3 Days in Moab

Just get off the couch and get your hiking boots on!

Getting there:

 We flew into Salt Lake City Airport- the closest major airport to Moab. It is about a 4 hour drive (240 miles) from the airport to your outdoor adventure via Highway 89.

TIP: There are TWO In N Out Burger Restaurants before you get to Highway 6- what a great time to stop for some grub at the best burger place on earth!

Once you hit Highway 6, continue on until you see Highway 191 into Moab.  The drive is super scenic- Highway 6 tops out at 8000 feet (Soldier Summit) with loads of sandstone mountains as far as the eye can see! There are even a few snow-caps- the LaSal Mountain range- to gaze at as you drive. Chains can be required in winter since it does snow here, so be prepared!

When Should you go?

Peak season in Moab is Memorial Day through Thanksgiving where the town and parks can see up to 3000 visitors.  We were told by a local that it can take 3 hours to get through town during high season! We were there the first week of March- when about 20% of the businesses were still closed, and even then traffic was pretty dense for a small town. My advice would be to avoid peak season, or at least holiday weekends. Otherwise you risk long waits and loud, busy trails. How annoying is it to hike when you have a hoard of screaming kids running around the trails near you?!

Arches National Park:

The closest Park to Moab is Arches National Park. It is approximately 5 miles northwest of town via Highway 191. A park pass is $30 per car, valid for 7 days with multiple entries allowed. We purchased ours online so we could zip right into the park without delay.

TIP: There are public bathrooms at every trail parking lot. BUT, there are no water fountains or vending machines to buy beverages. So pack enough to eat and drink-especially in the warmer months!

Day 1

Devil’s Garden: This is a super popular hike so again, get there early! It starts out as a sandy trail and then morphs into a rocky path that leads you to Tunnel Arch, Landscape Arch, Wall Arch, Double O Arch.

The 4.5 mile loop to Double O Arch is a wonderful hike in itself-but extend your trek another 3 miles by walking behind Double O Arch on a primitive hike that leads to Dark Angel and Navajo Arch.

Delicate Arch:

Drive to the trailhead for Delicate Arch- and I cannot stress this enough, GET THERE EARLY! Strangely, this 3.2 mile roundtrip hike is very crowded despite the “difficult” rating on the park website. It starts out as an uphill trek without shade. You will reach a small arch that people mill around and take pictures of- but hike past that along a narrow ledge (why are there so many kids running around on this ledge?) and there it is! It is worth the challenging hike to see the view.

Fiery Furnace:
Its time to get salty! This difficult hike requires a back country permit to hike on your own due to the narrow ledges and drop offs, gaps to jump over, and narrow places to squeeze through. If you would feel safer-Park Rangers can lead the hike for $10-$16 depending on how far you want to hike. Check out the National Park Service page for information.

Day 2

Canyonlands National Park (Islands In The Sky District)

Canyonlands is a bit farther from town- approximately 30 miles from Moab via Highway 191 NW, then take Highway 313 W (a left turn at The Giant Dinosaur Park). It costs $30 per car for the Park Pass that you can use for 7 days-much like the one you bought for Moab.

TIP: Purchase a Southeast Utah Park Pass for $55 and this gets you into, Arches and Canyonlands.

Canyonlands is a HUGE park, with over 300,000 acres filled with canyons, dirt roads, hiking trails, overlooks and camping. There are 3 Districts in the park:

-Islands In The Sky: Lots of tourists and lots of hiking trails to suit every outdoor enthusiast. We spent our time here since it was so close to Moab. One day should be plenty to get your fix of the vastness of the park.

-The Needles: Not as crowded, less frequently visited because it is 74 miles from Moab

-The Maze: Remote, and only accessible by 4x4

1 Day Itinerary at Islands In The Sky:

Head to the Visitors Center and make a pit stop for the first vast overrlook. Just walk across the street from the Center and feast your eyes on the jaw-dropping canyon in front of you.

Shafer Canyon Viewpoint:

A quick drive just past the Visitors Center is the Shafer Canyon Overlook. It is a similar view as the Visitors Center, with a view of Shafer Trail. Its so close, why not check it out? Just look for the turn off for Shafer Canyon Overlook.

Grand View Point:

Possibly the best view in Islands In The Sky, Grand View Point is an awe-inspiring overlook with an optional 2 mile out and back hike along the rim. The lot is super congested, but most people linger at the overlook. Head out for the flat, easy hike to experience a “grand” view.

