While it's considered an intermediate ride, there are some stunt opportunities and challenges.
While it's considered an intermediate ride, there are some stunt opportunities and challenges.
Raptor Route
Eagle Eye, Hawks Glide, Falcon Flow, Kestrel Run

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. A 4th section called Kestrel Run is under construction in fall 2023. Running from 7300 feet elevation to 5050, the riding season will be late March through October.

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.
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.
The trail follows this shelf around a small bowl.
The trail follows this shelf around a small bowl.
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. 

Getting to the trails
Entering Falcon Flow at the upper trailhead. (Note kiosk and trail signs were still under construction at the time of my ride.)
Entering Falcon Flow at the upper trailhead. (Note kiosk and trail signs were still under construction at the time of my ride.)
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.
Eagle Eye
Passing pinion pine and juniper.
Passing pinion pine and juniper.
Eagle Eye begins on the Lower Porcupine Singletrack (LPS) 0.7 miles downhill from the Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS). When riding the Whole Enchilada the LPS connector forks to the left away from the cliffs. Just before the connector hits Sand Flats Road, Eagle Eye forks right.
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.

It's a fast ride.
It's a fast ride.
Looking southwest on Eagle Eye
Looking southwest on Eagle Eye
At mile 2.4 from the LPS connector (or the Sand Flats Road entry at the uphill end of Eagle Eye), you reach a trail crossing. You can continue descending the Raptor Route on Hawk's Glide by keeping straight for 100 yards then veering left and finding the singletrack entry. Or you can descend 0.2 miles down to the Porcupine Rim trail on the connector by keeping to the right. Or go out to Sand Flats Road by turning left.
Hawks Glide
Hawks Glide spends some time hugging the steep slope of the hill.
Hawks Glide spends some time hugging the steep slope of the hill.
Hawks 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.

Hawks Glide is 2.0 miles long, with 700 vertical feet of descending. There's only a tiny bit of climbing, but it comes in short difficult technical bursts. Hawks Glide runs along the ridgeline between Sand Flats Road and the Porcupine Rim trail.

At mile 1.8 Hawks Glide descends off the ridgeline through a series of turns. This is a highly technical descent. It's expertly constructed, but needs expert skills and confidence to ride cleanly. Hawks Glide 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.
Walk if you need to.
Walk if you need to.
Falcon Flow
Bruce descends upper Falcon Flow westbound.
Bruce descends upper Falcon Flow westbound.

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.

The upper end of the trail is about 0.1 miles west of the Porcupine Rim trailhead (toward Moab).
Elevation is 5800 feet at the top. 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.
Cruising through juniper and sage as we pass sandstone shelves.
Following a rim of Kayenta slickrock around a bowl.
Following a rim of Kayenta slickrock around a bowl.
There aren't a lot of parking spaces at either of the Falcon Flow trailheads. On weekends, this can be a problem. Get there early.
Trailheads
Looking north from the parking loop.
Looking north from the parking loop.
Lower Falcon Flow parking:
From the entry station at Sand Flats, drive exactly 4 miles up Sand Flats Road and spot the trailhead on your left. The lower end of Falcon Flow (which is a two-way trail) is on the downhill side of parking. For a loop ride, begin pedaling up the road. About 1.4 mile uphill on the left, there's a second parking area with longer stalls, used by RVs and vehicles with trailers. In 2023, there's a port-a-potty at the parking area.
Looking east from the Sand Flats Road. The toilet is behind the sign.
Looking east from the Sand Flats Road. The toilet is behind the sign.
Upper Falcon Flow (Porcupine Rim) parking:
The upper parking area is 7.0 miles uphill from the Sand Flats entry gate, on your right. There's a pit toilet here. The entry to Porcupine is the broad trail to the left of the road. The singletrack dropping off the steep hill to the east is Hawks Glide. (If you ride it uphill, you'll literally climb the cliffs of the hill in front of you. Which is why east to west is the recommended direction.) The entry to Falcon Flow is 0.1 miles back west. For a loop ride of the upper Raptor Route trails, pedal east on the Sand Flats Road.
Sand Flats is an improved road, but conditions will vary.
Sand Flats is an improved road, but conditions will vary.
Climbing the Sand Flats Road:
Many riders use Sand Flats to create a non-shuttled loop ride. From the lower Falcon Flow parking, it's 2.7 miles to the top of Falcon Flow, then 0.1 mile to the upper parking (which is shared with Porcupine Rim). At mile 2.1 from upper parking, the Porcupine Rim entry is on your left. This is the route to Hawks Glide. To reach Eagle Eye, continue on Sand Flats Road to mile 4.0 (6.8 from lower Falcon Flow). There's a cattleguard across the road with the LPS connector on your left. 50 feet down that connector, Eagle Eye forks left. The overall climbing on the Sand Flats Road will be 1400 from the upper trailhead; 2300 from the lower Falcon Flow trailhead.
Bottom Line:
Compared to Porcupine Rim and Slickrock, the Raptor Route is fun and quick. A good "intermediate rider's sampler" of Moab riding. The trail sections can be done as quick loop rides, for an awesome "add-on" to a day's riding.
Cruising down the hill!
Cruising down the hill!
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, lower Falcon Flow 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 the entry west of the Porcupine Rim TH to Sand Flats Road parking
     Kestrel Run  still under construction at the time of this review