The 15+ BEST things to do in Moab, Utah

Last updated on May 7th, 2026

Want to experience Utah’s ultimate outdoor getaway? In this guide we’re sharing the best things to do in Moab, Utah, including dog friendly hikes, national parks, delicious food to eat, where to stay, and more!

With two national parks, unique arches, deep canyons, endless trails (including many dog friendly!), plus exhilarating activities, like mountain biking, 4×4 trails, and whitewater rafting, Moab is the definition of an “adventure capital!”

About Moab, Utah

Moab is located in southeastern Utah, just south of I70, and close to the Colorado border. The area is home to stunning orange and red mesas, buttes, arches, and unique rock formations. Its outdoor activities bring visitors from all over the world and there is something for just about every outdoor adventurer. Whether you want to hike, bike, or go offroading, canyoneering, or rafting…there is no shortage of adventure here! 

However, due to its popularity, Moab is growing pretty rapidly. Every time we visit, it has become significantly busier and more developed than the previous visits.

Please explore Moab responsibly and leave it better than you found it, so both locals who call it home, as well as future visitors, can enjoy the beauty for years to come. This includes packing out ALL of your trash on hikes (yes, this includes dog waste bags), not stepping on cryptobiotic soil, and following all Leave No Trace principles.

Map of the Best Things to do in Moab, Utah

Want to save some money while in Moab? If you book any of the tours or activities we’ve listed, or any other Tripadvisor experience around the world, use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off! 

The Best Things to do in Moab, Utah

1. Arches National Park

2. Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is made up of four different districts, which are all home to colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. The two most accessible districts, especially from Moab, are Island in the Sky and The Needles, which are a must visit!

Island in the Sky

This is the most popular district of Canyonlands because of its close proximity to Moab. With only a 40 minute drive from town, you will have amazing views of the Colorado and Green Rivers. Plus some impressive canyons from the park’s easy and accessible overlooks and hikes. And the best part is that you can experience it all in one full day!

Be sure to plan out your full day exploring this part of Canyonlands by using our guide for Island in the Sky with all the best things to see, tips for the park, and a one day itinerary. We also filmed our time there if you’d rather watch us explore this part of the park.

But if you want a few quick recommendations, our favorite things to do in Island in the Sky were Mesa Arch for sunrise, hiking to Grand View Point, and enjoying the views from Green River Overlook and Candlestick Tower Overlook!

Want to see Island in the Sky with a guide? On this Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab you’ll learn SO much more about Canyonlands. Plus get to experience off the beaten path spots in a 4×4! 

The Needles

The Needles District gets its name from the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that jut up from the ground. This is a more remote area of the park and is much less visited than Island in the Sky. But despite it being one of the less popular things to do in Moab, it was one of our favorite spots out of all of the Utah national parks!

Unlike Island in the Sky, The Needles District requires some difficult hikes to see its true beauty. We highly recommend the 11.3 mile hike to Druid Arch and Chesler Park if you’re up for it. While it is a long day and a lot of effort, it’s 100% worth it!

Some other fun things to do in The Needles district includes going backpacking, visiting the cowboy camp at Cave Springs, and stopping at some beautiful overlooks. We include detailed information on all of the best things to do and everything you need to know in our guide on the Needles district!

3. Dead Horse Point State Park

4. Hike outside of the National Parks

5. Drive the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway

Just north of town you’ll find the gorgeous Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway. This scenic drive follows the Colorado River, with epic cliffs towering over you. It’s our favorite drive in the area!

Along the way, make sure to stop by Moab Museum of Film & Western Heritage, JJ’s Mercantile for a snack or drink, and see the Cisco ghost town. And don’t forget to look up as you drive to see arches tucked into the tops of cliffs and even people bouldering on the rocks!

While driving this whole road is a must on the list of things to do in Moab, we also highly recommend you get out and explore it as well! There is an awesome walking and biking path that starts at Lion’s Park and follows the byway for a little over 2 miles each way. We love walking Kona here!

6. Take a guided river trip

7. Check out the 4×4 Trails

Moab is a legendary place for offroading! There are miles and miles of old mining roads, backcountry trails, and scenic drives. You can bring your own vehicle, rent a jeep or ATV, or hire a local guide to take you out on the trails.