Upheaval Dome:

Follow the main road in the park to Upheaval Dome Road. There are bathrooms in the parking lot for a quick pit stop before you head out on this interesting hike. It is approximately 1.7 miles roundtrip with 2 viewpoints to check out. The uphill, slickrock trail is well marked with cairns, (stacked stones) so don’t worry about losing your way!

This is a pretty cool place to explore since it looks so much different than the other overlooks. Notice the salty dome smack dab in the middle of it all.

Mesa Arch: Ten minutes from the Visitors Center, look for the parking lot off Grand View Point Road. The lot is small, and always filled. The .8 mile roundtrip easy hike is super crowded- and one of the most photographed spots in the Canyonlands.

Come at sunrise for an amazing view!

A Must See Arch OUTSIDE of the two National Parks- Corona Arch: (And our favorite hike of the weekend!)

On the way back to Moab on Highway 191, detour onto Potash Road and head to Bootlegger Canyon. There are two parking lots here so parking should not be an issue.

The Corona Arch hike is 3 easy miles round trip, with one section with a rope ladder and one section with a ladder. Notice the Bowtie Arch right next to the Corona Arch, and have a little fun with your Insta Shots! There were very few people hiking when we were there, so we had both Arches all to ourselves for awhile- Serenity now!

Day 3

Biking in the “Adventure Capital of the West”

Yep, Moab is a Mountain Biking Mecca! It is home to the greatest mountain biking on the planet! No matter if you are a beginner or an expert, Moab has a trail for you. Check out this list of some of the best trails to ride during your visit.

If mountain biking isn’t your scene, rent a road bike or towny and explore the sandstone city on two (skinny) wheels!

Moab is known for mountain biking, but it is also a great place for epic road rides! In fact, there is a Skinny Tire Festival in March every year.

We rode from town on the Moab Canyon Parkway, which runs along Highway 191 and the Bar M Trailhead. It is super scenic and hilly. In fact, from the Arches National Park entrance to the Bar M Trailhead you will climb for 2-3 miles at a 7% grade! Can you say “small chain ring”? We turned around at Highway 313 after stopping for a beverage at the Dinosaur Museum.

We had extra time so we took a spur off of Highway 191to Lions Park. This connects to the Goose Island Trail heading east about 4-5miles out and back. You ride along the Colorado River, with views of Updraft Arch and the backside of the CourtHouse Formation.

We rode about 30 miles round trip with both legs included.

TIP: There are no water fountains along the route. Bring water bottles with you and cash. You can stop at the Dinosaur Museum to get gatorade and snacks to refuel.

Another 30 mile route starts in Moab heading to Potash Road towards Bootlegger Canyon. Potash Road ends at a boat launch and campground so its is easy to figure out when to turn around! It is very scenic as you ride along Potash Road- look out for the rock climbers on the black colored sandstone wall. This ride is not on a trail but on the road, so be wary of vehicle traffic.

If you are up for a longer ride, take Highway 313 all the way to Canyonlands National Park- a 65 mile round trip! Highway 313 is hilly but as a nice, wide shoulder for biker safety. We will know better next time!

Bike Rental: Hands down- Chili Pepper Bike Shop is the King of all rentals in Moab! Check out the selection here.

Since Moab is such an active town- I bet you will work up an appetite! Here are a few of our restaurant recommendations based on the fact that I get SALTY if I don’t eat in a timely fashion. We didn’t have any issue getting into restaurants right away- but keep in mind we went in early March- before the tourist season kicked into high gear.

Moab Brewery: The only game in town- so make sure you check it out, have a brew and a burger.

Sultan Mediterranean: Not much for atmosphere but the food was outstanding and cheap!

The Spoke on Center: Great outdoor patio- and the food wasn’t bad either!

El Charro Loco: This Mexican gem was recommended by one of the Chili Pepper guys- if it wasn’t for the cockroach crawling down the wall next to us, we would have really enjoyed our meal!

Lastly, if you are a coffee junkie like we are- you will be a very happy camper. There are loads of local coffee shops in this little town- and yes, there is even a Starbucks. But shop local, peeps. Here are a few of the options:

Moab Garage Company: This was the only place we went to that had oat milk, a fan favorite of ours. The pastries were…meh.

Moab Coffee Roasters: Big outdoor patio! The coffee was fine. Not the best in town.

Love Muffin: This shop opened at 6:30, nice and early! The pastries were YUM.

Red Rock Bakery: Urgh. What a disappointment.