain in the Moab area. However, don’t let that fool you into thinking this ride won’t be fun and challenging. This route follows one of the more popular routes, Willow Springs Loop. This route has plenty of technical sections as well as rolling fast twisty singletrack sections and some short slickrock sections as well. This is now one of my favorite trails in Moab and is destined to be a classic Moab trail. Note: this was originally a motorcycle trail and is still open to motorcycles though they are much less common trail users than mountain bikers.
From the trailhead ride east on the dirt road you drove in on. After a hundred yards or so veer northeast onto another lesser-traveled dirt road. After about a 1/4 mile or so take the obvious singletrack to the left. Once on this well-defined trail you won’t need to make any turns for several miles.
Begin a mellow climb which will become a more challenging as you continue to gain elevation. Over the next few miles the trail will undulate up and over small ridges and down and up small canyon systems. Most of the trail is quite well built and enjoyable with some challenging technical slickrock and rocky ledge sections thrown in. Most of these can be avoided by taking “cheater routes” that side-skirt the more technical line. There are two sections (one downhill and one uphill when traveling northbound) that are very technical and will force almost all riders to dismount and hike-a-bike.
Eventually the trail will come up to the mesa edge of a large canyon where one can see a huge expanse of tilted creamy-white slickrock below. Look carefully and you may see riders on the slickrock trail. The top of the white slickrock field where the rock color becomes more reddish is Arches National Park, which is closed to bikes unless on a designated trail or road. Descend the trail down off the mesa to the valley floor where there is a dirt road junction (Dalton Wells Road). Resist the temptation to take the road to the right up onto the slickrock. Look across the road straight ahead for a sign indicating the Sovereign Singletrack trail. Proceed straight across the road and into a gully that really does not look like a trail but is the trail. The day we rode this trail many people missed this trail and just turned right and headed up onto the slickrock, missing an entire loop of the trail system.
Follow the trail through the wash until you enter the slickrock field. As you climb the slickrock stay to the left side of it and look for where the trail continues off the slickrock. Look for cairns or trail markings on the rock to help guide you. Once off the slickrock continue on the trail as it meanders through the canyons. Eventually you will come to a steep switchback followed by a narrow crack in the rock you must ride (or walk) through. Just beyond this spot makes an excellent rest spot with a fabulous view.
At the next junction stay right on the ATV marked path. If you head left (signed mountain bike loop) it will take you on a longer ride not described here). In about a half mile you will re-emerge on the slickrock and there will be warning signs to not ride north into Arches National Park. We recommend heeding the the warnings but if you must explore up higher on the slickrock please stay only on the rocks and not on the cryptobiotic soils.
Head right by either following the faint trail markings on the rock or freeform your way across the slickrock to 38°44'26.35"N, 109°39'32.89"W where the trail leaves the slickrock and completes the lollipop part of the loop. Stay straight at the next junction and eventually you will come back to the junction where you descended down the singletrack trail off the mesa. Climb this steep trail back onto the mesa and re-trace the out-and-back portion of the route.
0.00 Willow Springs Trailhead continue East on Willow Springs Road (Willow Springs Trail)
0.10 Left onto lesser-used dirt road.
0.60 Left onto obvious singletrack
2.95 Technical drop into a larger canyon
3.97 Technical climb back onto mesa top
5.27 View of slickrock and Arches National Park
6.02 Cross Dalton Wells Road into wash trail
6.51 Emerge onto slickrock (stay left and look for trail exiting slickrock)
7.15 Junction after crack in rocks right onto ATV trail
7.80 Slickrock: head right looking for faint trail markings
8.50 Exit slickrock onto dirt road 38°44'26.35"N, 109°39'32.89"W (reddish hill about halfway up slickrock on eastern edge of slickrock field)
9.18 Left onto original singletrack trail, steep climb
15.20 After re-tracing out-and-back route return to original trailhead.
Trailhead:
From Moab town center travel north on Highway 191 for 12.8 miles. Turn right and head east on Willow Springs Road (willow Springs Trail) for 1.3 miles. Stay left at this junction and continue .75 miles further east to a large parking lot. There is a small pump house at the east end of the lot. There are also trail systems signs here so you’ll know you are in the right spot.
Notes:
Bring lots of water. There is very little if any shade along this route. The drive in from the highway can be very muddy during or shortly after a rain. For the best prevention of cramping and bonking take a look at my riding nutrition page.