8 Fun Things To Do In Moab

Moab is one of those towns that is perfect for anyone with an adventurous spirit. There is so much to do in this town, like hiking, off-roading, rafting, mountain biking, horse riding, and much more! If you are wondering what the best things to do in Moab are, you have come to the right place! I have explored this fun area for weeks, and I have finally come up with a list of my favorite things to do. So get ready for a wild, fun, and adventurous vacation!

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Map Of Moab Things To Do

Best Time To Visit Moab

• Spring And Fall: These months are the best time to go because the temperatures are pretty mild. But they can be pretty crowded.
• Summer: I personally would not come here in the summer. I have had enough hot weather for a lifetime (I lived in Texas for 30 years), but if the only time you can come here is in the summer, then come! Just make sure you always have plenty of water, sunscreen, and sunglasses. Even though I have only been to Utah in the winter, the sun has been pretty intense, so I can imagine how hot it is in the summer.
• Winter: As I said, this is the only time I have visited Utah, and I love it because the crowds are thin, the hikes are chilly, but the sun usually helps throughout the day. Sometimes it does snow, so you might get outstanding pictures of the red rocks with the contrast of the white snow.

How To Get To Moab

I have gotten to Moab by flying into both Salt Lake City and Grand Junction. Grand Junction is a smaller airport, so it might be more expensive. The second time I visited the national park, I went in the off-season and realized that flying into Grand Junction was the same price as flying into Salt Lake City, so I booked a Grand Junction ticket. Here is the driving information from each airport to Moab:

• Salt Lake City Airport To Moab: 3 hours and 50 minutes, 239 miles
• Grand Junction Airport To Moab: 1 hour and 45 minutes, 114 miles

Where To Stay In Moab

• Red Cliffs Lodge has impressive sunset views of the Colorado River, especially with your private patio. The area includes a winery, a western film museum, a horse corral, and an outdoor pool and gym. Yeah, this place has it all. >Check For Prices
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott Moab has more of a modern feel, a hot tub, free wifi, a fitness center, mountain views, and an outdoor pool. >Check For Prices
• Expedition Lodge is a budget-friendly hotel with a waterslide swimming pool and a hot tub. There is also an option for private rooms for up to 6 people. A perfect choice for a family vacation. >Check For Prices

Read More: Where to Stay in Moab, Utah – 12 Best Hotels, Lodges & Rentals

Things To Pack For Moab Activities

1. Sunscreen: Super important and it is part of the ten essentials!  >Buy Sunscreen
2. Chapstick: This one has SPF so your lips won’t get burned! >Check Out This Chapstick
3. Hiking Boots/Shoes: If you use tennis shoes, you can easily hurt your toes by hitting a rock by accident (Trust me, I have done it so many times before). Hiking boots helped tremendously. They grip so well on the red rocks.  >Check Out My Hiking Shoes
4. Hiking socks: Having the correct socks helps prevent getting blisters. Smart Wool is probably my favorite brand out there. >Buy Hiking Socks
5. Water Reservoir: Water reservoirs help prevent dehydration while hiking. The great thing about this reservoir is that it doesn’t have a plastic taste. >Here Is My Water Reservoir
6. Water: Stay nice and hydrated.
7. Sunglasses: It can get sunny in the summer and winter when hiking Utah, so make sure to pack some sunglasses. I forgot mine and it was a pain!  >Check Out These Sunglasses
8. Snacks: The best snacks are jerky, nuts, and energy bars. >>>Check Out These Snacks
9. Camera: The Sony A6000 was one of the first cameras I started traveling with. The Sony A6000 is an excellent camera for people that want to start improving at travel photography.  >Buy Sony Camera Here
10. First Aid Kit: This is one of the first things I bought when I first started going on adventures. It is super portable. >Buy This Awesome First Aid Kit Here
11. Day Pack to carry all your things: When you hike Utah, you need a good backpack to carry all your gear. REI has some great beginner backpacks. >Buy This Great Quality Backpack
12. Headlamp: A headlamp is an absolute must in case you get stranded in the dark! It is a lot more portable and easier to use than a flashlight. >Buy A Headlamp Now
13. Leggings or Hiking Pants: I always wear leggings while hiking because it is what I feel most comfortable with! >Click For My Favorite Hiking Leggings
14. Breathable sweat-wicking shirts: Cotton shirts soak up your sweat when hiking, so make sure to wear something breathable. >Check out this awesome breathable shirt here.
15. Mid Base Layer: If you are hiking in the Winter, Spring Or Fall, this might be a great idea.  >Check Out My Sweater Here
16. Sports Bra: For women. >Check This One Here
17. Jacket: I always have a jacket in my backpack, even if it is hot. I do it just in case of an emergency.  >Buy My Favorite Jacket
18. Rain Jacket: The worst feeling in the world is being wet and cold while hiking.  >Check Out My Rain Jacket Here
19. Tripod: This is an optional item, but it is excellent for getting the ideal sunset pictures. >Check out this tripod
20. Knife: I always carry a knife in my backpack just in case. >Check Out My Knife Here

Fun Things To Do In Moab Utah

Visit Arches National Park

My favorite part of Moab is, of course, Arches National Park. This park has so many outstanding hikes and viewpoints that will blow your mind. What I love about this park is how easy it is to hike the trails. There are so many trails that are amazing for the whole family!

Here are some of my favorite hikes in the National Park:

• Delicate Arch
• The Devils Garden Loop
• Double Arch
• Landscape Arch
• Park Avenue

I recommend spending at least two days at the park to see most of the popular trails. Delicate Arch is, of course, the trail that everyone wants to do, so it is recommended to hike during sunrise to avoid the crowds.

