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7-Up
This mountain biking route is in the Gemini Bridges area about 10 miles
north of Moab. The 7-Up Trail is a combination of singletrack (ST) and
doubletrack (DT) extending 10.1 miles from Highway 313 to the Bull Run trailhead just off the
Gemini Bridges Road. The trail is new in fall
2012. Looking east from the top of
Seven Mile Canyon near the top of 7-Up. Photos and ride description by
Bruce on September 27, 2012. |
| The trail can be used as a climbing route to the top of the Magnificent 7
trail system. This will be a big ride, reserved for stronger riders. After
climbing 7-Up, descend via any combination of the downhill trails to the bottom
of Little Canyon, then exit via the Gemini Bridges Road to complete a loop.
Depending on your choice of trails, this will be 30 to 35 miles.
Starting a 32-mile ride on Highway
313. Nice wide bike lane, beautiful scenery. The 4 pavement miles will go
by quickly.
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It's also possible to climb 7-Up then do the entire Mag 7 (including the
climb up Gold Bar and the long traverse on Golden
Spike). The ride would end by
closing the loop on pavement. This is a huge ride (circa 50 miles with brutal
amounts of climbing) requiring lots of time, water, calories, and thigh. (So
far, I haven't been man enough to do it.)
As you climb up between the hairpin
turns, you'll bet the first views of Monitor and Merrimac buttes to the
north. You'll be seeing them many times from the top of the hill. |
| Most riders are shuttling to the top of the Mag 7 then descending 7-Up. In
fact, the trail signs containing maps all aim uphill. So maybe it should have
been named 7-Down.
Here's the start of the trail as we
drop off 313 to this slickrock pad. Pedal straight ahead and you'll pick
up the blue trail markings at the far side of the rock.
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The starting altitude is 4900 feet; top height is 5800.
Because of up-and-down riding, total climbing for the ten miles of dirt
will be 1400 vertical feet. Highway 313 turns off of 191 at an altitude of
4500 feet. The full uphill route from 191 to the Bull Run Trailhead will be
14.2 miles (4.1 on pavement) with 1800 feet of climbing.
The trail rapidly approaches the side
of Seven Mile Canyon to your left. We're looking back downhill. |
| Once you've found it, the trail is very well marked. There are carsonite
posts at every trail fork, and the route is painted with blue stripes on the
rock. At the top, you'll find the trail on the left side of the small parking
area of the Bull Run trailhead on the Gemini Bridges Road.
The first few miles of trail are
doubletrack, but don't feel like "jeep road." It feels like bike
trail.
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For those who plan to climb the trail, it's a bit harder to find. It turns off
Highway 313 just at the end of the second hairpin turn (you'll know the turn when you
see it). It's just after the road climbs steeply through a cut in the rock cliff
and about 1/4 mile before the Monitor and Merrimac viewpoint turnoff. There were no
signs or markers of any kind as the trail leaves the south side of the road (left if
pedaling uphill) .
At first, the trail follows ledges in
the Kayenta sandstone below Navajo outcrops. |
| When climbing 7-Up, I suggest you start from Highway 191 and include the 4
miles of Highway 313. Park in the large gravel area at the fork of 313 off 191.
Do NOT park along the road where the trail starts! The broad paved shoulder of
313 (to the side of the solid white line) is a BIKE LANE, not a parking strip.
(May a roadie pee on your car if you park there.) Also please reserve the
parking in the view area (just uphill) for those who are visiting. There's room
to park downhill from the trail along the cliff between the hairpin turns (right
side of the road as you're heading uphill), but again, make sure you aren't
blocking the bike lane.
Trail fork! Follow the blue onto singletrack.
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So let's assume you started from 191. At mile 4.1, just as the road begins to
straight out from the second hairpin turn, you'll spot a flattish slickrock area
on the left side of the road. Pedal over to the left side of the road at the
spot where the rock seems to come closest to the pavement. Look for the tire
tracks of downhillers as they've left the rock to join the road. Drop onto the
open rock. Pedal straight west on faith for about 200 feet, and you'll begin to
see a few cairns and some blue spots on the rock up ahead. Now you've found the
trail.
Descending on singletrack. Not as hard
as it looks. Smooth rolling, really. Up-and-down riding adds about 50% to
your climbing total. |
| At mile 6.9 (mile 2.8 from 313), fork R as your route hits a
DT at 90 degrees.
At 8.2, you'll notice white stripes alongside the blue. A bit later,
these routes split. Follow the blue stripes down the rock. (The white
striped route rejoins later -- and looks easy -- but hits some
soul-sucking sand. Don't go there.) You're now on your first ST section of
0.6 miles.
