THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS! IT IS ABOUT 50% COMPLETE!
Welcome to the Bigroads ultimate travel guide to Moab! The intent of this page is to provide travel recommendations to help you plan your next trip to this cherished adventure town. Like any guidebook or website, the recommendations on this page are opinionated and could not possibly include every great attraction or restaurant that exists in the town and surrounding area.
Take note that I build and maintain this website primarily as a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures with others. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions, corrections, and/or ideas for improvement.
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Moab is America's greatest adventure town. Moab is America's greatest desert destination. Moab is just...the greatest. |
TOP 25 THINGS TO DO IN MOAB
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Here are my selections for the top 25 things to see or do in Moab.
☏ = advance online reservations/tickets are required or highly recommended
✮ 4x4 driving - the Moab area has thousands of miles of dirt roads and 4x4 driving trails; there are trails for all vehicle types and skill levels
✮ Ancient rock art - the Moab area is chock-full of ancient rock art, if you know where to look (e.g. Potash Road, Kane Creek Road, etc.)
✮ Arches National Park ☏ - one of the premier national parks of the U.S., Arches has amazing desert scenery and spectacular trails for day hikes
✮ BLM campgrounds - there are more than 25 BLM campgrounds in the Moab area (all are first-come, first-served; no reservations)
✮ Canyonlands National Park: Needles District - a beautiful desert park with colorful sandstone spires; wonderful hiking and backpacking
✮ Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky District - an isolated mesa that is most famous for sweeping scenic views and Mesa Arch
✮ Corona Arch - take a moderately challenging 3.0-mile round-trip hike to see one of the finest natural arches in the country
✮ Dead Horse Point State Park - this is one of the most beautiful state parks in the U.S; outstanding desert scenery and great mountain biking
✮ Downtown Moab - a charming and walkable small town center with dozens of shops and restaurants
✮ Fisher Towers - take a moderate day hike to see soaring sandstone towers; the trailhead is located on a spur dirt road off UT-128
✮ Guided 4x4 and UTV driving tours ☏ - there are many different companies in Moab that offer guided 4x4 and UTV driving tours
✮ Guided canyoneering tours ☏ - there are several companies in Moab that offer canyoneering of various levels of difficulty; minimum age is 7
✮ Guided hot air ballooning tours ☏ - there are several companies in Moab that offer hot air ballooning (reservations highly recommended)
✮ Guided skydiving and base jumping tours ☏ - there are several companies in Moab that offer skydiving and base jumping
✮ Guided whitewater rafting trips ☏ - the Moab area is a hub for day or overnight trips on the Colorado River or Green River
✮ La Sal Mountain Loop - this 60-mile long, paved scenic drive starts just south of Moab off I-191 and takes about 3 hours to drive
✮ Moab Brewery - one of the best breweries in Utah
✮ Moab Canyon Pathway - a paved pathway for cyclists and walkers in and around Moab; strong cyclists can ride to Canyonlands NP
✮ Moab Food Truck Park - an attractive food truck park that usually has at least 10-12 food trucks operating
✮ Morning Glory Arch/Grandstaff Canyon - take a day hike through a beautiful canyon to visit one of the best arches in the Moab area
✮ Mountain biking - Moab is one of the epicenters of mountain biking; famous trails include the Slickrock Trail and The Whole Enchilada
✮ Newspaper Rock - see one of the most impressive collections of petroglyphs in the U.S. en route to the Needles District of Canyonlands NP
✮ North Fork of Mill Creek - take a hike upstream to visit a beloved swimming hole; bring watershoes and watch out for poison ivy!
✮ Rock climbing and canyoneering - there are a ton of rock climbing and canyoneering opportunities in the Moab area; guides are available
✮ Wilson Arch - an impressive natural arch visible from highway US-191 a few miles south of Moab; kids loving scrambling up to the arch
If you enjoy roadside attractions, you will probably like Hole N' The Rock, located on I-191 a few miles south of Moab. Hole N' The Rock features various photo ops and tours of a unique home carved deep into a sandstone cliff. If you head down that way, continue a little further south to also visit the large and impressive Wilson Arch.
