The World Famous Whole Enchilada Trail is at the top of the hit list for many riders visiting Moab, and for good reason. This unique trail begins at 10,500ft, taking you above the treeline to 11,200ft. before descending over 7,000 feet in the span of 27 miles. On your ride, you will pass through alpine forests, aspen groves, along the legendary Porcupine Rim, and over red rock drops all the way down to the banks of the mighty Colorado River at 4,000ft. The changing climate zones, technical riding, and majestic views make it one of the most memorable rides of your life. It’s no wonder people travel from all over the world to ride it. The ride finishes with an additional 6 miles back to our departure lot, on a paved, relatively flat bike path.

The system is known as the Whole Enchilada even if we cannot drop at the highest trailhead. We always drop off at the highest accessible trailhead which is dictated by weather and trail conditions, as we strive to keep our trails healthy and in excellent condition. The US Forest Service does not allow access to Burro, the highest trailhead, until July 1st, and only if the snow has cleared.

It is important to know that the “Whole” Whole Enchilada, Burro down, is an ADVANCED ride. Burro starts one mile in, with a 700ft. climb over less than a mile, it then drops you off the backside of Burro pass beginning with narrow, tight, and steep switchbacks. You will descend nearly 2000ft in just over 2 miles. For spirited intermediate riders, we recommend starting below Burro, take your time, and use caution where necessary. Always remember the Raptor Route as an alternative ending if needed, a porcupine rescue is an average of 8 hours.

Plan ahead and prepare. Familiarize yourself with the trail and related info before your arrival. With major elevation change, comes major changes in temperature, often a difference of  20°F or more. Check the weather before your rides and pack accordingly. Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks, there is NO water along the trail. Be sure to have a repair kit including a spare tube, flats are common on this ride. Also, remember your helmet, shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen. We recommend noting the 4 exit points in case of unexpected situations. We’ve got lots of information for riding in Moab here. We do our best to keep our website and social media updated with the current drop off location.

The Whole Enchilada is made up of 6 trails, from top to bottom – Burro, Hazard County, Kokopelli, UPS, LPS, Porcupine Rim. Please note, we only shuttle to one drop off location. It is always the highest accessible trailhead on the Whole Enchilada system. The trailheads are NOT located along the same route, and are all accessed from different locations. We DO NOT DROP at any other locations as it would be nearly an hour out of our way. Our drop off is dictated by trail conditions, snow can shut trails down, and rain can make the trail impassible. We take extra caution when Kokopelli is wet, as it contains diatomaceous earth which can ruin your bike or make it unrideable.

Our shuttle times vary according to season, in the spring and fall we run 2 shuttles per day. In the summer we only run one shuttle in the early morning. We are typically the first shuttle company to reach the trailhead every day.

In the spring, we start low, often with only Porcupine Rim and move to higher trailheads as trails dry out. Historically, we tend to get to Koko in mid- April and reach Hazard by mid-May, though this is not guaranteed.

In the summer we start going to Burro, no sooner than July 1st, per the USFS, and remain there until the snow forces us down. We usually make it about halfway through October at Burro before the snow comes, we are lucky if we get all the way to the end of October. We cannot control mother nature, and at times, weather may force us to a lower trailhead for one or more days.

We recommend the spring and fall as they have better temperatures for biking. The fall is the optimal time if you are hoping to get to Burro Pass, don’t wait till too late in the fall or you may miss it. If you must ride in the summer, be sure to prepare for heat that can reach over 100°F. Learn all about riding in Moab here.