Adventure season in Moab doesn’t take a break. Families with toddlers (or their four-legged kiddos) to thrill-seekers and culture lovers — everyone can find their kind of a good time among the red rock canyons and desert landscapes.
Whether you crave epic trails through the famed sandstone arches, boogying around a folk music festival, or just a leisurely scenic drive, Moab offers the chance for every adventurer to create their perfect field trip, at any time of year.
Don’t know where to start? We tapped Moab locals for their insider tips — think of them as your personal guides to this high desert playground. From sunrise hikes to starlit nights, they know how to make every visit unforgettable. Stay for a long weekend, or a week: you won’t run out of places, in town or out of bounds, to explore.
Keep reading to see how Moab can be your year-round destination for adventure, exploration, and culture.
Get Out There
Paddle, hike, climb, ride, and more; Moab has it all.
It’s no secret that Moab is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, and the cliché stands to reason. The sandstone waves, canyons, spires, and arches create a stunning backdrop — and playground — for almost every outdoor pursuit, all year long.
Hike: Options are endless in this human-powered category. Moab is nestled between two national parks, two state parks, and the La Sal Mountain range, so your options are also wildly varied.
Arches National Park has famous — you guessed it — arches, like Delicate Arch, Double Arch, and Landscape Arch. Canyonlands National Park, Utah’s largest national park, boasts the Mesa Arch, the Green River Overlook, and a 1,500-foot mesa called the Island in the Sky.
Check out Discover Moab’s guide to Bureau of Land Management trails, including pet-friendly options and winter hiking options. Be prepared before you hit the desert trails.
Bike: Mud season is the best time to bike in Moab; avoid the heat of July and August and pedal through spring and fall with mountain biking trail systems like the Whole Enchilada (six trails combined into an epic 25-mile downhill trail from the La Sal Mountains to the Colorado River). Need to rent some wheels or learn the best routes from a local guide? Check out these outfitters.
For a road biking smorgasbord, winter is decidedly better weather: low precipitation and sunny days keep you comfy mid-workout. Spring and fall are legendary for perfect mild temperatures alongside epic views. If you’re cycling in summer, start early, hydrate well, and seek shade when you can. Check out paths like the Moab Canyon Pathway that crosses the Colorado River and snakes by both national parks.
Paddle: Whether you’re looking for a leisurely float or Class IV whitewater, base your next river trip out of Moab. Brennan Patrick Gillis, the Marketing and Communications Director for Canyonlands Field Institute, is partial to the Upper San Juan River: “It’s dual-managed by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department and the Bureau of Land Management and offers everything you could ask for on a river trip — rich cultural history, breathtaking geology, and some splashy Class II/III rapids.”
The Colorado River offers family-friendly options like the Ruby Horsethief Canyons section, the challenging whitewater stretch through Westwater Canyon, or the 100 miles of rapids through Cataract Canyon, where the Green River meets the Colorado.
Hire a guide, join a private seminar with the Canyonlands Field Institute, or row yourself down these incredible stretches. Looking for a different type of paddling? Try paddleboarding through canyon country.
Branch out: There’s no time like the present, or the “off season,” to try a new sport:
Soak Up the Stars
For seasoned astronomers and beginner star-finders alike.
Moab earned an impressive label: it’s internationally certified as a dark sky community. This means that Moab — and its surrounding parks like Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point — use shielded lighting, low lighting, and strictly-necessary lit areas to keep the skies naturally dark, and showcase the stars instead.
Devon Salasin, Head Astronomer for Stargazing Moab, explains why Moab is such a phenomenal stargazing destination: “It’s ‘out there.’” Located in the center of the Colorado Plateau, Moab stands over 100 miles away from major cities and towns. Thanks to this location, Moab has some of the darkest skies in the country.
“Moab offers an escape from encroaching city lights,” Salasin says. “The perspective gained from viewing a star-filled sky is something most folks can’t access regularly. It’s rare to have such an expansive area protected from lights. Don’t overlook that opportunity!”
There’s no bad time for stargazing, either. Each season brings a new phenomenon: Summer showcases the Milky Way’s band dominating Moab’s dark skies. Winter highlights bright stars and deep space objects, such as the famed Orion Nebula. “Unlike most other areas, the Orion Nebula is a naked eye object in Moab,” Salasin explains, “able to view without the aid of binoculars or telescopes.”
