Review Date
October 16, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 5 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a year

Reviewed by: uofabill ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Five of us rode this on 10/03/07. We originally had planned to to do the plain vanilla shuttle to the Porc TH above Sand Flats.
The Coyote Shuttles the guy gave a whole truck load of us the sales pitch to go clear to the top and ride a series of about 5 trails with very little climbing.
He assured us that we would not need maps that he could give us bulletproof directions so that no one could get lost......NOT! Not only did our group of 5 get lost but a group of about 6 Canadians on the same shuttle get lost as well.
Hazard County is apparently a pretty new trail which as several reviewers have said, is totally different from what you expect at Moab. It is pretty narrow dirt single track through grass, brush and trees. This Trail zig zags down the mountain side, crosses a blacktop road and then you start on Kokopelli.
A couple of us had ridden Porc 5 or 6 yrs ago and we didn't remember the bottom end of it being as rough as it is now. Maybe it's changed, maybe it was us?

Recommended Route:
Shuttle to the Hazard County Trail head. At that point there's essentially no to get messed up. Make the climb to the top of the hill and away you go. That part is easy.
Hazard ends at a blacktop road, you cross it and cross a bike cattle guard and that's where Kokopelli starts and it is easy to follow.
It was somewhere after Kokopelli that we got screwed up. I think we actually may have missed part of the trail.
We got to Sand Flats road and none of us remembered the shuttle dude telling us to turn right on that dirt road and follow it quite a ways until you come to a full cattle guard. A Poison Spider shuttle came by and that guy was kind enough to set us straight. The UPS and LPS are easy to follow once on them.
Doing all of this sure has to qualify as an "epic." Be sure to take A LOT OF WATER. We all ran out carrying 100 oz bladders.

Review Date
September 4, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a year

Reviewed by: Cucucachu ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Linked Hazard County to Kokopelli to UPS to Porcupine Rim. 9500 Feet to 4500 Feet - very little climbing. When I finished this Epic ride I was real tired!
"Hazard County" is a short climb from 8900 to 9500 ft and then all downhill with killer jumps and great single track to the end. (DON'T MISS THIS TRAIL) The trail builders did a fantastic job!
Continue downhill on the "Kokopelli Trail". Its a fast double track along the rim that will end on Sandflats Rd.
Sandflats is a rolling gravel road that will link to UPS.
At the one and only cattle grate the "Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS)" starts. The UPS is relatively flat, following the rim until you encounter the Notch. Its a hike-a-bike down (you'll know what I'm writing about when you get there)(Its not for the faint of heart).
At the bottom of the hike-a-bike you connect to "Porc Rim!"
The only part of this whole ride I'm not thrilled about is the last few miles of Porcupine Rim Trail - lots of hike a bike and the temps in this area can get pretty high.

Recommended Route:
To add detail to Spine Shanks Directions:
From Moab take Hwy128 to LaSal Mountain Loop. Take LaSal Mountain Loop through Castle Valley all the way up to the end (at the time of this writing the bridge was out). At the end, follow the unpaved road to "Warner Lake & Campground". The trailhead is near the lake (I used Roadrunner to shuttle up).
From the "Hazard County" trailhead, cross a small bridge and ride the trail up a few hundred feet. Its a short climb to the top. You can do it! From the top follow the trail down, to the North towards Castle Valley. It ends at LaSal Mountain Loop (Paved Road).
Cross LaSal Mountain Loop and continue on the "Kokopelli" (you'll see the sign from the end of Hazard Co.) The Kokropelli drops onto Sandflats. Turn right (up) and follow Sandflats to the Cattle Grate.
Immediately next to the Cattle Grate the "UPS" starts. The UPS will lead right into the "Porcupine Rim trail."
These trails combined make one of the most epic adventures that come to mind.