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| Slickrock Trail | |
Double Arch, Arches National Park | |
Canyonlands National Park |
Here is an overview map of Moab:
COMING SOON
For another good map of the Moab area, visit the American Southwest website.
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Here are some things that Moab is famous or well-known for:
✮ 4x4 and UTV driving trails
✮ ancient rock art / petroglyphs
✮ canyons
✮ desert landscapes/scenery
✮ dinosaur tracks
✮ hiking trails
✮ mountain biking
✮ national parks
✮ natural arches and bridges
✮ river rafting / float trips
✮ rock climbing and canyoneering
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| Turret Arch, Arches National Park | |
Dead Horse Point State Park | |
Druid Arch, Canyonlands |
XXXXX
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky District
Moab area
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ Grand View Point - 1.8 mile round-trip hike
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XXXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
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XXXXX. One of the best destinations in 'Top of the World'.
✮ XXXX - XXXX
✮ XXXX - XXXX
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FAVORITE RESTAURANTS IN MOAB
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While I wouldn't say that Moab is a major culinary destination, there is some good food to be found within the town. Altogether there are about 50-60 restaurants in Moab to choose from. Here are some top-rated favorites:
✮ Antica Forma - pizza
✮ Desert Bistro - american (fine dining; reservations are highly recommended)
✮ Doughbird - donuts
✮ El Tapatio - mexican
✮ Jailhouse Cafe - american/breakfast/lunch
✮ Milt's Stop & Eat - take-out hamburgers, shakes, and other fast food
✮ Moab Brewery - american/brewery
✮ Moab Canyon Pizza Co. - pizza
✮ Moab Diner - american/breakfast/lunch
✮ Quesadilla Mobilla - mexican food truck (currently parked at the Moab Food Truck Park)
✮ Sultan Mediterranean Grill - mediterranean
✮ Sweet Cravings Bakery & Bistro - bakery/breakfast/lunch
✮ Thai Bella Moab - thai
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If any of these restaurants have closed, please email me (gparsons66@hotmail.com) so that I can remove them from this list.
I haven't eaten at the Moab Garage Co. yet, and it's very possible I will add that to the list above after I do.
Moab is an outstanding family destination! If your children enjoy adventure (e.g. hiking, clambering up/around on rocks, playing on sand, bicycling, etc.), you can easily spend a full week here. Here are some top choices for families / children:
✮ Arches National Park: Delicate Arch - XXXX
✮ Arches National Park: Sand Dune Arch - XXXX
✮ Arches National Park: The Windows - XXXX
✮ Corona Arch - XXXX
✮ Grandstaff Canyon to Morning Glory Arch - XXXX
✮ Junior Ranger program - XXXX
✮ Mesa Arch - XXXX
✮ Moab Boulder Park - XXXX
✮ Moab Canyon Pathway - XXXX
✮ Moab Giants - XXXX
✮ Moab Recreation and Aquatic Center - XXXX
✮ Moab Rock Shop - XXXX
✮ Moab Sand Hill - XXXX
✮ North Fork of Mill Creek / Millcreek Canyon - XXXX
✮ Rafting on the Colorado River - XXXX
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| sign at the Moab Food Truck Park | |
UTV-ing in Moab | |
Cottonwood Wash, Moab |
NATURAL ARCHES & BRIDGES IN MOAB
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The Moab area is world-famous for its natural arches and bridges.
