Disclaimer: COVID-19
Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic is a touchy subject. We want to be respectful of everyone’s position on the topic, and are by no means trying to convince anyone to travel right now. This article may contain tips and information related to travelling during the pandemic – this is a travel blog after all.
If you are thinking about traveling it is important that you consider the risks to yourself and to others around you.
For up-to-date information about COVID-19 in Moab visit – https://www.discovermoab.com/covid-19/
Moab is a cute desert town situated in Southwest Utah and an essential stop on any southwest USA tour!
Moab is surrounded by Arches National Parks, Canyonlands National Park and offers ample other sandstone landscapes to explore. This place is an outdoor adventurer’s paradise!
Moab was the half-way point on our Grand Circle tour. If you are interested in doing a Grand Circle tour check out our itinerary from our trip! (backlink) We ended up spending a solid 36 hours in Moab and it was one of our favorite spots on the trip! Below is an overview of how we spent our time, as well as other considerations in case you want to further explore this desert destination.
Lodging
Whether you are looking for basic accommodations or 5-star resorts, Moab has loads of lodging options. Moab tourism is hopping, so make sure to book in advance to ensure you’ve got a place to stay.
We did things a bit different in Moab. As a couple we have never stayed in a true motel before, but there’s a first time for everything. We booked a room at Kokopelli Lodging. These “lodges” were basic, but very clean and comfortable. Considering we would be spending the majority of our time outdoors, this budget-friendly option got the job done. The place was also only a block from downtown Moab, so easy walking distance to coffee, dining, and shops.
Hot tip: Nik actually found this place on Airbnb but booked direct with the property management company and saved us probably 10%. Can’t hurt to check!
Here are other lodging options for consideration:
- Hotels –
- If you’re more partial to hotels and are loyal to a particular chain, I’ve got good news for you! There are ample hotels options in and around Moab by the big providers (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Best Western, etc.) as well as some boutique operations. In a place with a downtown as cute as Moab’s, we tend to like to try and stay in the city center if possible.
- Here are a few options toward the center of town:
- Other options nearby:
- Campgrounds –
- There are commercial campgrounds and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campsites around Moab. For more details on these sites visit https://www.discovermoab.com/campgrounds/. This is a great alternative to hotels/rentals in light of COVID-19! That said, book early – these fill up fast!
- Resorts
- Moab Springs Ranch – luxury bungalows and townhouses this ranch offers wonderful amenities nestled into the beautiful, wild desert environment.
- Sorrel River Ranch – desert spa, yes!
- Airbnb
- Airbnb has tons of Moab options including condos, apartments, entire houses, and yes, even the motel we mentioned above!
Hiking
Arches National Park
Easily 1 of the top 3 of parks we saw on our Grand Circle Trip! Arches National Park is 10 minutes outside of Moab and is an absolute must-see destination. I’d dedicate at least a full day to Arches National Park.
The park is filled with natural sandstone arches, weathered over time to create epic windows to the picturesque Colorado Plateau.
Delicate Arch
We got into Moab late afternoon and booked it to the park so we could hike to Delicate Arch to see sunset. Delicate Arch is one the most popular arches in the park, and likely the feature you’d recognize if you’ve only seen pictures of Arches National Park.
Getting to this free-standing arch requires a moderate, 3-mile hike. If you plan to go here at sunset like we did, please note this is a very popular time to see the arch and it will likely be very crowded.
Arches National Park is an International Dark Sky Park, which means that they regulate light pollution and have exceptional starry nights. We hiked down just early enough at dusk to feel safe, but still catch some of the night sky at the end of our hike. It was incredible.
Double Arch
We wanted to spend a bit more time in Arches National Park so early the next morning we got up bright and early and headed back into the park. We headed directly towards the Windows area of the park – the largest concentration of land arches in the world (crazy, right?!). We pulled off along the way at little stops along the main entrance road to see crazy towers and formations that were just along the road.
The Windows area of the park was definitely the most crowded area we visited – at least by the sheer volume of traffic and cars. Double Arch is a very short walk from the parking lot headed up Double Arch Trail. You can climb up the rocks to stand directly under the multiple arch formations – mother nature is so cool!
