Navigate: Top -->Moab Fruita March 2005 -->Moab - Poison Spider - Portal

Overview

• Date Reviewed : March 2005
• Type of trail : Loop
• Distance as rode : ~22 miles
• Total Miles (Available) : >30 miles (this trail connects to lots of other Moab trails)
• Climbing Distance : ~1200'
• Driving Distance : 14 hours from Stockton
• Difficulty : 9 (on the Portal trail) (Scale of 1-10)
• Trail Type : 30% Singletrack, 70% Jeep Road
• Cardio : Moderate

Summary

Poison Spider trail is a jeep road climb/ descent which is mostly a gradual climb with some technical and steep sections thrown in to make things interesting. You take the Poison Spider Trail for about 8 miles to the top of the Portal Trail. The Portal Trail is a rocky, super technical descent to the bottom of the ravine which hugs the cliff face.

For some reason our guide got mixed up and thought we had passed the top of the Portal. So our group wound up wandering a bit around on the top of the Mesa looking for the top of the Portal Trail until we stumbled into someone who knew the way. The way turned out to be staying on Poison Spider until it hit the edge of the cliff. Regardless we had a lot of fun exploring and playing on top of the mesa in the mean time.

Location

Just outside of Moab. Take 191 North from town and turn left onto U-279. Follow 279 for a little more than 6 miles and look for the trailhead on the right (There is a conspicuous sign). The dirt road going up is Poison Spider.

Videos

Coming Soon !!

Links

• I suggest you check out The Poison Spider/ Portal Trail page from the Utah Mountain Biking Site to help plan my trip.

Everyone except the Ogre climbing near the bottom of the Poison Spider trail.

One of many small challenges on the way up Poison Spider.

Scott showing off on the Poison Spider climb.

od, Scott and Joe still climbing

As you get onto the top of the mesa the dirt disapears and is a considerable amount of slickrock exposed.

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