Fun stuff as we head southwest, slowly
climbing.
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At mile 8.8, the trail drops back onto the DT. Keep straight
and uphill.
A bit later, you'll note another white-blue trail fork. The white-paint
route (hard right) is DT that extends north a mile back to 313 and the Navajo
Rocks trailhead. Bail out
here if you need to. Otherwise, straight ahead to the blue stripes. You've
now done half of the dirt and rock.
Once the trail turns more southward,
the climbing gets more sustained. But it's still a gradual uphill -- no
grunts. |
| At mile 10.6, there's another DT fork. Follow the sign and
fork left. Then just 1/4 mile later, head right onto ST. This will be a
short (1/2 mile) but fun section that rejoins the DT downhill.
Approaching picturesque cliffs around the mid portion of the 10 dirt
miles.
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At mile 11.3, turn right on the DT. Climb again and enjoy
the views. There are cliffs to the right and views across Seven Mile
Canyon to Monitor and Merrimac on your left.
At mile 12.2, you've reached a critical DT fork. Straight ahead is a DT
shortcut that connects directly to Getaway. Use this option for a shorter
boring ride. Instead, turn 90 degrees right.
Nice stuff. |
| At mile 12.4, the trail veers left to ST. No more DT for the
next 1.8 miles.
This is the best section of the trail. Soon you'll be along the cliffs of
a fork of Seven Mile Canyon.
Looking to the left across Seven Mile
Canyon as we get above Monitor and Merrimac. These buttes are Entrada
sandstone.
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Cliffs in the Entrada sandstone drop off on the left side of
the trail. The riding gets a bit more technical, but never too tricky.
After heading around the top of the canyon, you'll follow the opposite
side for a while before turning toward the Gemini Bridges Road.
Back onto a short but fun section of singletrack. |
| The trail crosses the Gemini Bridges Road at mile 14.1.
(Option: At mile 14, you can fork downhill on Getaway
as your descending route.) Go
straight across to ST.
Continue another 1/10 mile to the Bull Run trailhead. To your right is
the connection from parking to the Gemini Bridges Road. Straight ahead is
the Bull Run trail.
This is the shortcut to Getaway. If
you take the shortcut, it's a mile of DT, then Getaway will fork off on
your left. (This cuts off the most-fun two miles of riding!)
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Here are your options now:
(1) Bail. Climb up the road to 313, then coast back on pavement.
(2) Retrace. Descend 7-Up.
(3) Bull Run. Descend for a loop ride (see below).
(4) Getaway. Alternate to the Mag 7. Crosses
7-up just before it hits the the Gemini
Bridges Road.
(5) Gemini Bridges Road downhill. Another version of Bail.
On the final two miles of singletrack,
we're riding along the south fork of Seven Mile Canyon, as Entrada
sandstone drops to the canyon floor. |
| Here are your two loop options (see by-mile descriptions
detailed below). Total climbing will be about 2500 by either route. It's
not all downhill from here. Just when you're totally trashed, out of
water and calories, you'll have to climb up and over the Moenkopi skirts
of the cliffs at the end of the Gemini Bridges Road.
The trail flirts with the cliff edge
occasionally, but there's nothing hairy.
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The Mag 7 route is 30 miles. As you finish 7-Up, cross the parking to
Bull Run. Descend all of Bull Run. Turn downhill on Gemini Bridges
Road. Take a hike to
the Bridges. A bit downhill, turn left onto Arth's
Corner singletrack. Follow
Arth's to Little Canyon singletrack. Keep going downhill to the
Gold Bar
4x4 road and drop downhill. Turn right on Gemini Bridges and pedal out to
the paved trail along 191 to close the loop.
The trail is a mix of open rock and
dirt. There are a few squishy spots that still need to be packed down
(fall 2012). |
| The Getaway route uses the alternate trails. Instead of
going to the Bull
Run trailhead, turn downhill on Getaway when it crosses 7-up. Descend
about 6 fun miles on the Getaway singletrack. Connect from Getaway
directly across the road to Great Escape. At the bottom of Great Escape,
turn right on Little Canyon ST, then connect to
Gemini Bridges road via Gold Bar
as above. This version is 31.5 miles.
Final viewpoint before turning away
toward Bull Run.
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Bottom Line:
This trail is worth doing as a climbing route. But if you're just out for
a bit of peddling fun, there are better (singletrack) rides in the area.
7-up has very nice and almost
constant views. I recommend the loop rides, but only for very strong
intermediate to advanced riders. I don't know why you'd want to do 7-Up as
a shuttled downhill, because the Mag 7 trails are so much more fun.
See the Getaway page for more information
about the loop ride.
