At the far side of the tunnel, you may notice some interesting graffiti. Believe it or not, life has been in Moab since way before ATVers and miners. If you keep your eyes open, you may see old Indian rock art--not posters of Jimi Hendrix, I mean petroglyphs--and dinosaur remains. It's best to hire a guide or check out the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) web site (www.blm.gov/utah/moab/rockart.html) for a self-guided tour of ancient rock art or dinosaur bones and tracks.
If you are looking for a full-service outfitter, then look no further than Moab Unlimited. This company is full-class all the way. It includes full gear with all of its tours. We are talking boots, pants, jersey, jacket, helmet, goggles, kidney belt and even lunch. Moab Unlimited caters mainly to well-to-do tourist types. Clients who've loved its trips include Formula One champion Michael Schu-macher and friends, as well as visitors from around the world. The trails it uses are either in leave-no-trace sand dunes or in Canyonlands National Park.
Our expedition started in beautiful Professor Valley not far from the fancy-schmancy Red Cliffs Lodge. After the briefing, it was time to try Onion Creek! This is one of the greatest beginner trails anywhere, complete with bizarre red rock formations, more than 20 creek crossings and fabulous views--bring your camera! Get a great deal by staying one night at Red Cliffs and partaking in a four-hour ATV tour for $177.
When most people think of Moab, they think of the Slickrock Trail. Slickrock is a sweet run with a Jeep or Hummer, but not very good for the closer connections for which you ride quads. Riding on Slickrock with an ATV is tricky stuff. It has many off-camber sections that are hard to ride, even for the most-experienced rock crawlers. Rolling your rig can happen very easily on this stuff, and guides don't like scraping their customers' bodies off the hot desert rock. Once someone gets hurt or, worse, wrecks a machine, the fun quickly ends. ATVing on off-cambered Slickrock is not suggested. There are plenty of other areas to play.
More-aggressive riders may appreciate time spent with Moab Tour Company.
If you just want an enjoyable and easy ride, Kane Creek should be your first stop. Just pack a cooler with lunch and make a day of it, or you can turn it into an overnighter depending on how much fun you're having.
Moab is not all fun and games, how-ever. It can be either easy riding or some serious stuff. The first weekend I spent in Moab, I heard of four-and-a-half major accidents. Two Jeeps flipped back on themselves, a camper slammed a mountain biker, a truck driver ran off the road and a dog took a 25-foot cliff drop while mountain biking with his owners. Only the dog survived. I don't want to scare you off from riding in Moab, but the risks should be known. So use your head, play it safe, don't pick up married women and bring beer for bartering, and you will be sure to have the time of your life.