20 Things To Do In Moab, UT
Moab is a quiet city near Utah’s eastern border that’s considered the gateway to the Beehive State’s Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and some of the state’s oldest traces of human history. The city features a great mix of culture, history and the great outdoors, which travellers can experience and uncover at venues such as the Museum of Moab, Needles Overlook and the Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument.
From tall red stone arches to some of the largest concentrations of hoodoos, Moab is among the most iconic destinations in the western United States where travellers get to kick back and soak up the charm and scenery of eastern Utah while walking in the footsteps of prehistoric apex predators and pre-Columbian cultures.
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Moab, Utah
20 Things To Do In Moab
1- Spend An Afternoon At Arches National Park
Home to some of Utah’s most dramatic landscapes and rock formations, Arches National Park is undoubtedly one of the Beehive State’s top outdoor landmarks and attracts well over a million visitors every year.
The entire park covers an area of more than 76,000 acres (31,000 ha) and was first introduced as a national park by former president Herbert Hoover in 1929 shortly after his inauguration.
Expanded numerous times throughout its history, Arches National Park currently has the densest concentration of natural sandstone rock formations in the world which include large red stone arches, rock fins and gravity-defying balancing boulders.
2- Experience The Stunning Landscapes Of Canyonlands National Park
Home to some of the most dramatic landscapes in the United States, Canyonlands National Park is the ultimate outdoor attraction for nature lovers.
It offers exciting activities, stunning natural beauty and is one of the fantastic places to go camping or glamping in Utah.
The park was established as a national park in 1964 and features more than 337,500 acres (136,581 ha) of space with canyons, arches, mesas and buttes carved into the earth over millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River.
Situated just 30 miles (48 km) outside downtown Moab, the national park is divided into four unique ‘districts’ and welcomes more than 730,000 annual visitors to its hiking trails, diverse wildlife and captivating rock formations.
3- Explore The High Desert Scenery Of Dead Horse Point State Park
Serving up a captivating landscape of high desert, woodland, canyons and sheer sandstone cliffs, Dead Horse Point State Park is arguably Utah’s most popular outdoor recreational space not designated a national park.
The park was formed in 1959 and spans roughly 5,362 acres (2,170 ha) of untouched eastern Utah nature that soars to a maximum elevation of well over 5,900 feet (1,800 m) above sea level.
Despite its arid climate and high elevation, several species of plant and animal life thrive in Dead Horse State Park, such as coyote, mule deer, pinyon pine, Utah juniper and Hopi chipmunk.
Dead Horse Point State Park is along State Route 313, Moab, UT 84532.
4- Drive Along The Colorado River Scenic Byway
Utah’s State Route 128, better known as the Colorado River Scenic Byway, is a 44-mile-long (71 km) highway connecting Moab with the nearby town of Cisco along Interstate 70 that’s one of the the most visually stunning drives in the Beehive State.
The route forms part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, itself a National Scenic Byway, and was originally completed in 1933 to replace the existing pack trail which was notoriously difficult to traverse.
Renowned for its blind corners, mesas, spires and views of the Colorado River, the Colorado River Scenic Byway has starred in a couple of western films as a backdrop and is among the top free attractions to experience in Moab.
5- See Dinosaurs At Moab Giants
11 miles (18 km) outside Moab’s downtown district, Moab Giants is a one-of-a-kind Utah attraction where visitors can wander about a half-mile-long (800 m) trail past more than 100 life-size and lifelike dinosaur statues.
The venue has an on-site museum where visitors get to play and interact with all sorts of different tech to experience Earth’s prehistoric inhabitants like never before, as well as a 5D aquarium which dives underwater to uncover the ancient predators of the deep.
Perhaps the only place in the world where one can experience first-hand the sheer size of Earth’s prehistoric predators, Moab Giants is wonderful for educating inquisitive minds and bringing out that inner child in us all.
Moab Giants is at 112 UT-313, Moab, UT 84532.
6- Bike Or Ride The Slickrock Bike Trail
The Slickrock Bike Trail is a looped 10.5-mile-long (17 km) track which crosses a rugged expanse of Navajo Sandstone and dunes that’s developed into one of Utah’s most popular mountain biking trails.
