The
Raptor Route is a series of trails in the Sand Flats area east of Moab. While they're technically two-way trails, everybody rides them in
the downhill direction, and you should too. Falcon Flow was completed in 2020, Eagle Eye in 2021, and Hawks Glide in
2022. This forms a 10-mile section of downhill singletrack. Running from 7300 feet
elevation to 5050, the riding season will be late March
through October.
While it's considered an intermediate ride, there are
some stunt opportunities and challenges. Here Bruce
launches a ledge. Initial review and photos March 9, 2020, with additional
trails added November 2022.
The three finished trails can be done individually, or as a
continuous ride. The gravel Sand Flats Road is used for the uphill portion
of any loop ride, or as the path for the shuttle vehicle, as each trail
begins and ends on the Sand Flats Road.
Eagle Eye has a connector at the top to receive riders from the
Lower Porcupine Singletrack, and a connector at the bottom for riders who
want to drop off the Raptor Route to Porcupine Rim. This adds to the ride
possibilities.
Looking up the Sand Flats Road -- your way to the
top. From the bottom of Falcon Flow to the top of Eagle Eye, you'll pedal
6.2 miles on the road.
All three trails are intermediate-level singletrack with a mixture of narrow desert
ribbon and sandstone.
Unlike nearby Slickrock and Porcupine
Rim the trails can be hammered out quickly and do
not require expert skills. But while intermediate overall, there are
several spots on each trail that
offer a technical challenge.
For riders who want to turn it into a longer
adventure, the nearby Fins 'n Things can be
added to your loop or shuttled downhill.
The trail follows this shelf around a small bowl.
Getting to the trails
Falcon Flow parking
The parking area for the bottom of Falcon Flow is on the Sand Flats Road,
0.3 miles uphill from where lower Falcon Flow returns to the road. This is
a good spot to start cranking uphill for your loop. Porcupine Rim parking
The Porcupine Rim parking area is on your left at mile 6.9 from the entry station,
around 1/10th mile beyond the top of Falcon Flow. Hawk's Glide ends here. Shuttle Drop-offs
There's a shuttle drop on Sand Flats Road at the bottom of Eagle Eye
(where it becomes Hawk's Glide) and at the top of Eagle Eye. There are no
parking lots above Porcupine.
Entering Falcon Flow at the upper trailhead. (Note
kiosk and trail signs were still under construction at the time of my
ride.)
Eagle Eye
Eagle Eye begins on the Lower Porcupine Singletrack (LPS)
0.7 miles downhill from the Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS). The route
forks to the left away from the cliffs. Just before the connector hits
Sand Flats Road, Eagle Eye forks right.
Passing pinion pine and juniper.
Eagle Eye is officially 2.4 miles long, descending 750 vertical feet
with very little climbing. But it has a 0.2-mile connector on each end, and if you
count those as part of Eagle Eye, the trail is 2.8 miles from the LPS to
the Porcupine Rim trail. Eagle Eye runs parallel to Sand Flats Road,
which lies just to the south. The trail is a mix of red dirt singletrack
and rock challenges.
Getting a good bounce to put the front wheel uphill.
At mile 2.4 from the LPS connector (or the Sand Flats Road
entry at the uphill end of Eagle Eye), you reach a 4-way trail crossing.
You can continue descending the Raptor Route on Hawk's Glide by keeping
straight and west. Or you can descend 0.2 miles down to the Porcupine Rim
trail on the connector by forking to the right. Or go out to Sand Flats
Road by turning left.
Drone shot as we ride through an area of juniper and
sage.
Hawk's Glide
Hawk's Glide begins when Eagle Eye reaches the connector
between Sand Flats Road and Porcupine Rim. The terrain and riding area
very similar to what you've been doing so far.
Hawk's Glide is 2.0 miles long, with 700 vertical feet of descending
and almost no climbing. It runs along the ridgeline between Sand Flats
Road and the Porcupine Rim trail.
Following the trail along the north slope of the
hill.
At mile 1.8 Hawk's Glide descends off the ridgeline through
a series of turns. It rolls into the Porcupine Rim parking area between
the Sand Flats Road and the Porcupine Rim trail. To continue downhill on
Falcon Flow, go 1/10th mile west on the gravel road.