Review Date
September 4, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a year

Reviewed by: Cucucachu ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Linked Hazard County to Kokopelli to UPS to Porcupine Rim. 9500 Feet to 4500 Feet - very little climbing. When I finished this Epic ride I was real tired!
"Hazard County" is a short climb from 8900 to 9500 ft and then all downhill with killer jumps and great single track to the end. (DON'T MISS THIS TRAIL) The trail builders did a fantastic job!
Continue downhill on the "Kokopelli Trail". Its a fast double track along the rim that will end on Sandflats Rd.
Sandflats is a rolling gravel road that will link to UPS.
At the one and only cattle grate the "Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS)" starts. The UPS is relatively flat, following the rim until you encounter the Notch. Its a hike-a-bike down (you'll know what I'm writing about when you get there)(Its not for the faint of heart).
At the bottom of the hike-a-bike you connect to "Porc Rim!"
The only part of this whole ride I'm not thrilled about is the last few miles of Porcupine Rim Trail - lots of hike a bike and the temps in this area can get pretty high.

Recommended Route:
To add detail to Spine Shanks Directions:
From Moab take Hwy128 to LaSal Mountain Loop. Take LaSal Mountain Loop through Castle Valley all the way up to the end (at the time of this writing the bridge was out). At the end, follow the unpaved road to "Warner Lake & Campground". The trailhead is near the lake (I used Roadrunner to shuttle up).
From the "Hazard County" trailhead, cross a small bridge and ride the trail up a few hundred feet. Its a short climb to the top. You can do it! From the top follow the trail down, to the North towards Castle Valley. It ends at LaSal Mountain Loop (Paved Road).
Cross LaSal Mountain Loop and continue on the "Kokopelli" (you'll see the sign from the end of Hazard Co.) The Kokropelli drops onto Sandflats. Turn right (up) and follow Sandflats to the Cattle Grate.
Immediately next to the Cattle Grate the "UPS" starts. The UPS will lead right into the "Porcupine Rim trail."
These trails combined make one of the most epic adventures that come to mind.

Review Date
June 7, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: wheezl ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
I've been riding this trail for fifteen years plus, and it has always been a beautiful, fun ride. I still enjoy this trail, and for the most part I encourage anybody who hasn't ridden it to do so because it is a thrilling trail, BUT it's only a fading shadow of it's former reputation. People continue to "improve" this once epic ride, slowly bringing it down to such a point that to say you've ridden "Porcupine Rim" no longer carrys it's epic mantle. I'm not saying this to discourage anyone from riding this historic Moab classic, but to bring attention to the continuing efforts of a minority of riders to "improve" this trails flavor, slowly bringing it's original spicy personality down to fit their bland tastes.

Recommended Route:
there is no need to ride this as a loop, unless you like to wear out your knobbys on the road, shuttle it and if you want you'll still have time to do another trail.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Amasa Back, Gold Bar, The Rim......

Review Date
May 30, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Spine Shank ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
I've skimed over the reviews and everyone is pretty spot on. I am writing to recommend a different route that was a lot of fun. Hazard County just legally opened and it adds about 6 miles of awesome dirt single track. doing this cuts out most of the climbing so if that's your thing, you'll miss out. It's June and too hot to fish so whynot take the shuttle up in the Summer. The trail is up in the La Sals, right before an outcropping of Aspen trees and peaceful grass fields. The trail is brown ribbon single track with a small but steep climb in the beginning (maybe 400'?) and then all DH from there. Nothing too steep, all big ring stuff and littered with hip jumps, gaps, and single track trannies. Some were a little big but there are sissy lines around everyone of them. The brown single track cut in the grass is a welcome break from the red rock ledges the rest of your time will be spent on at Moab. It's a great combo to start with the brown stuff and descend into the red rocky stuff.

Recommended Route:
Get the shuttle from Poison Spider and get the driver to take you up to the Hazard County Trail Head. Majority rules so it pays to get a couple people on your side. There's no reason not to - it's no more climbing (infact less) and it's more single track. I paid $20 bucks and it was the same to be dropped off either at Porupine or get the additional 6 miles of sweet dirt single track.

Hazard County starts where the van drops you off (grey gravel lot) and look for the bridge. There are no forks, it's very obvious where to go. Just follow the brown ribbon. You can't get loss once on the track.

Hazard County ends when you run into Sand Flats Rd (perpendicular) and directly across the street is the Kokopeili. Link that to Lower Porcupine and then into Porcupine itseld for a total of 20 miles and 4,500' DH. 5 Miles back to town from 128 and 191 back to Poison Spider Bike Shop.

The rating (3) is for Hazard County, not Porcupine. Easy trail with enough things to keep it interesting. Could be a 4 if you hit some of the gap jumps.