While there are many inside of Arches National Park, there are also many outside of the park. Some of the arches can be challenging to reach (e.g. some require a 4x4 vehicle and/or rock scrambling)
Major arches within Arches National Park
✮ Broken Arch - an impressive,
✮ Delicate Arch - an iconic, 46-ft tall, 32-ft wide arch reached via a moderate 3.0-mile round-trip day hike
✮ Double Arch - XXXX
✮ Double O' Arch - XXXX
✮ Eye of the Whale Arch - XXXX reached via a XXXX-mile hike from a 2WD trailhead or a XXX-mile hike from a 4WD-HC trailhead
✮ Fiery Furnace arches - you will see several arches if you take this guided tour (reservations required and they typically sell out well in advance)
✮ Landscape Arch - XXXX
✮ Navajo Arch - XXXX
✮ North Window - XXXXX
✮ Partition Arch - XXXX
✮ Pine Tree Arch - XXXX
✮ Private Arch - XXXX
✮ Ring Arch - XXXX
✮ Sand Dune Arch - XXXX
✮ Skyline Arch - XXXX
✮ Tapestry Arch - XXXX
✮ Tower Arch - XXXX
✮ Tunnel Arch - XXXXXX
✮ Tunnel, The - an off-trail hike and steep scramble bring you to one of the most interesting features in the parks: a long natural tunnel
✮ Turret Arch - XXXX
Major arches outside of Arches National Park
✮ Corona Arch & Bowtie Arch - XXXX
✮ Covert Arch & La Boca Arch - XXXX
✮ Funnel Arch - XXXX
✮ Gemini Bridges - XXXX
✮ Hall Bridge - XXXX
✮ Hunter Arch - XXXX
✮ Jeep Arch (aka Gold Bar Arch) - XXXX
✮ Looking Glass Arch - XXXX
✮ Morning Glory Bridge - XXXX
✮ Otho Natural Bridge - XXXX
✮ Picture Frame Arch & Balcony Arch (aka Prostitute Butte) - XXXX
✮ Pritchett Arch - XXXX
✮ Tukuhnikivats Arch - XXXX
✮ Uranium Arch - XXXX
✮ Wilson Arch - XXXX
Major arches in Canyonlands National Park
✮ Angel Arch - XXXX
✮ Druid Arch - XXXX
✮ Mesa Arch - an easy 0.6-mile round-trip hike to one of the most iconic arches in UT; gorgeous at sunrise; within the Island in the Sky district
✮ Paul Bunyans Potty - XXX
There are literally hundreds of other impressive arches and natural bridges in Moab and the surrounding area. Many of them require a half day or even full day adventure to reach. Many require off-trail hiking and/or long drives down (often rough) dirt roads. If you do some online research you can find some of these hidden wonders.
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Here are a few tips for visiting Moab:
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS - I highly recommend making advance reservations for the following:
- 4x4 rentals (e.g. Jeeps, Broncos, UTVs, etc.)
- Arches National Park - private vehicle timed entry passes (you often can't get into the national park without this)
- Arches National Park - guided hiking tours of the Fiery Furnace
- Guided tours (4x4 tours, whitewater rafting, canyoneering, guided hikes, hot air ballooning, skydiving, etc.)
- Lodging / campgrounds (especially during peak periods)
- Mountain bike rentals
LENGTH OF VISIT - I recommend that first time visitors stay in Moab for at least 4-5 nights. If you can stay a full week, that's even better.
MOAB FESTIVALS - visit the Moab Adventure Center website for a great list of annual events in Moab, including the famous Moab Jeep Safari.
SKIING - while there are no ski resorts near Moab, the nearby La Sal Mountains do have some excellent backcountry skiing. Previous avalanche training is needed.
DINOSAUR TRACKS - The Moab area has several sites where you can see real dinosaur tracks. This includes Potash Road (e.g. Poison Spider Dinosaur Tracksite), Bull Canyon Overlook Interpretive Site, and the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite. Here is an article with more information.
DAY TRIPS FROM MOAB - There's plenty to do in Moab, and so describing day trips from it might seem a bit silly. That being said, there are some very worthwhile destinations that aren't too far from town. This includes the following: |
- Goblin Valley State Park, Utah (1 hour, 40 minutes northwest)
- Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah (2 hours southwest)
- Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado (2 hours southeast)
- Sego Canyon Rock Art
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Here is a suggested 5-night, 4-day itinerary for Moab:
DAY #1
✮ Arrive in Moab. If you are driving to Moab from the south, stop at Wilson Arch and maybe the Hole N' The Rock tourist attraction too.