But before venturing out, make sure to research the current conditions and be prepared for a variety of situations. You can find trail maps and more information at the Moab Information Center in town, but some of the most popular trails are:

Hell’s Revenge

Hell’s Revenge is one of the most famous 4×4 trails in Moab and it is a BLAST! Over 9 miles you’ll go over (or pass by) sandstone fins and tackle obstacles like Hell’s Gate, Tip-over Challenge, the Escalator, Rubble Trouble, and the Hot Tubs. 

We got to experience Hell’s Revenge on our most recent trip to Moab and it was hands down one of the most exciting, thrilling, and fun things we have ever done! The tour starts with you driving up a fin, with drop offs on both sides (one of us was screaming!), before continuing up and down some steep rocks, whipping through sandy areas, and checking out viewpoints. There were so many moments where we couldn’t believe we were able to drive up a spot without tipping over!

While there are many tour providers in town, we HIGHLY recommend the Hell’s Revenge 4×4 Off-Roading Tour. Our guide Carter was so awesome, shared lots of local knowledge, and made sure we all stayed safe. For the best scenery, choose the sunset option!

8. Go Mountain Biking

9. Visit the La Sal Mountains

The La Sal Mountains are part of the Manti-La Sal National Forest and with peaks approaching 13,000 feet, they are the second highest mountain range in Utah. There are loads of hiking and biking trails, camping, and amazing scenery in this range, which provide lush, green contrast from all of the red rocks in Moab.

Here are a few popular things to check out if you venture out to the La Sal Mountains!

La Sal Mountain Loop

This is a paved 60 mile loop with lots of overlooks and varied scenery. The route begins in Moab in the canyons, takes you through the La Sal Mountains, through Castle Valley, and ends at the Upper Colorado Scenic Byway U-128, which goes along the Colorado River and is another scenic drive worth experiencing.

This brochure by the Forest Service shares more information on this drive and some of the best stops along the way!

Gold Knob Trail

Dog friendly
Miles: 5.0
Elevation gain: 1,761
Reviews & Current Conditions

From this hike you get incredible views of the La Sal Mountain range, as well as Castle Valley, with its towering red rocks, which makes for very diverse scenery at the top!

Mount Peale Trail

Dog friendly
Miles: 5.1
Elevation gain: 2,647 ft
Reviews & Current Conditions

While this hike is short on paper, it is steep and will work your lungs, but the views from the top look incredible!

After spending so much time in the red rocks of Moab, the green meadows and the rocky mountain peaks will be a gorgeous change of pace. And if you can hike this in the fall, you’ll be treated to golden aspens, which will make it extra beautiful!

There is some rock scrambling involved, so make sure you’re comfortable with this before attempting.

Drive the La Sal Mountains Scenic Drive

The La Sal Mountains Scenic Drive is a beautiful stretch of road 60 miles long and would take you about 2 hours to complete without any stops. But that would be a huge mistake since there’s many fun places to check out.

Throughout the drive you’ll get insane views over the Moab Valley and Canyonlands National Park. There are overlooks, lakes, and hikes to stop at along the way. You can read more about the stops here!

Visit Warner Lake

One of those great stops along the scenic drive is Warner Lake! A super short quarter mile trail leads you to the lake with mountain views. You can also stay the night at the Warner Lake Campground for some more time in the La Sal Mountains!

10. Go Canyoneering

For the super adventurous, go canyoneering! There’s nothing more exhilarating than dropping down into the canyons and rappelling off a cliff. It’s definitely one of the most thrilling things to do in Moab!

Unless you’re very experienced with canyoneering, you will only want to try this on a tour. On this half-day Moab Canyoneering Experience, you’ll get to explore slot canyons and rappel right next to an arch! The guides will not only provide everything you need and adjust the adventure to your skill level, but they will also teach you about the area along the way.

We got to see people doing this tour while on the Grandstaff Trail and it looked SO fun!

11. Visit Wilson Arch

When driving to and from Moab, make a quick stop at the Wilson Arch! This arch is located right off Highway 191 and can be viewed from the road or you can hike up for a closer view. And if you’re lucky, you might even get to see people rappelling from the arch!

