M.O.A.B. Climb, Mother of All Gravel Cycling Bike Climbs
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Have you ever wondered, "What is the largest gravel bike climb by elevation in the United States?" What if I told you the climb was hidden in plain sight in the world's most popular mountain bike destination? Not only that, it paralleled the World's most famous Mountain Bike trail, The Whole Enchilada.
Moab, Utah has long been a mecca for cyclists and outdoor adventurers. From the legendary Slickrock Trail to the bucket-list ride of The Whole Enchilada and the rugged beauty of the White Rim Loop, riders from around the world come here to test themselves against the desert.
Now, there’s a new challenge rising above them all—the M.O.A.B. Climb.
Short for the Mother Of All Bike Climbs, this brutal gravel ascent is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the most demanding cycling routes not just in the United States, but anywhere in the world. This is not your typical climb. It’s not just about elevation—it’s about endurance, grit, and the relentless battle against terrain that refuses to give in.
Climbing an astonishing 7,500 feet, the M.O.A.B. ranks as the second-highest climb in the U.S., behind only the iconic Pikes Peak. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story. What truly defines this climb is its unforgiving gravel surface.
This is a ride where the desert feels bigger, the air thinner, and the challenge more personal. You are in a constant test of traction, strength, and mental toughness. Every mile demands focus. Every pedal stroke must be earned. For those willing to take it on, the reward isn’t just the summit—it’s the experience of pushing beyond limits in one of the most stunning landscapes on earth. The M.O.A.B. Climb isn’t just another ride in Moab.
From our vacation rental condo just south of Moab, the La Sal Mountains rise above you, calling you to take on the challenge of a lifetime. This route can be ridden as a loop starting right from the condo, linking paved roads and paths through town with the gravel climb to Geyser Pass and mountain bike trail up to Burro Pass—the top of The Whole Enchilada. This epic route is truly the gravel equivalent of Moab’s most iconic ride, combining pavement, greenways, gravel, sand, and singletrack to reach one of the highest mountain bike trails in North America at over 11,000 feet.
The climb itself starts in the town of Moab, Utah, USA, where it follows the Mill Creek Path greenway path before switching to a few miles of paved road along Sand Flats Road. Many may know this road, as it provides access to the Slick Rock trail, the trail that put Moab on the map for mountain bikers. Shortly after the Slick Rock trailhead, the road changes to gravel and continues its relentless gravel climb past other famous trails such as Porcupine and Flacon Flow, and leaves the open desert behind. There is one short paved climb just past the Porcupine Rim area. This is one of the hardest parts of the climb on the route.
As one climbs this sandy road, the ecosystem gradually changes from desert to juniper and pinon scrubland. The area on Sand Flats Road where the sandstone domes and ponderosa trees start to mix is perhaps my favorite part of Moab. I have spent a lot of time just roaming around in this area off trail. Once you get to Gesyer Pass Road, the landscape changes again as you are greeted with Aspen trees and large meadows.
The route finally reaches the paved La Sal Loop Road for a quick descent to and then over the upper reaches of Mill Creek. That is the only downhill on the entire route. The climbing immediately starts up again on the gravel Geyser Pass Road. Geyser Pass Road actually has gravel, unlike Sand Flats Road's sand. Once into the Manti La Sal National Forest, the ecosystem changes again to Ponderosa Pine, Aspen, and fir trees. If you didn’t know better, you would think you were in the high Colorado Rockies instead of the red rock lands of Utah. If you time the start of your gravel ride there will be little or no temperature change throughout the day as you climb, not matter how hot it is in Moab.
Once Geyser Pass is reached, we leave the gravel for one of the most difficult single track climbs in the world. From a technical point of view, Burro Pass is not the most difficult bike trail in Moab, but the single track is impossibly steep, and the difficulty is piled on by the fact that there is much less oxygen at 11,150 feet. Burro Pass in itself could be considered one of the toughest cycling climbs in the world. The climb is so steep that my Garmin route shows it in a magenta color, two colors past the normal orange and red that I had seen before. The strava top ten for single track climb to Burro Pass is a who’s who of Tour De France riders and pro cyclists.
Rocks, roots, sand, elevation, sun, dust, wind or anything else Moab can throw at you. If you can handle this, you will be rewarded with awesome views of Burro Pass. Not to mention the sense of accomplishment you will get from knowing you are one of the few people who have actually conquered the M.O.A.B Climb.
It is amazing to find this scenery in the Moab desert. It was 100+ degrees the day I did this climb but the temperature was perfect at the top. This truly is a bucket list ride for those who think they can handle it.
As always, our adventure was based out of the Moab Adventure Condo. What better place to relax and prep for your adventure than a place with adventure in its name?
You can find this route on strava at
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