For the outdoor adventurer, Utah is jam-packed with activities. This guide provides a detailed list of excursions, hiking, dining and more to make sure you enjoy your 3 days in Moab.
In Moab, tourists can enjoy hiking, biking, rock climbing, off-roading, skiing, and much more. The state of Utah also boasts big cities such as Salt Lake, as well as charming small towns like Moab and Torrey.
Anthony and Gianna at Delicate Arch in Arches National Park
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About Moab
Moab is the largest city in eastern Utah and is known for its beautiful scenery both in and around the town. During the early 20th century, Moab’s economy was based primarily on agriculture, but gradually shifted to mining. In 1910, Uranium and vanadium were discovered in the area. This eventually led to Moab being called the “Uranium Capital of the World”. Recently, Moab has seen a surge of vacation home purchasing because of the towns mild winters and enjoyable summers.
Getting to Moab
The cheapest way to get to Moab by plane is by flying to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). You would then need to take a 3.5hr car ride southeast to get to the city. You can also fly to Denver International Airport (DEN) and drive to Moab in around 5 to 6 hours. There is also an airport closer to Moab, Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), but flights are often costly and have multiple layovers.
Moab Location in UT
3 Days in Moab Day 1: Off-Roading and Arches NP
Start your 3 days in Moab with a breakfast at the Moab Food Truck Park. This courtyard-style area features different food trucks that serve a variety of delicious breakfast food. We chose Nuclear Bean Coffee Co., where I grabbed a breakfast burrito and a cortado (a mix of espresso and heavy cream). You can also opt for an omelette, breakfast sandwich, or bagel.
Nuclear Bean Coffee Co., Moab, UT
After this, head to Moab Adventure Center for the Slickrock Hummer Safari Adventure. This tour features an exhilarating ride through Moab’s red rocks to a famous off-roading trail called “Hell’s Revenge” and ends with a beautiful view of the Colorado River. Our trip was led by an awesome tour guide who had us both laughing and holding on for dear life! This tour is family friendly, but includes riding very close to high drop-off points and very steep inclines. I recommend booking your Hummer Tour at least 1 day in advance to guarantee your spot. We opted for the 11:00am slot so that we could enjoy breakfast before.
Hummer Safari Adventure, Moab, UT
The afternoon provides an opportunity to fuel up on some lunch and head to Arches National Park! If you don’t have your own food, or are in a pinch, you must try Quesadilla Mobilla, located in the Moab Food Truck Park. This truck serves loaded quesadillas with very unique flavor combinations. Try the Southern Bell with red chili beef, onions, corn, and sweet potatoes, or the New Mexico Identity Crisis with green Chile chicken layered over spinach and artichoke hearts with black olives and cheddar jack cheese! They also offer vegan options.
Quesadilla Mobilla, Moab, UT
After fueling up, it’s time to head to Arches, located off Highway 191. To enter the national park, you have to pay a fee of 30$ per vehicle. However, if you plan on visiting more than 1 National Park, or Arches NP more than once, opt for the America the Beautiful annual pass, offering unlimited entry into all National Parks for 80$. 3 visits to any national park will make up this cost! You will also need a timed entry reservation from April 1 to Oct 31 to enter the park. These only cost 2$, but are needed to enter the park from 7am to 4pm. After 4pm, you do not need a reservation. I recommend booking an online reservation at least 1-2 days in advance to make sure they do not sell out (they usually do not sell out).
Arches NP, Moab, UT
Once inside the park, head to the Visitor Center to grab stickers and souvenirs. You can also speak to a ranger for any questions or concerns related to the park. It is best to spend the remainder of the day in the park, as you will need around 5 to 6 hours to visit all of the sights that I recommend. You could always visit some and come back another day as well. Here are some of the sights I recommend seeing, in order from front of the park to back of the park:
- Courthouse Tower Viewpoint
- Petrified Dunes Viewpoint
- Balanced Rock
- North/South Window and Double Arch
- Delicate Arch Hike and Viewpoint
- Moderately challenging 3.2mi out-and-back hike to see the famous Delicate Arch: Alltrails
- Tunnel Arch in Devils Garden
Anthony and Gianna Headed to Delicate Arch, Arches NP
If you have time for dinner, finish the day by heading to Sunset Grill and grabbing a fancy cocktail and some steak or fish. The restaurant features tasty dishes with a menu that describes the unique history of the restaurant and how it came to be! A reservation is recommended.