12. See Petroglyphs

Another one of our favorite things to do in Moab is to see the petroglyphs that are scattered around the area. There’s many different places to find this ancient rock art, and they are all so interesting! It is believed that some date back as far as 5500 BC.

A few of our favorites include Birthing Scene Petroglyph, Potash Rd Rock Art Site and Courthouse Wash Rock Art. All three of these are located just off the road, so they are very easy to access. Just be sure to follow all posted rules and never touch the rocks!

13. Experience the Local Food Scene

14. Explore Downtown

While there are so many outdoor things to do in Moab to keep you busy throughout your visit, we also highly recommend you take some time to explore downtown Moab as well! In addition to eating at the delicious restaurants listed above, be sure to spend some time walking the streets and shopping in the local stores.

One of our favorite stops in downtown is Moab Made, a cute shop in downtown Moab that sells a wide selection of locally made goods and art. It is always so fun to find locally made products during our travels, and this store does a great job supporting their local artisans! Back of Beyond Bookstore and Desert Wild are two other shops we love!

Another necessary stop on your walk around downtown is the Greetings from Moab mural for a quick photo opp!

15. Admire the Night Sky

How much time do you need in Moab?

Now that we’ve shared all of our top things to do in Moab, you may be wondering how much time you need in Moab to see it all. And while it would be impossible to see and do everything in one trip, you can squeeze a lot into a short period of time. We think 5-7 full days is the sweet spot to see the parks and also do a few of the other activities in the area. Here’s a breakdown of how you could spend those days!

3-4 days in the National Parks

While you could spend one jam packed day at Arches National Park, we’d suggest 1.5-2 days to not feel rushed. Check out our Arches National Park guide for itinerary options!

For Canyonlands National Park, we suggest one day at the Island in the Sky District and one day in the Needles District. If you’re short on time, we’d say the Needles District is our favorite of the two, as it’s less crowded and more remote, but Island in the Sky is much more accessible.

2-3 days outside of the National Parks

Depending on how much time you have left after the national parks, we suggest spending your remaining days exploring the areas outside of the park. We’ve listed quite a few options above, but if we had to prioritize what you should do during this extra time, we’d highly visiting Dead Horse Point State Park, going for a couple hikes outside of the parks, and either going rafting or on a 4×4 trail.

When is the best time to visit Moab, Utah?

Due to its desert environment, Moab is a year round destination. But there are some seasons that are better to visit than others. 

Winter

With average temperatures between 20-50 degrees, winter in Moab is cold. But typically bearable and it’s the best time to visit to beat the crowds.

However, you may run into the very occasional snow and ice shutting down the roads or making trails unsafe. During one of our quick visits in November, two hikers slipped at the Delicate Arch due to icy conditions and unfortunately died. So please make sure you’re safe if visiting during icy or snowy weather.

Another very important thing to know about visiting Moab in the winter is that a good amount of businesses shut down or limit their hours for the winter season, which typically starts in November and goes until Spring Break. You’ll definitely still be able to get groceries and eat out. But you will have less options and may not get the full experience.

Spring & Fall

The most temperate and popular seasons to visit are April-May and mid-September-October, when the daytime highs average between 60-80ºF. We visited in April and the mornings were VERY cold. But the afternoons were super nice, with lots of sunshine and perfect temperatures. 

If you choose to visit between mid-March through mid-April, keep in mind that schools across the US will be on Spring Break, making the area busier. And Memorial Day in May also brings more crowds to the area.

And to be honest, even at the end of April, during zero holidays that we know of and on weekdays, we found the crowds in Moab to be insane, some of the worst we have seen anywhere. So whenever we go back, we’d love to visit in October. When crowds have died down some, kids are in school, the weather is still nice, and spots in town are still open.

Summer

While many people visit in the summer, we’d highly suggest visiting during the other times of the year. As the temperatures routinely climb over 100ºF in the summer, along with frequent afternoon thunderstorms.

If you do plan to visit in the summer, pack LOTS of water and get started early. Stay somewhere with a pool to cool down and wear tons of sunscreen. We did get a bit warm in Moab even when the temperatures were in the 80s, so we cannot imagine hiking in 100 degrees.

Getting to + around Moab, Utah

Despite Moab being a very popular destination in Utah, it’s not the easiest of places to get to and requires a bit of a drive, whether you fly or drive to the area.