Devils Garden Trail is fantastic because you can make the trail as easy or as difficult you want. Just turn around after Landscape Arch if you want a beginner trail.

Arches National Park is pretty small compared to other parks, but it does pack a punch. The views and trails are out of this world!

Read More: The 10 Best Hikes At Arches National Park

Visit Canyonlands National Park Islands In The Sky District

The Islands In The Sky District in Canyonlands National Park gets fewer travelers than the famous Arches National Park. I am not quite sure why, as I feel like this park is outstanding. You can easily park at the MANY viewpoints, get out of the car, take a picture and move on to the next viewpoint. Here are some of the viewpoints we enjoyed:

• Shafer Canyon Overlook
• Grand View Point
• Buck Canyon Viewpoint
• Green River Overlook
• Orange Cliffs Overlook
• Candle Stick Towers

Canyonlands is one of those parks you don’t really need to hike to enjoy, but we, of course, still hiked. Here are some of the hikes we did enjoy at the park:

• Mesa Arch Trail
• Upheaval Dome
• Whale Rock
• Grand Viewpoint Overlook
• Aztec Butte
• White Rim Overlook
• Murphy Point Trail
• Gooseberry Hike
• Chesler Park Loop Trail

To enjoy this district to the fullest, I recommend exploring it for two full days. We were able to do everything I listed above in two days, and it was fantastic!

Read More: The Best Hikes At Canyonlands National Park

See the Sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park

The most popular sunset area near Moab is Dead Horse Point. This place is seriously a dream. Just park your car, walk out, and enjoy the endless amount of canyons in front of you.

There are also many trails in this small state park, so you can definitely add hikes into the mix. However, the most popular spot to watch the sunset is Dead Horse Point Viewpoint. It can get crowded during this time, but luckily there is plenty of room for everyone.

Read More: The Perfect Arches To Canyonlands One Day Itinerary

Visit Canyonlands National Park The Needles District

One of the most underrated areas near Moab is the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park. This place is AWESOME and doesn’t have many crowds. So naturally, you are probably asking why are there no crowds? There must be something wrong with this district.

So there is a negative about the Needles District. To see the beautiful outstanding areas, you need to hike a lot. The most popular trail Chesler Park Loop is around 10.4 miles. The other popular trail, Druid Arch, is around 10.4 miles as well. So that usually keeps families with small children away. Arches National Park and The Islands In The Sky have more flexible and shorter trails.

I explored most of The Needles section years ago by backpacking, and I highly recommend embarking on this adventure. Just bring a ton of water!

Read More: All About Backpacking Canyonlands National Park

Hike To Corona Arch Trail

I was pretty excited to hike a trail that wasn’t located in Arches or Canyonlands National Park. Those parks can get pretty crowded. Corona Arch was an easy trail with a bit of scrambling. It was also easy to follow because the trail markers are pretty obvious as they use paint on the rocks. This is one of the few trails that allows dogs, so there were so many puppies on this trail, and it was marvelous.

We hiked it during sunset, hoping to get a colorful sky, but we weren’t too successful. Still, it was a great way to spend the late afternoon. The trail is around 2.3 miles, 469 elevation gain, and is labeled as easy. You can find out more about this trail here.

Explore The Colorado River

If you are exploring in the summer, then rafting in Moab is an absolute must! Temperatures might be a little wild in the summer for hiking, so take a day off and explore the Colorado River by taking a guided rafting tour.

The Colorado River views are extraordinary and cannot be seen on trails or roads, so it is definitely a unique and fun experience.

Eat at One of the Many Restaurants in Moab

We stayed at Moab for a whole week so by the end of our trip we had a good feeling about the best places to eat in this town.

• Love Muffin: OMG. I loved this cute lunch/coffee spot, and so did my husband. We came here multiple days, and we were sad that they were closed on certain days of the week (might be different in the busy season). The breakfast sandwiches are absolutely scrumptious. And the lunch sandwiches were amazing as well. You can pack these sandwiches up in your backpack for your adventures instead of driving all the way back into town.
• El Charro Loco: Good Mexican food! I especially loved the pineapple dish filled with all kinds of meats, salsa, and pico. My husband and I shared it, and it was a ton of food.
• The Blu Pig: This place had some pretty good BBQ and drinks.
• The Trailhead Public House and Eatery: I really enjoyed their burgers. So delish.

Rent a Jeep or an ATV to Explore Even More

I am all about hiking when it comes to my vacations, but sometimes I need a break! So when we visited Moab for a week, we decided to rent a Jeep for a whole day. Wow, was this an awesome plan! It was absolutely fantastic getting to some virtually uncrowded spots. I highly recommend this if you want something a little different than hiking.

We rented the Jeep from Canyonlands Jeep Rentals, and we got the Rubicon Unlimited 4 door. What is so awesome about this place was that they showed us all the roads we could drive on and gave us recommendations. So even if you have no idea what to do with the Jeep, they will walk you through your options. They even give you a book with road descriptions and maps. We ended up driving the Chicken Corners Trail.

Final Thoughts On Moab Utah Things To Do

Thanks for reading all about the awesome things to do in Moab, Utah. Make sure to check out some of my other popular posts about Utah to plan the perfect trip:

• The 10 Best Hikes In Arches National Park
• Utah National Parks Road Trip
• The Ultimate Needles Canyonlands Backpacking Guide
• Tips On Visiting Goblin Valley State Park
• The Best Things To Do In Capitol Reef National Park
• The Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park
• The 15 Best Hikes In Utah
• 13 Most Beautiful Slot Canyons in Utah

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