DAY #2
✮ With timed entry permits/reservations in hand, head out early and drive into Arches National Park.
✮ Stop at the Park Avenue Viewpoint within the park for a quick photo op.
✮ Drive to the Balanced Rock trailhead. Park and walk 0.3 mile around the famous 128-foot rock formation.
✮ Drive to the Windows Section area of the park. Park somewhere along the loop at the end of the road.
✮ Take the fairly easy walks to a few or all of the four arches this area: Double Arch, North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch.
✮ Return to downtown Moab.
✮ Enjoy the shops and galleries of downtown Moab for a few hours.
✮ Eat dinner at Desert Bistro (advance reservations are highly recommended).
DAY #3
✮ Take a guided tour (e.g., 4x4 or UTV driving, canyoneering, whitewater rafting, hot air ballooning, mountain biking).
✮ Grab a late lunch or early dinner in downtown Moab.
✮ Drive to either the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park or Dead Horse Point State Park for the afternoon hours and sunset.
✮ If you choose Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, I recommend hiking to Mesa Arch and/or Grand View Point.
DAY #4
✮ Grab breakfast in downtown Moab.
✮ Drive west along UT-279 and park at the Corona Arch trailhead.
✮ Take a 3.0 miles round-trip day hike to Corona Arch (some easy rock scrambling is required; kids will love it).
✮ Return to downtown Moab for lunch (e.g. Moab Brewery, Moab Diner, Milt's Stop & Eat, etc.)
✮ Take a guided 4x4 driving tour OR rent a road bike or mountain bike and cycle some of the trails in the area.
DAY #5
✮ With timed entry permits/reservations in hand, head out early and drive back into Arches National Park.
✮ Drive to the Delicate Arch trailhead at Wolfe Ranch.
✮ Hike to Delicate Arch, the state symbol of Utah (3.0 miles round-trip with 480 feet of elevation gain and a bit of 'exposure' along the way)
✮ Drive to the Devils Garden area of the park.
✮ Explore some of the arches of the Devils Garden area on foot (e.g. Sand Dune Arch, Broken Arch, Landscape Arch, Double O' Arch).
✮ Drive back to downtown Moab.
✮ Grab a late lunch or early dinner in downtown Moab.
DAY #6
✮ Leave Moab.
✮ Start planning your next trip to Moab!
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Moab has a 'semi arid' climate. The summers are hot, and dry. The winters are chilly and average annual snowfall is about 10 inches. There are roughly 240-250 sunny days in Moab per year.
Here are the average monthly temperatures for Moab by month:
✮ January - high 44°F, low 20°F
✮ February - high 52°F, low 26°F
✮ March - high 64°F, low 35°F
✮ April - high 73°F, low 42°F
✮ May - high 83°F, low 50°F
✮ June - high 95°F, low 58°F
✮ July - high 100°F, low 65°F
✮ August - high 97°F, low 64°F
✮ September - high 88°F, low 54°F
✮ October - high 74°F, low 41°F
✮ November - high 58°F, low 30°F
✮ December - high 45°F, low 20°F
(Source: NOAA)
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Take note that since Arches National Park is higher in elevation than Moab, it is usually 3-5 degrees colder. This means that in winter it can sometimes be raining in Moab, but snowing in Arches. When it has snow on the ground, Arches National Park is absolutely stunning.
Park Avenue, Arches National Park
Hunter Canyon, Moab
hiking in Arches National Park
real dinosaur footprint in Moab
Milt's Stop & Eat, Moab
North Fork of Mill Creek, Moab
Moab Food Truck Park
In addition to the information found on this web page, I personally recommend purchasing one of these Moab guidebooks. Click on any link to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
COMING SOON!
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As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
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