A view on Great Escape looking toward
the La Sals, as we hit mile 22 of the alternate loop. |
Detailed notes, climbing 7-Up
0.0 From 191, west on Highway 313
N38 40.347 W109 41.220
4.1 At 2nd hairpin turn, as road straightens
L off paved road N38 38.682 W109 43.787
Cross slickrock to DT
(7-Up)
6.9 Turn R N38 37.498 W109 45.221
8.2 L down ST (blue markings)
R = sandy DT that rejoins
8.8 Rejoin DT, keep straight
N38 37.421 W109 46.824
9.1 Keep straight (R = 1
mile to 313)
N38 37.199 W109 47.048
10.6 Fork L N38 36.286 W109 47.173
10.9 R on ST N38 36.132 W109 47.179 |
11.1 Keep L (R = Whirlwind)
N38 36.020 W109 47.225
11.3 Rejoin DT, fork R
N38 36.072 W109 47.064
11.6 Keep L (R = Hildalgo)
N38 35.925 W109 46.781
12.0 Newer 7-Up ST on R
N38 35.863 W109 46.399
Rejoins N38 35.640 W109 46.489
12.2 Turn R (straight = DT shortcut)
N38 35.838 W109 46.342
12.4 L on ST N38 35.662 W109 46.484
14.1 Cross Getaway N38 35.014 W109 46.665
Cross Gemini Road N38 35.002 W109 46.651
14.2 Bull Run TH N38 34.924 W109 46.583 |
Riding notes 7-Up Getaway-Great
Escape Loop
0.0 From 191, west on Highway 313
N38 40.347 W109 41.220
4.1 L off paved road onto slickrock
N38 38.682 W109 43.787
7-Up, follow blue
markings
8.2 L down ST (blue markings)
R = sandy DT that rejoins
9.1 Keep straight (R = 1 mile to 313)
N38 37.199 W109 47.048
12.2 Turn R (straight = DT shortcut)
N38 35.838 W109 46.342
14.1 L on Getaway N38 35.014 W109 46.665 |
20.7 L to join Arth's N38 35.267 W109 42.212
100 ft, cross road to Great
Escape
24.2 R on Little Canyon ST
N38 35.652 W109 40.550
25 Hard L downhill on Gold Bar Rim Road
N38 35.885 W109 40.138
25.6 R on Gemini Bridges Road
N38 36.018 W109 40.438
29.4 Cross RR tracks, L on paved trail
N38 39.372 W109 40.635
31.5 Cross road to parking |
Riding notes 7-Up Bull
Run-Arth's Loop
0.0 From 191, west on Highway 313
N38 40.347 W109 41.220
4.1 L off paved road onto slickrock
N38 38.682 W109 43.787
7-Up, follow blue
markings
9.1 Keep straight (R = 1 mile to 313)
N38 37.199 W109 47.048
12.2 Turn R (straight = DT shortcut)
N38 35.838 W109 46.342
14.1 Cross Gemini Road N38 35.002 W109 46.651
14.2 TH N38 34.924 W109 46.583
Cross parking to Bull
Run
17.9 Cross Crips Hole Rd
N38 35.391 W109 43.507
18.8 R on Gemini Bridges Rd
N38 35.293 W109 42.876
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19.1 R to visit bridges
N38 35.232 W109 42.600
East to rejoin main road
19.6 L on Arth's then keep R
N38 35.249 W109 42.210 (L
= Getaway)
21.1 R on Metal Masher Rd
N38 35.817 W109 41.646
21.2 Straight across to Little Canyon ST
N38 35.738 W109 41.610
22.6 Keep L (R = Great Escape)
N38 35.652 W109 40.550
23.4 Hard L down Gold Bar 4x4
N38 35.885 W109 40.138
24.0 R on Gemini Bridges Rd
N38 36.018 W109 40.438
28.7 Cross RR tracks, L on paved trail
N38 39.372 W109 40.635
30.0 Cross road to parking |
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Getting there, southbound:
From I-70 and Crescent Junction, drive south on US-191 for 20 miles. For
the loop ride, park on the large gravel area right where 313 forks to your
right
off 191.
Northbound from Moab:
Drive about
9 miles north of the Colorado River on Highway 191 to
Highway 313. For the loop ride, park right along 191 and start riding
west on 313.
Upper trailhead for downhill:
Drive 13 miles on 313 to the Gemini Bridges sign and turn left onto dirt road N38 34.390 W109 47.548. Find a spot to
unload there, or descend just over a mile down the road to the Bull Run
trailhead on your right. 7-Up is on the left as you enter the parking zone.
Bathrooms: No
Water: None on trail or at TH (convenience store across 191 from 313)
Camping: Further up 313 (primitive); Dead Horse Point
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