The same can be said of the Andromeda Galaxy in autumn, where our closest galactic neighbor is easily visible unaided in Moab’s dark skies. Spring offers our galactic band on full display, and meteor showers — like the Perseids in August, peaking at over 100 meteors per hour — are worth the trip alone.
Not sure where to start?
Find a Desert Jam Session
For music lovers, accessible activities, and free concert seekers.
Looking for something less adrenaline junkie, without giving up the same stunning natural backdrop? The Moab Folk Festival and Free Concert Series are just your ticket.
Cassie Paup, who heads both the Folk Festival and the Free Concert Series, makes sure there’s something for everyone. She works tirelessly to make live music performances more accessible, not only to this remote community, but also to the spectrum of tourists who visit this area. To break it down: you don’t have to be an ultra-athlete to enjoy Moab; music, culture, and community spirit run deep in this desert.
“Generally, folks think of Moab as a hub of outdoor recreation, which it is,” Paup said. “But the Folk Festival models arts and culture as its own unique tourism demographic in Moab.”
Who could blame folks? The incredible landscape that surrounds Moab inspires a spectrum of artists from local musicians to out-of-town headliners. “Singer/songwriter Ellis Delaney wrote a tune called ‘Moab in November’ about her time as a performer at the Moab Folk Festival,” Paup said, with lyrics like “so much life here in the desert, in Moab in November.”
Grab a local drink, snag a seat, and enjoy the music reverberating off the red rock walls.
Make sure to catch these highlights:
Get Off-Road and On-Trail
For 4WDs, ATVs, OHVs, and anything else with a motor and wheels.
Welcome to off-road country, one of Moab’s most famous attributes. Hundreds of miles of former mining roads, 4×4 trails, and scenic drives offer an adventure for every driver — including accessible tours for wheelchair users.
Ready to test out your off-road-worthy Jeep? Discover Moab lists a bevy of options, including easy trails like the 14-mile Gemini Bridges to difficult options like the 1.9-mile slickrock “rock roller coaster” called Fins and Things. Don’t have an off-road vehicle of your own? Find a guided tour, or rent a desert-worthy ride.
ATVs and OHVs are also welcome in the Moab area. Make sure to pick up a permit and complete the OHV Education Course before you rip out to the desert. Once you do, ride through White Wash Sand Dunes, or head out to Lockhart Basin. UTVs are also welcome on trails, including Hurrah Pass, Chicken Corners, and Monitor and Merrimac. Dirtbikers can try the Slickrock Bike Trail, a loop with exceptional technical sections.
Don’t miss out on:
Dog-Friendly Adventures
Don’t leave your pup behind for this trip; Moab offers year-round delights for dogs, too.
Is Fido less of a powder hound and more of a fan of sunny, dry days? Moab might be their new favorite dog park, especially in the moderate winter temperatures, a warm spring, and cooler fall weather. (Summer might be too hot, unless you’re prepared to explore early to avoid burning your pup’s paws. Check out these tips for pet parents at Discover Moab.)
Popular hikes like Dead Horse Point and Corona Arch Trail welcome leashed dogs, but don’t overlook Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls for a cool-dog mid-hike, or a longer hike within the Fisher Towers area, where canines can romp among desert towers..
Back in town, your pup is welcome almost anywhere you are: the Trailhead Public House’s scenic rooftop patio features a doggie menu and comfort food to fill any explorer’s belly. Grab breakfast at Gloria’s Corner Cafe, which offers a pet-friendly covered patio equipped with heaters for cooler weather.
The Blu Pig BBQ uses misters and covered outdoor seating to keep the summer heat at bay, and welcomes dogs, too. Nearly a dozen more places offer outdoor seating for you and your pup in and around Moab; check out this list of local restaurants, courtesy of Discover Moab.
Canines are also welcome at several local hotels: Wingate by Wyndham Moab allows up to two pets of any size with no pet fee. Expedition Lodge Moab permits multiple pets with no pet fee and offers treats and relief areas onsite, as does Moab Rustic Inn. Looking to glamp? Under Canvas Moab and Ulum Moab offer upscale tented accommodations, and pups are allowed.
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