Flying to Moab

If you plan to fly to visit Moab the best major airport would be Salt Lake City (SLC), but Denver (DEN) or Las Vegas (LAS) could also be decent options depending on where else you plan to go. All major airlines fly into these airports, so getting a flight should be pretty easy and affordable. 

Depending on which city you fly into, here’s how long you can expect to drive:

Salt Lake City, Utah: 3 hours 42 minutes, 234 miles
Denver, Colorado: 5 hours 27 minutes, 355 miles
Las Vegas, Nevada: 6 hours 26 minutes, 457 miles

Driving to Moab

If you plan to drive to Moab, here’s how long you can expect to drive from other popular destinations nearby.

Capitol Reef National Park: 2 hours 25 minutes, 145 miles
Salt Lake City, Utah: 3 hours 42 minutes, 234 miles
Page, Arizona: 4 hours 24 minutes, 273 miles
Bryce Canyon National Park: 4 hours 25 minutes, 253 miles
Zion National Park: 5 hours 5 minutes, 345 miles
Denver, Colorado: 5 hours 27 minutes, 355 miles
Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim): 5 hours 27 minutes, 325 miles
Las Vegas, Nevada: 6 hours 26 minutes, 457 miles
Grand Canyon National Park (North Rim): 6 hours 33 minutes, 399 miles

Getting Around Moab

Between the national parks not offering shuttles and some activities in Moab being spread out, you’ll definitely want to have a car to explore the area properly. If you fly to Utah, you will need to rent a car to get around the Moab area. Or hire a tour to show you the top sites. And if you want to do any of the 4×4 trails, we recommend getting a Jeep. Twisted Jeep Rentals in Moab is a good option!

Where to stay in Moab, Utah

One of the best things about Moab is that while being a smaller town, it offers many amenities, like shops, restaurants, and places to stay! Moab is home to a variety of lodging options, from VRBO, hotels, and free and paid campsites. Here are some of the spots we would recommend!

Vacation Rentals in Moab

Bright & Charming Home Right in Town (1 bedroom, 1 bath): This cabin has high cathedral ceilings, tons of windows, a washer and dryer, and patio, making it a great place to relax after long days in the national parks.

Edge of the Desert (1 bedroom, 1 bath): A tiny home in a community of tiny homes! And has a full kitchen.

Dog-friendly studio (1 bath): A cute studio apartment with a hot tub!

Luxury Downtown Rental (2 bedroom, 2 bath): A beautiful apartment perfect for a family of 6!

Campgrounds in Moab

Devils Garden Campground
Devils Garden is the only campground in Arches National Park. The sites are reservable from March 1 to October 31 (the reservations open 6 months in advance). They are usually full every night during the high season. Between November and February the campground is first-come, first-served.

There are 51 sites, which cost $25 per night and do not offer any water or electrical hookups. But they do have drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and flush toilets. You can reserve your site on the Recreation.gov website.

Kayenta Campground
The Kayenta Campground is located in Dead Horse Point State Park, which would make this a perfect spot to explore the Island in the Sky District and the state park, as well as a somewhat convenient location for Arches and the rest of Moab.

The 21 sites are $50 per night and are equipped for RVs or tents. All come with a lighted shaded structure, picnic tables, fire rings, and tent pads. Each site has RV electrical hookups and there are restrooms in the campground, but there is no water.

Wingate Campground
The Wingate Campground is also located in Dead Horse Point State Park. There are 31 sites, 20 RV or tent camping and 11are hike-in only. The RV sites are $50 per night and the hike-in are $40. All sites have fire pits, picnic tables under a shaded shelter and access to bathrooms.

Horse Thief Campground
Horse Thief Campground is located along Highway 313 on your way to Canyonlands from Moab. There are 85 first-come, first-served tent sites at this BLM managed campground

Under Canvas
Located just north of Moab is Under Canvas, which is a luxurious campground complete with private bathrooms, fire pits, clean sheets, and many more amenities. It’s not exactly “roughing it” and it’s not cheap, but we bet it is a nice experience.

For our ultimate list of the best campsites in Utah, visit our sister site Stoked to Camp!

