I would definitely second the Fruita suggestion. While I think Moab has more iconic riding, there is still a lot of very good riding around Fruita, and I personally find Fruita itself a MUCH more interesting and pleasant town to hang out in.

Not sure how far you want to venture from Moab, but I LOVE Crested Butte. The riding that I have done and seen there is generally more "epic XC" riding than a lot of the more gnarly stuff I've done at Moab, but it is really beautiful and I love the remote back-country feel of it. Lots of big long climbs and big long descents. But what really keeps me coming back there is the town itself. It is a truly special place IMO. Not sure how to describe it, other than it feels very "real" to me, unlike so many other mountain resort towns that feel "produced". It was the kind of thing that took me many days (two 3-day visits) to fully appreciate. The only thing to keep in mind with CB (or any other high altitude town) is that at those elevations, it can really be a kick in the lungs for people like me from lower elevations. I still enjoy it, but do end up having to stop or walk places that I would normally be charging through.

I guess my take on Moab is that from a strictly riding point of view (especially if you like technical and challenging stuff like I do), it is really hard to beat. However, for me the town itself matters as well. And from that perspective, I find it falls flat.