Passing over petrified dunes and an ancient seabed, the trail is considered a technically and physically challenging ride, yet incredibly rewarding with its captivating landscapes and desolate, almost otherworldly appearance.
Accessible to bikes and motorcycles, the trail is a must for any extreme sports enthusiast travelling through Moab and has been attracting thrillseekers to eastern Utah since the trail’s inception in 1969.
7- Tour The Hole N” the Rock
One of the most bizarre residences in the United States, Moab’s famous Hole N” the Rock is a 5,000-square-foot (465 m2) home carved out of a massive sandstone cliff roughly 15 miles (24 km) south of downtown Moab.
The unique home was created by Albert Christensen between 1940 and 1952 when the family officially moved in, and following Albert’s passing in 1957, the home was opened to the curious public for tours.
Today, the home is among the most popular roadside attractions in Utah and even boasts an on-site gift shop for picking up special gifts, making it one of Moab’s top ‘must-see’ landmarks in Utah.
Hole N” the Rock is at 11037 S Hwy 191, Moab, UT 84532.
8- See The Hoodoos Of Goblin Valley State Park
Named after the park’s thousands of hoodoos, or ‘goblins’ as they’re commonly called, Goblin Valley State Park is one of the most unique natural attractions within the San Rafael Desert, about 90 minutes drive outside Moab.
The park is home to some of the tallest and largest assortments of hoodoos in the world.
These goblins were created by the erosion of softer sandstone underneath a hard layer of rock to form the mushroom-shaped rock formations that attract well over 260,000 visitors every year.
Once freely roamed by the native Ute, Fremont and Paiute people, the park is also an important ecological area and is a natural habitat for fauna and flora such as jackrabbits, pronghorns, Mormon tea and cacti.
Goblin Valley State Park is located at 18630 Goblin Valley Road, Green River, UT 84525.
9- Go Off-The-Grid Camping At Sand Flats Recreation Area
Nestled in the proverbial heart of the Colorado Plateau, the Sand Flats Recreation Area is a public lands area of national importance renowned for its slickrock domes, fins and bowls which form a natural barrier between Moab and the La Sal Mountains.
The entire recreation area spans roughly 9,000 acres (3,642 ha) and has bike trails, hiking paths and campsites.
It’s just a 10-minute drive from the shops and restaurants of downtown Moab, providing visitors a slice of untamed Utah desert without leaving the creature comforts of urban living too far behind.
10- Whitewater Raft On The Colorado River
Whitewater rafting, one of Utah’s most exhilarating outdoor activities, can be enjoyed all along the Colorado River.
Several whitewater tour operators in and around Moab organise regular trips to the thundering rapids of the Colorado River.
Cutting through some of the Beehive State’s most picturesque places such as Canyonlands National Park, the Colorado River combines striking red rock formations with some of the strongest currents and rapids of any river in North America to create the ultimate action sports attraction in eastern Utah.
11- Bike The Klondike Bluffs Trail
Vying with the Slickrock Bike Trail for the title of Moab’s premier mountain biking destination, Klondike Bluffs Trail wows nature lovers with impressive views of adjacent Arches National Park’s captivating rock formations.
The trail is split into a north and south section which provides action sports athletes with 50 miles (80 km) of nature trails to enjoy within a 30-minute drive from downtown Moab.
12- Tour The Moab Museum
Dedicated to preserving and passing on the rich history of the town and the surrounding region, the Moab Museum is among the top cultural attractions in Moab and the best place in town to learn about the area’s past.
The museum’s broad range of exhibits recount more than 4,000 years of human history in eastern Utah from the region’s earliest Native American tribes to the state’s Mormon pioneers.
Opened in 1958 off the back of Moab’s uranium boom during the ’50s, the Moab Museum’s ever-growing collection includes exhibits highlighting everything from Moab’s role in the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII to the Colorado Plateau’s importance in palaeontology.
The Moab Museum is at 118 E Center St, Moab, UT 84532.
13- Cool Off At Faux Falls
A stone’s throw from Ken’s Lake, about 11 miles (18 km) south of Moab, Faux Falls offers a lush break from the surrounding dry landscape.
