Questions & Answers

FAQ for Multi-Day Tours

Everything you need to know before your backcountry adventure.

Money and Booking

What do I need to do to book a trip?

To reserve and book a trip on one of our multi-day tours we require a $200 deposit per person.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please see our Multi-day Deposit / Cancellation page for full details.

What is included in the trip price?

From the moment you arrive at our meeting location until the end of the tour when our shuttle vehicle drops you off, we take care of the details. Your friendly and knowledgeable guides will prepare all your meals, share their knowledge of the history and geology of the region and ensure you have a fun and safe trip. Our guides are certified Wilderness First Responders and are CPR and food handler certified.

Our support vehicle will carry all of your personal and camping gear. On most tours you will only need to carry your water and small items, such as snacks, camera, sunscreen, and any clothing you'll want to have immediate access to. On singletrack tours or tours where the support vehicle is unable to travel on the same route as the riders, you may be required to carry your lunch as well.

Your trip itinerary will have more information on the type of support you will have during your days. All your gear that you do not have with you while you're on your bicycle will be stored in the waterproof bags that we provide. A daypack works well for the items you'd like easy access to while you're on your bicycle.

What about tipping?

Tipping is the customary way to express your thanks for a trip well done! We recommend 15%–25% of your tour cost. If you liked your ride, please tip your guide! It will be gratefully appreciated by our hard-working staff. Remember to have cash on hand at the end of your tour for tipping, but we can also easily put it on your credit card if you would prefer.

How far in advance do I need to book?

That depends greatly on the tour, and the time of year. Overall the best time to book is as soon as you are committed to go! We prefer to have all multi-day tour bookings at least 30 days in advance, but we are able to take bookings later than that. Please inquire.

Does your cost include an airline ticket, too?

No, none of our tours include airfare.

Preparations

What will the weather be like?

We try to schedule our tours during the best weather conditions in each area we ride. However, weather is never predictable and we ask that no matter what month a tour is scheduled, you come prepared. If you don't bring your raincoat or a tent, it will rain! Since our support vehicle carries all the gear, it is not a problem to pack on the heavy side. Please review the packing list for your tour and check the weather forecast before you travel.

What pre-trip forms do I fill out?

These forms will be emailed to you along with your confirmation after you have reserved your tour. They will appear as links in the body of the confirmation email. The links will take you to the electronic forms, which are part of our online reservation system. The forms include a Multi-day Registration Form and a Multi-day Waiver Form. If later on, you cannot find that email, no worries! You may always log into your account on our website and the forms will be available in your account.

Do you have a recommended packing list for your tours?

Yes, we do have packing lists for each of our tours, depending on season, elevation, etc. These custom packing lists are not published on the website — we send them to guests after they reserve a spot on a tour. Please feel free to ask us for one. We do, however, publish a more general packing list on our website under "What to Bring."

Bikes

Our guide said you sell your used bikes at the end of the season. How much are you asking for them?

Yes, we do sell most of our bike fleet at the end of each season. The best way to ensure that you are notified of our Fall Bike Sale is to subscribe to our newsletter. The prices are a function of several variables and are posted on our Mountain Bike Sale webpage early each fall. The bike sale works on a "first come, first served" basis and reservations require a $100 deposit. Most of our bikes usually are spoken for by late fall. Bikes are overhauled and shipped in the order of the reservation, beginning in late November and continuing through January.

Can I use my fat tire bike?

Yes, we can accommodate fat tire bikes on most of our tours.

Do you also rent eBikes on your tours? Where is it not allowed to use eBikes?

Yes, we rent eBikes in our fleet. If you are planning to bring an eBike on one of our multi-day tours, please inquire first. Our camping-based multi-day tours require the use of our eBike charger, which is an additional fee per trip. If you own an extra battery, we also recommend bringing that with, and all cords. Most day tours the battery should hold a charge for a one-day ride.

Many of the trails we ride are for non-motorized vehicles, only. Technically, eBikes are treated as "motorized" by most land management agencies that regulate the trails. However, we do have some tours that share the road with motorized vehicles.

Miscellaneous

What time does my tour start?

All of our multi-day tours have different meet times. You can find that information on the first day of your itinerary, or simply inquire — we are more than happy to help!

Choosing a Tour

What do the experience ratings mean?

Our tours range from Moderate to Intermediate to Advanced in difficulty. Please make sure you are not choosing a tour that is too difficult for your skill level. Call our office if you have questions.

Moderate Rating: Suitable for riders with an average to good fitness level who engage in some form of regular exercise. Hills and descents are typically of short duration and longer steeper pitches can be easily walked. Trail surfaces are relatively even with occasional obstacles on trail (rocks, roots, sand) that can be either ridden or walked.

Intermediate Rating: Suitable for riders with good to excellent fitness level. Previous mountain bike experience is recommended. Trail surfaces may include uneven terrain and narrow trails, singletrack, with occasional obstacles (roots, rocks, sand). Hills and descents are moderate to strenuous and require some skill. Note: Challenging Intermediate Tours require more mountain biking experience due to consistently more challenging terrain.