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is the largest National Park in Utah and is only a 35 minute drive from Moab. The section of the park that is closest to Moab is called Island in the Sky district – this is where we spent all of our time (~4 hours on the sites below).
You would need additional days in Moab to be able to explore other areas in Canyonlands – The Needles, The Maze or The Rivers.
Mesa Arch
Mesa Arch is one of, if not the most, popular site in Island in the Sky. It is a 0.7 mile loop and is fairly easy to complete. This low, elongated arch was much smaller, but no less impressive than the arches in Arches National Park.
Aztec Butte
This is a unique hike. The trail starts as a sandy path through grasslands, but shortly turns into a real hike (or rather, slight climb) up a dome shaped butte. The top offers long panoramic views of the Canyonlands.
Someone was even nice enough to mark the “trail up” with stone stacks every 20 feet or so. 🙂
Grand View Point Trail
This trail is a beautiful rim walk trail! It is an easy 1.8 mile trek that offers stunning views of the deep canyon. This was probably our favorite hike of the day!
Downtown Moab
If you want to break up all the hiking and physical activity in your trip, spend some time in downtown Moab! The lively street is dotted with plenty of restaurants, shops and galleries. You can find shops ranging from boutique to quirky, desert gift shops – my kind of place!
Food/Drinks
To be fair, we did not spend much time eating at restaurants during this trip (like normal). We did lots of picnic lunches since we were mostly on hiking trails at lunch, also it is a much safer option during COVID-19 (link to Tips for traveling during COVID).
For dinner our first night we ate at Antica Forma, a Neapolitan Pizzeria. Honestly, we kind of went to this place because we struggled to find an open restaurant that wasn’t at capacity but it was a delicious pizza! They had a spacious heated patio and socially distanced indoor dining – can’t complain.
Both mornings in Moab we had coffee at Moab Coffee Roasters. This little shop was within walking distance of our room and they had wifi! Indoor seating was closed so patio for us! It was a bit brisk, but not bad!
For our final meal in Moab we grabbed dinner and drinks at Moab Brewing. Their claim is the largest restaurant in Moab and only microbrewery and distillery. This was obviously a popular place for tourists and with that we usually know what we can expect – decent food but nothing to write home about, but the beer was perfect after a long day of hiking!
Some other restaurants we wanted to give a try but didn’t have the time:
- Miguel’s Baja Grill
- The Cowboy Grill Restaurant
- The River Grill at Sorrell River Ranch
- The Sunset Grill
- Desert Bistro
- Moab Diner
- Jailhouse Cafe
Other activities to consider
Moab has loads more to offer than what we were able to accomplish in our short 36 hours here. Our whole trip was planned around visiting National Parks, but if hiking isn’t your thing we promise you can find something fun to fill your time while in Moab! Below are a few other popular activities in and around Moab –
- Dinosaur Tracks – It isn’t shocking that this place would be where the dinosaurs roamed. I mean it literally looks like a scene out of A Land Before Time (or Jurrassic Park – whichever tickles your fancy). There are quite a few tracksites in the Moab area, as well as a Moab Giants Museum & Dinosaur Park where you can learn all about these ancient beasts.
- Mountain biking – Moab is a world-famous mountain biking destination. There are numerous trails running from easy to expert. The most famous, and highly technical of the trails is the Slickrock Bike Trail.
- Whitewater rafting – There are two rivers you can choose to whitewater raft in Moab, the Green River or the famous Colorado River. Both offer unique views of the rugged Utah landscape and are apparent ‘must-dos’ if you are exploring this area during the summer months. There are many different outfitter companies that offer whitewater rafting including half-day, full-day and multi-day excursions.
- Off Road Tours – If hiking really isn’t your thing then get your view of the landscape via a four-wheel drive vehicle. From ATVs to hummers, there are multiple rental options to choose from.
- Canyoneering/Rock Climbing Tours – If you want to get up close and personal with the canyons, this one might be for you! There are lots of guided tours in the area.
We want to come back here and spend more time! 36 hours is just enough time to hit some of the highlights, but more time would allow you to dig into all the area has to offer.
This is the perfect place to take a family and spend quality time outdoors doing fun activities together. Moab is a winner!