3 Days in Moab Day 2: Jetboating and Petroglyphs
For breakfast on day 2 of your 3 Days in Moab, head to Moab Coffee Roasters for a smooth, balanced latte made from organic, quality beans roasted on-site. They also offer gelato, smoothies, Italian sodas, and teas. Pair your coffee with a warm, toasted bagel or a fresh pastry.
The next stop for the day will be at Moab Jett for a Jet Boat tour up the Colorado River! You will take a New Zealand Style Jet Boat from the Moab Bridge and head upriver along the border of Arches National Park, cursing through turns and rapids with a gorgeous view of red rock scenery. Along our tour, we had the chance to see a huge heard of bighorn sheep right along the shoreline! Our captain also stirred the river and created huge waves that we crashed into, leaving us smiling and soaked! Be prepared to get wet! I recommend the 2 Hour Tour for the best experience.
View from Moab Jet Boat Tour, Moab, UT
Right next to starting point of the Jet Boat are ancient Petroglyphs carved on red rock cliffs along the river. To reach them, take your car to Potash Road located off of Highway 191. Then head down to the Roadside Petroglyphs. You will find a white information sign on the left side of the road which describes the history and significance of the carvings. Then turn to face the canyons to see all of the petroglyphs. They are mostly located around 10-20 feet from the ground. This is a short excursion that will take about 1 hour to travel to and view.
Moab’s Ancient Petroglyphs
For the evening, take time to wind down and relax before your next day of adventure. I recommend taking a stroll through “downtown” Moab to shop for souvenirs or hand-crafted local pottery.
Around dinner time, head to Pasta Jays. Here you can find family-friendly Italian fare like pizza, pasta, and chicken. I loved the Baked Spaghetti Marinara with a side of meatballs.
3 Days in Moab Day 3: Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands NP
The third day of adventure involves lots of breath-taking scenery and another national park. For breakfast, head to Jailhouse Cafe for a Jailhouse Scramble with a side of Soul-food bacon. Very delicious! The route to Canyonlands from Moab is around 35 min, which is a bit longer than the travel to Arches National Park. Along the way, you can stop at Dead Horse Point to catch a glimpse of the winding Colorado River. To get there, head west along Highway 313. Continue straight until you reach Dead Horse Point State Park. The entrance fee for this park is $20 per vehicle, and an American The Beautiful Pass cannot be used. After receiving a map and information from park staff, head south on Hwy 313 until you reach Dead Horse Point at the southern tip of the Park. You will be greeted with a double gooseneck bend of the river that forms a unique scenery.
Dead Horse Point
After spending an hour or two at Dead Horse Point, exit the park and head south on Island in the Sky Road until you reach the entrance of Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands NP has 4 different sections you can travel to, separated by the Colorado and Green River. Keep in mind that long travel time (2+ hours) is required to reach these other locations. For this guide, I recommend staying in the Island in the Sky region and enjoying the viewpoints and overlooks.
After stopping in the visitor center for stickers, head to the Mesa Arch. It is a small hike that leads to a arch with an expansive canyon view directly behind it.
Mesa Arch
Along the way, check out other stops such as Buck Canyon and Orange Cliffs viewpoints. You can then head down to the grand view point overlooks for a panorama-style landscape of the red rock canyons that stretch for miles.
Grand View Point Overlook, Canyonlands NP
After spending the afternoon in Canyonlands National Park, head back to Moab to fest on some Mexican cuisine. We headed to Fiesta Mexicana for burritos and oversized margaritas.
I hope that this guide provided you with lots of useful information that you can use if you are heading to Utah. Whether you stay 3 days in Moab or more, be sure to do the items on this guide to make your stay worthwhile.
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