Advanced Rating: Suitable for experienced mountain bikers only with excellent fitness and strong bike handling skills. Riding is primarily on higher elevation singletrack or rough doubletrack with frequent obstacles. Sections of trail can be very challenging with frequent ascents and descents of significant length. Most of our advanced level tours are located at elevations ranging from 8,000 to 12,000 feet where trail conditions can change rapidly due to weather conditions and thunderstorms.

I can't see where to find a daily itinerary for your trips. Is this information somewhere on your website?

No, our detailed itineraries are not on the website. We are happy to email you a copy upon request. For some of our tours, there are different itineraries depending on several factors, such as the season.

Will I feel comfortable traveling solo?

Your spouse and friends don't ride? No problem! Many of our guests travel solo and you are sure to feel welcome and meet lots of interesting people.

Do you offer novice tours on open trails and fire roads? My experience is on paved roads on a 10-speed.

For our multi-day tours — even the easiest tours — it is best to have at least a minimum of off-road experience. For your very first off-road riding experience, we recommend our Courthouse Loop half-day tour. However, several of our tours are on twin-track roads with no singletrack (for example, the White Rim.) Given the distance covered each day, and the roughness of the terrain, they do require a minimum level of fitness and comfort with off-road riding. If this will be your first off-road biking experience, please inquire before booking.

What is the best time of year to ride in Moab from a weather perspective?

Moab is most popular for visitors during the Spring and Fall, primarily due to the weather. Summer is often very hot, and Winter is often very cold. One of the best resources for looking at historical monthly averages is U.S. Climate Data (usclimatedata.com). October averages the most rainfall (just over one inch) and June averages the least (less than half an inch.) That being said, Moab averages only 9.5 inches per year, so it is considered very dry throughout the year.

Which trips are suitable for children?

Our half-day Courthouse Loop tour is the easiest, and therefore, often is the best choice for the very youngest riders. It has a wide, twin-track loop (as opposed to the narrower singletrack,) and gentle undulating ups and downs. Some 10 year-olds have developed strong riding skills and can handle some of the tougher trails we ride. It all depends on the individual.

As to our multi-day tours, we do not have a strict minimum age requirement, but generally, even for our easiest multi-day tours, young riders need to be strong enough to handle sustained climbs (either riding or walking their bike) for hundreds of feet, and rough terrain. The answer is very situational. Please inquire.

Is it possible to ride in Moab during the winter? I don't see anything on your schedule for December/January. Is that due to vacation time or weather conditions?

Both. We don't have multi-day tours scheduled in Moab during November, December, January and February because the weather is colder (and sometimes, snowy.) If you would like to do a day tour during the winter please call and inquire about our availability. Also, we sell our bike fleet at the conclusion of the Fall season each year and during parts of December and January we are sometimes without bikes. We also do take vacations.

What are the tour sizes?

The average group size is 6–8, and most of our tours require a minimum of 4 guests to run. Our multi-day tours are sometimes limited in size by National Park camping regulations (for example, 13 is the limit on the White Rim, 7 in the Maze) or by basic logistics.

Camping

Do you guys do camping or do we need to book a hotel room in Moab for each day?

Most of our overnight tours involve camping. However, our "Best of" tours are inn-based and include lodging at a hotel each night. Our Moab day tours do not include lodging. If you are booking one of our camping-based multi-day tours, you may need to book a hotel/motel room the night before the tour starts, and possibly one at the end of your tour, as well, depending on the specific tour and your travel arrangements. For all tours please book accommodations soon after booking your tour.

What is the food like?

You will be impressed with the backcountry culinary skills of the Rim Tours staff. We serve delicious energy packed meals with lots of fresh ingredients to satisfy all tastes. We can accommodate special diets; just let us know your preferences. We do not provide alcoholic beverages, but feel free to bring your own. We do provide sodas, Gatorade, and plenty of water.

Is there any hiking?

Plenty! There are great scenic hikes on all of our tours. Most are in the afternoons and are optional. Hiking offers the perfect opportunity to see more of the amazing scenery surrounding our campsites and along our riding routes.

Are there shower facilities?

We carry solar showers and washbasins on each tour. Washbasins are available every day. Depending on the group size and weather, solar showers are usually available every other day. We suggest bringing unscented "baby-wipes" for quick clean up after riding.

By "base camp," does that mean we come back to the same spot each night?

Yes, on our base camp tours we set up camp on day one and do different rides from there each day, returning to the same camp at night. Sometimes, we use a van to shuttle to the start of the ride. We also have some camping-based tours that move camp each night, such as the White Rim. Others, are a combination, such as The Maze, where we have a base camp for two nights, then move camp on day 3 and set up a second base camp for the last two days.

Do we need to know how to assemble camps, etc?

No, you do not need to have any previous camping experience. Our guides will be more than happy to assist you in setting up your personal tent and sleeping area on the first night, and until you are able to do it on your own. They also set up all other aspects of our base camp infrastructure, including camp chairs, kitchen, wash stations, etc. Your primary task, while in camp, will be to relax and enjoy the amazing views and the awesome gourmet meals.

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