Planning a trip to Moab Utah

Are you thinking about planning a trip to Moab?  Awesome! We just went and had so much fun!  There is so much to do including visiting some of the best national parks in the USA including Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

I am going to give you a good idea of all the fun things there are to do in Moab.

Let’s explore all of your options!

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How to Get to Moab

A road trip to Moab is probably the best option as Moab is really far away from major cities and airports.

If you are looking to fly into Moab,  I can think of three options.  Flying into Las Vegas and hitting the mighty five National Parks in Utah as you make your way to Moab.  A second option is to fly into Salt Lake City and driving to Moab from there.  Lastly, you can fly into Grand Junction, Colorado.  It will be the priciest option but will be much closer than Las Vegas or Salt Lake City.

If you are planning on visiting all the national parks in Utah you might want to consider renting an RV from RV Share! It is a great way to experience all of the amazing parks.

Where to Stay in Moab

When planning a trip to Moab there are a few options for accommodations. Hotels, glamping, camping, and obviously RV sites are some of them.

Hotels

If you love to do the outdoor activities Moab has to offer but aren’t up for camping, do not worry.  Moab has some really nice hotels.  Marriott Spring Hills Suites is fairly new and has an amazing pool! Hyatt Place is another great option with a great pool.  If you are headed to Moab in the summer a pool is essential!

Moab has a good variety of other hotels.  There is a Holiday Inn Express, Comfort Inn, and many locally owned and operated hotels that are great options on any budget.

Some of these hotels offer breakfast but if not there are lots of amazing breakfast locations in Moab. 

Cabin and Yurt Camping

Image courtesy of state parks.utahgov

Cabin camping or Glamping is available in Moab.

Up the Creek Campground

• Glamping tent for 1-2 people
• Tent sites also available

KOA Moab

• Luxury Cabins
• Regular Cabins
• Tent and RV sites available

Under Canvas Moab

• Platform tents

Tent Camping

We decided to plan a camping trip. We even slept in a tent!  It was a good experience but there are some major things to consider when deciding if this is the right option for you.  We stayed at the Moab KOA.  This was a very great experience as we enjoyed the pool available at this location.  Our site was pretty close to our neighbors but luckily no one was camping next to us.

Temperature 

Moab is a dessert.  It has cool temperatures at night and blazing hot temperatures during the day.  In the heat of the summer, Moab can get up to 100 degrees. It is a dry heat. ( I live in Utah and when I went to Moab my lips became chapped and my whole body needed lotion – it was 76 degrees when we went)

We camped in May and it was cold at night.  It is hard to sleep when you are not at the right temperature!  So keep that in mind.

Camping Equipment

Camping involves a lot of equipment that you need to haul. The tent, the sleeping bags, pillows, cots, cooking supplies, firewood, and food. Being prepared is really important especially when camping in a remote area.

It takes a lot of preparations before you even begin your trip to Moab.

Save Money

One positive thing about camping in Moab is that you will save a lot of money.  There is lots of BLM land located just outside of Moab that is free to camp on.  Or if you want to get a campsite at a camping resort it isn’t going to break the bank.

Campgrounds Near Moab

If you want to camp you have many options.  I will list a few options that hopefully will help you plan your Moab trip.

Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park

• 50 camping sites
• Higher elevation (5000 ft) – cooler in the summer heat
• Must pre-book up to 180 days in advance
• Spectacular views of rock formations and mountains

Willow Creek Campground near Canyonlands National Park

• 12 camping sites
• First-come first- serve
• Short Walk to Green River Overlook

Kayenta Campground in Dead Horse State Park

• 20 camping sites
• Little shade
• Pre-book four months in advance

Needles District – Squaw Flat Campground in Canyonlands

• 26 camping sites
• Very remote
• Site A has better views than Site B

KOA Moab

• Tent, cabin, and RV sites
• Pool
• Bathrooms
• Games
• Bike repair station
• Picnic tables

Sand Flats Recreation Area

• 9 camping sites
• First come first serve
• Toilets
• Fire ring
• Picnic Table
• Good for Jeeps, bikes, and ATV
• Trails

There are so many more campsites in this area I can not list them all.  But hopefully, this gives you some ideas. well.  I highly recommend that you reserve a spot before you go.  When planning your trip to Moab one thing to consider is that it can get busy during tourist season, and finding a campsite without scheduling beforehand will usually take a little luck and a little local knowledge.

RV sites are located at most of the campgrounds listed above.  If you do not want to use hookups there are so many options of places to boondock.

Get a copy of my Best Apps for Boondocking document I can email you one!

Things to Do in Moab

 

There are so many things to do in Moab: from National Parks, biking, off-roading, camping, and exploring, Moab is an outdoor lovers’ dream vacation.  Let’s explore some of your choices so that you can plan a trip to Moab.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is just north of Moab.  This park includes Delicate Arch which is on the license plate of Utah vehicles.  It really is a fun hike that you will want to experience.

