Moab Ho Down 2026: the mountain bike festival, and what else to do in Moab that weekend

Group rides, enduro racing, bike films and a costume party in Moab, Thursday through Sunday, plus the free festivals, shows and red-rock parks to fill the rest of your weekend.

Updated October 21, 2026

• The Moab Ho Down this year
• The Moab Ho Down Mountain Bike Festival
• More fun around Moab that weekend
• Make a weekend of it: the parks around Moab

The Moab Ho Down this year

Looking for a reason to get down to Moab before winter sets in? You have come to the right place! The Moab Ho Down Mountain Bike Festival, a multi-day mountain bike festival on trails around Moab, runs from Thursday, Oct 29 through Sunday, Nov 1. Riders get group rides, enduro racing and bike films, everyone gets a costume party, and the whole thing raises money for local trail projects and the Moab bike park.

We keep track of the festival along with everything else Moab has going on that weekend, from the library and the multicultural center to the little theaters and music nights on Main Street, and we check every listing again each day so the dates you see here stay current. Tap any pick for the full details and a map, plus the weather forecast and restaurants and hotels nearby, which is handy for a town that fills up fast on a festival weekend.

This guide starts with the Ho Down itself, then the best of what else is happening in Moab Thursday through Sunday, and finishes with the parks just outside town for the hours you're not on a bike. Here's a few of the top options to consider, so get planning with your family and friends in our App too!

The Moab Ho Down Mountain Bike Festival

The Ho Down is a multi-day festival, so you can plan it as a whole long weekend or just drop in for the part you care about most. Serious riders will want the enduro racing and group rides. The schedule also has bike films and a costume party; open the listing to see what each ticket includes. Part of the point is giving back, too: the festival raises money for local trail projects and the Moab bike park.

The listing shows tickets from $50 to $100, so open it before you go to see what each option includes. Moab is busy that weekend, so book your place to stay early, and bring a costume, since a costume party is on the schedule.

More fun around Moab that weekend

Not everyone in your group has to ride all four days. Moab has a full little calendar the same weekend, with a river film night, a free skate night, live music, a family magic show and a long-running Day of the Dead festival. Several of them are free, which helps balance out a festival weekend.

Most of these are in town, so they're easy to fit in after a day on the trails. October nights in the desert get cold after dark, so bring a warm layer for anything that runs into the evening.

Photo: Star Hall

Wild Rivers Film Tour

Thu, Oct 29, 7–9 PM · Star Hall, Moab · Free

A free night of river films at Star Hall: 105 minutes of cinema celebrating people's connections to wild rivers, with this year's films focused on the Colorado River Watershed. Featured films include "The American Southwest," "What the River Knows" and "Monumental Moment." A great way to kick off the weekend on Thursday night.

Photo: Moab Backyard Theater

Rick Boretti's Magic Show

Oct 24 – Oct 31 (2 dates) · Moab Backyard Theater, Moab · $8–$15

Rick Boretti's interactive, family-friendly magic show is full of humor and fun for every generation, at the Moab Backyard Theater on Saturday night. Tickets are $8 for children and $15 for adults, and kids under 3 get in free.

Photo: Moab Valley Multicultural Center

Day of the Dead Festival (Día de los Muertos)

Sun, Nov 1, 1–5 PM · Moab Valley Multicultural Center, Moab · Free

The Moab Valley Multicultural Center's 16th annual Day of the Dead Festival fills its courtyard with mariachi music from Mariachi Sol de Jalisco, traditional Mexican food, cultural exhibits, face painting, free kids' activities and ofrendas honoring those who have passed. Admission is free, with food for sale, and the current U.S. national champions in Cueca, a South American folk dance, perform at 2 p.m. A wonderful way to experience a bit of another culture on Sunday afternoon.

Make a weekend of it: the parks around Moab

Moab is surrounded by red-rock parks, so even on a bike festival weekend it's worth saving a morning or an evening for the views. There's Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park, Sand Flats is home to the Hells Revenge route, and Moab Giants, a dinosaur park on the road to Dead Horse Point, is a great stop with kids.

Fall is a great time to visit, but the desert gets cold quickly once the sun goes down. Bring plenty of water and layers, and check each listing for the hours and fees before you go.

Photo: m01229 from USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

Arches National Park

Moab

Arches National Park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins and giant balanced rocks. It's a red-rock wonderland for a morning on its trails before or after the festival, and a great place to catch the sunset.

Photo: Nikater · Public domain

Dead Horse Point State Park

Moab

Dead Horse Point State Park has a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park, across 5,362 acres of high desert. The listing has its hours, and there's a fee to get in, so check it before you drive up.

Moab Giants

Moab

Moab Giants is a dinosaur park with an indoor and outdoor dino experience, a great pick if you have kids along for the trip. There's an admission fee, so check its listing for the price and the hours it's open.

Common questions

When is the Moab Ho Down 2026?

Thursday, Oct 29 through Sunday, Nov 1, on trails around Moab.

What happens at the Moab Ho Down?

It's a multi-day mountain bike festival with group rides, enduro racing, bike films, a costume party and community fundraising for local trail projects and the Moab bike park. Its listing shows tickets from $50 to $100.

What else is there to do in Moab that weekend?

The free Wild Rivers Film Tour at Star Hall on Thursday, a free all-ages skate night at the Old Spanish Trail Arena on Friday, Rick Boretti's Magic Show on Saturday, and the free Day of the Dead Festival at the Moab Valley Multicultural Center on Sunday, plus Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.

Things to do in Moab · More ideas