Boondocking in Moab

Moab is a GREAT spot for free camping! Although many formerly free spots have now turned into paid camping, we have never had an issue finding a free, legal spot to stay in our van. Below are some of our favorites!

BLM 144 Dispersed
This is one of our go-to boondocking spots in Moab. We lovingly call it the cow pasture, as you will likely have many cow visitors. It’s a little more of a drive out of town (30 minutes or so), but it definitely has the least amount of other campers so it makes for a quiet and reliable stay. Just be careful if it rains…it can get quite muddy!

Klondike Bluff
We slept here a couple times when we wanted to be a bit closer to town. There are a couple wide open areas that can fit many campers (these areas do have a more of a parking lot vibe), as well as more private spots if you continue up the road. The road is pretty rough, so we usually just stick to the closer spots.

La Sal Loop Road
We tried out this spot for the first time on our most recent visit to Moab and LOVED it! It’s under 30 minutes to town and located at a higher elevation, making it a bit cooler. Plus, you’ll have awesome views of the La Sal Mountains! This spot has room for a handful of different campers in a more open area, but you can also continue up the road and find more private spots.

Things to know before visiting Moab, Utah

Start your days early

This is our top advice for anywhere we go, but it’s especially important in Moab…START EARLY! It isn’t fun to get up early on vacation, but between the heat and popularity, you’ll want to start right before or at sunrise to have some solitude and enjoyable weather.

Plan ahead and prepare

Many parks, campgrounds, hotels, and activities require planning or reservations, especially during the busy season. The beauty in and around Moab is no secret!

The National Parks have entrance fees

It costs $30 per vehicle ($25 for motorcycles) to enter both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, which covers 7 days in the park. However, this fee only covers you at the park you pay for, so if you plan to visit more than one park, we highly recommend getting the America the Beautiful pass which is $80 per year and will get you into any National Park, monument, or forest for free.

Arches National Park has timed entry

From April 1 through October 31, Arches National Park requires a timed entry ticket between 7 AM and 4 PM. This costs $2 and can be reserved here. If you enter outside of these hours (which we’d recommend!), you will not need a ticket.

Cell Service

We found cell service to be solid in town, both on AT&T and Verizon, but once you leave town to explore the outdoors, you will likely lose service. We recommend downloading offline Google Maps and offline AllTrails maps to ensure you never get lost!

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails Plus membership? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!

We use AllTrails Plus on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

Dogs are not allowed in National Parks

Dogs are not allowed on any trails or in any buildings at both national parks. And during warmer days, it is unsafe to leave your pet in your vehicle, unless you have an air conditioned RV or van, like us. But don’t worry! There is still a lot to see and do with your pup in Moab, including all of the non-national park hikes we shared.

Curious how we travel full time with a dog? Learn what we do with Kona when she cannot join us!

What to Bring to Moab, Utah

As always, we recommend having the 10 essentials on you when exploring the outdoors. But here are a few key items we want to point out that will especially help you during your time in Moab!

Water

No matter what you’re doing and what time of year, be sure to bring and drink plenty of water. Even in the winter you can become dehydrated quickly in the desert and mountains. The air is super dry and our throats and noses were not fans! 

We love our Camelbak bladder for hikes because it stores a ton of water and it’s easy to drink from while moving.

Hiking Shoes

The trails in Moab are a mix of dirt, sand, and rock. So you’ll want to have a sturdy shoe for lots of terrain types. We almost always wear our Lowa Renegades (Kathryn) and Altra Lone Peaks (Adam). But we also love our Chacos, which are great hiking sandals for the warmer months and for sandy and smooth rock terrain.

Sun Protection

It is very sunny in Southern Utah and there is little tree cover, so sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen are a must!

Layers

Make sure to pack warmer clothes! If you go in the spring or fall, temperatures can swing up to 40 degrees in one day! At the end of April, we typically wore a jacket or pullover in the mornings and then shirts and tank tops by the mid afternoon. 

ALLTRAILS MAP

We’d highly recommend downloading the Alltrails maps before you go. While most of the trails in the park are easy to follow, we like to use the map to track our progress along the trail. You will need an AllTrails+ membership to download maps, which is $35.99 a year and so worth it! (But you can get 30% off with our code aplusk30)

Ready to explore Moab?

Pin this guide with the best things to do in Moab to help plan your adventure!