Ultimate Mountain Biking and Mountain Unicycling Playground: Slickrock in Moab, Utah

Three years ago when I came to the great outdoors of Utah in the Salt Lake City area, I read a newspaper article about the Moab MUni Fest. My first thought was what the heck is a MUni Fest? My second thought was where is Moab, Utah? It turns out that MUni stands for mountain unicycling and Slickrock in Moab, Utah is one of the most breathtaking great outdoors playgrounds for mountain biking and mountain unicycling in the world. Your outdoor adventures in Moab will also include the best hiking, rock climbing, and family outdoor camping and recreation activities in southwest Utah.

Great outdoors MUniacs ages 6 to 60 descend on Moab, Utah from all over the world each year for the MUni mania outdoor biking ride of their life. If you want to witness the amazing extreme sport of mountain unicycling, view this YouTube video from the 2005 Moab MUni Fest. Also, check out the amazing 2009 Moab MUni Fest photo album from John Foss, world-renowned mountain unicyclist from California. Look Mom - No Hands has more information about the extreme sport of mountain unicycling and the world famous Moab MUni Fest. The Moab MUni Fest is held in late March each year, but Slickrock in Moab, Utah remains the ultimate great outdoors mountain biking and mountain unicycling playground throughout the spring and summer months.

If your outdoor adventures include mountain unicycling, you can purchase a mountain unicycle for around $200 but the top of the line mountain unicycles are around $1500. A helmet is a must for any mountain biking activities, as is elbow pads, leg guards, wrist guards, and gloves. Mountain unicycles have special features including strengthened hubs and cranks to withstand hops and drops on the rough terrain. Mountain unicycles have no brakes or shocks. An excellent Q & A about mountain unicycling equipment can be found at: So You've Never Heard of a Mountain Unicycle?

Moab, Utah also attracts outdoor enthusiasts for hiking, rock climbing, and visitors from nearby Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. The great outdoors hiking and biking playground of Moab is located near the Colorado River just south of Arches National Park, about 243 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah. There are several ways to get to the remote location of Moab depending on how adventurous you are feeling or how much time you have to explore the great outdoors of Moab. If time is a factor in your ultimate Moab great outdoors adventure, you can get shuttle flights into Canyonlands air field located about 20 miles from Moab. Click here for details on how to get to Moab, Utah and how to ship your bike. Moab tour information is also available from this site. Moab and nearby National Parks have great camping locations, too.

The green valleys and red sandstone cliffs and rock structures of southwest Utah have also attracted Hollywood filmmakers to Moab, Utah. Moab, Utah has been the film location for movie blockbusters like Indian Jones and the Last Crusade, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Thelma and Louise, and City Slickers II. Castle Rock, one of Moab's area landmarks that can only be accessed by helicopter or rock climbing, was used in the famous Chevy automobile commercials where the car sits on top of a very high red rock overlooking canyons.

Plan your Great Outdoors 2009 family outdoor adventures in Moab, Utah with the ultimate in mountain biking, mountain unicycling, hiking, mountain hiking, and rock climbing at Slickrock, Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Your summer outdoor activities in Moab are sure to be memorable ones.

Sources:

John Foss Photo Collection for 2009 Moab MUni Fest

http://unicycling.smugmug.com/gallery/7861424_uSxhP#P-9-12

Moab MUni Fest Official Web Site

http://www.moabmunifest.com/

Moab Utah Travel Guide

http://www.mytravelguide.com/global/touristinfo-9205701-United_States_Utah_Moab_travelguide.html

Dreamride Getting to Moab

http://www.mountainbiketours.com/travelservices.html#logistics

YouTube Video of the 2005 Moab MUni Fest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bic84TW1hpk

Arches National Park

http://www.utah.com/nationalparks/arches.htm

Canyonlands National Park

http://www.utah.com/nationalparks/canyonlands.htm

Moab Camping Locations
http://www.discovermoab.com/campgrounds.htm

Photo Credit: Lucas Wintercrane

Used with permission from MUni Fest organizer Rolf Thompson for this 2007 article:

Look Mom - No Hands!http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/195736/look_mom_no_hands.html?cat=11