The man-made falls were created in 1981 as part of a water storage system which diverted water from nearby Mill Creek and has a refreshing swimming hole to cool off in after hiking the scenic looped trail for spectacular views of the falls from above.
Faux Falls can be found along Flat Pass Rd, Moab, UT 84532.
14- Check Out Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument
Home to one of the largest known collections of petroglyphs in the United States, Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument is among Moab’s most important natural landmarks.
53 miles (85 km) outside Moab’s downtown district, the 200-square-foot (19 m2) rock was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its hundreds of petroglyphs depicting animals, people, materials and more abstract drawings.
The rock’s oldest petroglyphs date back more than 2,000 years.
Navajo, Anasazi, Puebloan, Archaic, Fremont and Western cultures, left their mark on the rock at some point in time.
The Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument is located at UT-211, Monticello, UT 84535.
15- Stroll Along Downtown Moab’s Main Street
The beating heart of this charming eastern Utah town, downtown Moab’s Main Street is where you can find Moab’s best shopping, eating spots and entertainment venues.
Main Street teems with historic architecture and quirky attractions, and serves as the town’s epicentre for meeting new people, booking a tour guide or soaking up the town’s character.
You’ll probably find yourself wandering along Main Street more than once during your stay.
16- Step Inside The Moab Rock Shop
Established by Lin Ottinger in 1960, the Moab Rock Shop is a staple attraction of this nature-centric Utah town.
It has been family-owned and operated ever since it first opened.
Specialising in selling quirky and hard-to-come-by trinkets and items, the Moab Rock Shop is the go-to store in town for getting your hands on crystals, minerals, petrified wood and even dinosaur fossils.
Part shop and part living museum, the Moab Rock Shop has grown into one of the town’s ‘must-see’ attractions for visitors stopping by Moab for the very first time.
The Moab Rock Shop is located at 600 N Main St, Moab, UT 84532.
17- Indulge Your Cravings At The Moab Food Truck Park
The Moab Food Truck Park is, as the name suggests, a convenient all-in-one venue where foodies and urban explorers can sample some of Moab’s local flavours.
A variety of food trucks serve everything from burgers and tacos to Thai bowls and dessert options.
The brainchild of local hotel owners Justin Mabey and JJ Wang, the park was established in 2018 to spice up Moab’s culinary scene and create an attraction in the town’s downtown area.
With spots for over a dozen food trucks available inside the park, it’s among the best places in town to grab a bite to eat, with a wide array of different flavours and options available to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
The Moab Food Truck Park is located at 39 W 100 N, Moab, UT 84532.
18- Shop Fresh Produce At The Moab Farmer’s Market
Attracting throngs of vendors and shoppers from across the Moab Valley, the Moab Farmer’s Market is a seasonal open-air market where locals and travellers meet up to buy fresh produce, art, handmade crafts and a bite to eat.
The market is on Friday evenings between May and October at Swanny City Park in downtown Moab.
It’s usually filled with live music and a selection of local food trucks, turning it from your typical run-of-the-mill market into a fun entertainment spot.
The Moab Farmer’s Market is located at 400 N 100 W, Moab, UT 84532.
19- See The Birthing Scene Petroglyph
Another popular and storied petroglyph site near Moab is the Birthing Scene Petroglyph, which is a large boulder covered with a myriad of drawings and carvings depicting animals, human figures, animal tracks and a detailed birthing scene.
Located roughly 6 miles (10 km) outside central Moab, the petroglyph shows traces of Anasazi, Fremont and Ute Native American cultures.
It can easily be combined with a visit to the Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument for an epic Moab itinerary jam-packed with history and captivating rock formations.
20- Plan A Sunset Drive To Needles Overlook
1,600 feet (488 m) above Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District, the Needles Overlook is one of the most dramatic settings in eastern Utah.
This is where you can enjoy 270-degree views of sandstone rock formations, canyons, mesas and buttes stretching as far as the eye can see.
The overlook is an hour’s drive outside downtown Moab and is accessed via a short and easy-to-hike trailhead to the overlook’s epic lookout point for some of the most incredible sunset views imaginable.