We have been to Arches many times and have loved hiking and viewing the magnificent arches located throughout this park.  If you aren’t much of a hiker there is a self-guided driving tour that you can upload and listen to as you explore the park. Arches is one of the best West Coast National Parks.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands was formed by the Colorado River and is known for its excellent climbing and strenuous hikes.

The park is made of three parts; Needles, Island in the Sky, and the Maze.  Because Canyonlands is so spread out it is probably best to pick 1-2 areas to hit in a day.

Dead Horse Bend State Park

Dead Horse State Park has a fabulous lookout point.  There is a nice viewpoint area where you can take in the magnificent view.  Sunset is the best time to go as you will catch some great photographs.

Hiking and mountain biking is available in this park as well.

Moab Giants 

Just North of Moab and at the turn-off for Canyonlands is a museum called Moab Giants.  Utah is known for the excavation of dinosaur bones.  Moab Giants has a nice walking trail your kids will love.  There is a small dinosaur museum and a 5D aquarium.   

Dinosaur Trails

We hiked along two trails that have dinosaur bones partially excavated in the walls of the cliffs.  One was called Potash Road Dinosaur and Petroglyphs Trail. This trail is located north of Moab and the other trail was located at Mill Canyon.

Both trails are short.  We hiked less than a mile long on each trail.  You will need to off-road to get to the trailhead for Mill Canyon (but we made it in a minivan).

If you have a minivan as we do,  or any other car that is not all-wheel drive, the drive to the trail is challenging because certain parts have deep sand.  We were lucky and didn’t have a problem!

Guided petroglyphs tours are available which might be better if you do not have AWD.

ATV Side by Side Off-Road Adventure

Hummer Tour

A hummer tour is a two-hour adventure that will explore pre-historic dinosaur tracks, and hidden arches, as well as provide amazing views of Arches National Park and the Colorado River.  It is like a natural roller coaster!

Jeep Rentals

You can rent a Jeep for about $300 a day and have the ability to off-road at your own leisure.  There are about 8-12 different roads that you can go on.   If you rent from Moab Adventure Center, each Jeep will have a cooler for your snacks.  It will also have a GPS that if at any time you get lost the company can come and find you.

Hot Tip: Make a reservation ahead of time to make sure have your Jeep secured.

Mountain Biking

Many people come to Moab to mountain bike the Slickrock Bike Trail.  There are over 9.6 miles of amazing bike trails.

Honestly, there are so many trails in this area you will probably want to come back again and again and still never hit them all.

River Rafting

If you are looking for the ultimate adventure on the Colorado River river rafting is it!  There are Class IV and V rapids for experts as well as Class I, II, and III for beginners.  You can choose to go a half-day or full-day.

Most tours can be booked in Moab but you may want to pre-book if you know this is what you want to do!

Horseback Riding

If you want to feel like you are in a cowboy movie a horseback ride along the towering cliffs and sand formations of Moab, horseback riding is just for you.  You can take a morning ride or afternoon stroll.  As you view the Colorado River from the horse trail you will really feel like you are in the wild wild west.

Zipline Tours

Moab Adventure Center has a ziplining adventure for you.  It is about 3 hours and includes some amazing views.  You will get to experience 6 zip lines during your time with the tour group.

This is a little out of my comfort zone but some people love it!

Canyoneering

If you love climbing and have experience canyoneering is for you.  You can climb with a tour guide or if you already have experience and equipment there are so many places to explore in Moab.

Star Gazing

Planning a trip to Moab is the perfect way to get an amazing view of the night sky.  They say the stars are incredible because there is very little light pollution in this area.  It makes for great photography.  Dead Horse State Park is recognized as one of the best spots to observe the night sky.

We stayed in Moab at the KOA and by 10:00 pm we could see an incredible amount of stars.   It really is amazing.

Moab Sand Hill

The Moab Sand Hill is located just outside of Arches National Park.  Many families will bring sleds and slide down the hill.  It is free!  This is a fun activity in Moab for both kids and adults.  Get ready to be covered in sand from head to toe!

Planning a Trip to Moab

Hopefully, this list has given you a few ideas of how you want to spend your time in Moab.  There are so many amazing adventures in Moab!  Get ready to have a lot of fun and make a lot of memories!

Another adventure not too far from Moab is Goblin Valley State Park as well as Capitol Reef National Park.  They are great options to add as you are planning your National Park Road Trip.

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If you have any questions be sure to join my Facebook Travel Community  This great community can help answer any questions you may have about your upcoming trip. Plus, I try to add any great deals or promotions that companies send me!

Have fun planning a trip to Moab!