Hitting a bit of shade.
Falcon Flow
Falcon Flow is the lowest in elevation of the trails and
at 5.4 miles is longer than Eagle Eye and Hawk's Glide put together. When descending top-to-bottom, you'll
still put in about 450 vertical feet of climbing, most of it on the lower
half of the trail. With the up-and-down riding, tackling the trail in the
uphill direction will require around 1150 feet of climbing.
Bruce descends upper Falcon Flow westbound.
The upper end of the trail is about 0.1 miles west of the Porcupine
Rim trailhead (toward
Moab). Elevation is 5800 feet.
The lower end of the trail is at 5100 feet elevation. If you decide to
ride the trail as a loop using the Sand Flats Road as your uphill, it's
700 vertical feet of climbing over 2.7 miles.
Cruising through juniper and sage as we pass
sandstone shelves.
At this time, there's a small parking area located 0.3
miles uphill from the downhill entry. The parking zone is tiny, so on weekends an early
start means you're more likely to find a spot for your car.
Following a rim of Kayenta slickrock around a bowl.
Although the trail is intermediate overall, there a couple
of quick challenges that require expert skills (or, at least, a few tries
to clean them). There are some thread-the-needle passages where picking
the right line gets you past, and a couple of steep drops that
less-aggressive intermediates can walk.
Finding the correct line to: A. Not bonk my head, B.
Not rip my bike shorts on the rock, C. Keep the bike rolling forward, D.
All of the above.
While the trail is bi-directional, most of the riders will
be going top-to-bottom, either via shuttle or as a loop with the gravel
road for the uphill. The out-and-back from the bottom is a lot more work
-- 1600 feet of climbing round-trip. And you'll encounter some dusty rock ramps that are almost
impossible to climb.
Dropping a ramp. There's a little drop-off at the
top. It stopped me cold when riding the uphill direction. I'd lose power,
bump the lip, and my rear tire would spin out in the dust covering the
slab. Every time.
A reasonable time estimate for a loop up Sand Flats and down
Falcon (for a well-conditioned intermediate rider) is 90 minutes riding
time. Add time for pictures, huddles with fellow riders, and re-tries of
the fun stuff.
There's a bit of scenery, such as occasional views of the La Sal
Mountains to the east, and of the sandstone humps of the Slickrock area along Negro Bill
Canyon to the west. But you won't notice any of it, because you'll be too busy
playing.
A lot of spots along the trail are armored with rock slab, as in
this little up-and-over.
Falcon Flow from
the top down...
If the above video does not appear on your
browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking
here.
Bottom Line:
Compared to other rides in the area, the Raptor Route is fun and quick. A good "intermediate rider's sampler" of Moab riding.
An awesome "add-on" to a day's riding for expert groups, or a
destination trail for intermediates.
Getting there: Head uphill on the Sand Flats Road, reached by turning left off Moab's main drag
onto 300 South. Go right when 300 South ends on 400 East, then second left
onto Millcreek Drive. Keep left as the Sand Flats Road separates from
Millcreek. Pay your entry fee at the station. From the
entry gate, drive 4 miles, then watch for the lower entry to Falcon Flow on your left.
Temporary parking is 0.3 miles uphill, also on the left. The upper trail
will be on your left at mile 6.8 from the entry station (just as the road
drops down to the Porcupine Rim parking area). The Porcupine trailhead is
0.1 miles uphill from the top of Falcon Flow. The bottom of Hawk's Glide
is across the road from the parking strip.
Bathroom: Porcupine Rim TH
Water: none
Camping: multiple primitive spots throughout the Sand Flats area
The Raptor Route consists of:
Eagle Eye 2.4 miles from Sand Flats Road to Hawks
Glide, 2.8 miles from the middle of the LPS to the Porcupine Rim trail
Hawks Glide length 2.0 miles, from lower Eagle Eye to
Porcupine Rim parking area
Falcon Flow 5.4 miles, from below the Porcupine
Rim TH to Sand Flats Road above Fins 'n Things
