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Moab And Surrounding Area Guide

https://www.where2goguides.com/g/wendy-and-justin/moab-and-surrounding-area

Fun town and gateway to two national parks

Activities / Places

#1.Horsethief Bench & Mary's Loop (from Kokopelli trailhead)

trailhead biking
Fun mountain bike ride with desert scenery

Notes

    • About 13 miles depending on how you ride the loops

#2.Sego Canyon Petrogylphs

rock art
Area of excellent rock art, featuring tall, well-preserved pictographs

#3.Yellow Cat Flat (start of access road)

trailhead rockhounding
Area to search for agate, chert, jasper, petrified wood

Notes

    • Yellow Cat Flat is a large area, and the roads are of varying quality. High clearance is definitely needed. 
    • This road was in pretty good condition when we visited, and a good way to enter the Flat.
    • Additional research needed to determine exact locations to search (but in our experience, agate pebbles were all over).

#4.Copper Ridge Dinosaur Trackways

want to go geologic feature

#5.Klondike Bluffs Mountain Biking (south trailhead)

trailhead biking
Miles of excellent trails; this is the south trailhead

Notes

    • Trails are mainly moderate; some are more challenging
    • Klondike Bluffs is a favorite (9 miles rt, short hike to a view point at the end and dino tracks), as are the Jasper and Agate loops (of geologic interest)

Links

#6.Fisher Towers Trailhead

trailhead hiking / walking
5 mile rt hike to scenic red rock spires

#7.KlonZo Trailhead

trailhead biking
Excellent collection of beginner to intermediate mountain bike trails

Links

#8.Brand trails parking

trailhead biking
Miles of excellent mountain biking, including some slick rock

Notes

    •  If renting bikes, grab a shuttle from Poison Spider Bicycles up to this excellent biking area, and then ride back into town when you are done.
    • Trails are moderate, some loops on slick rock

#9.Intestine Man Petroglyphs

rock art

#10.Arches National Park Visitor Center

park visitor center biking hiking / walking
Excellent park full of arches; requires timed entry passes certain times of the year

Notes

  • Enjoy short hikes to arches - some of our favorites include:
    • Delicate arch (especially around sunset)
    • Tunnel arch
    • Windows area
    • Balanced rock
    • Fiery furnace tour (book ahead of time through the park)

#11.Grandstaff Canyon Trail Head

trailhead geologic feature hiking / walking
4 mile rt hike to Morning Glory arch through Grandstaff canyon

Notes

    • The canyon is shaded, so this is a good hike when it is hot.

#12.Porcupine Rim West Trail Head

trailhead biking
Excellent mountain bike ride that is 14 miles point to point or a 30-mile loop

Notes

    • This is the trailhead to start from if you want the best parts of the trail, but requires a shuttle. 
    • You can also ride it as a loop; in that case, start from Moab near Sand Flats road or from the end of the ride at the Upper Colorado Scenic Byway.
    • You can lengthen this ride further by connecting with The Whole Enchilada.

#13.Slickrock Bike Trail

Epic Moab mountain bike trail; not for the faint of heart

#14.Poison Spider Bicycles

shop biking
Rents excellent mountain bikes for adventures around Moab

Notes

    • You can get their shuttle up to the Bar trails and then ride back to town when you are done
    • They also have some car carriers available

#15.Corona Arch Trailhead

want to go trailhead geologic feature hiking / walking
Excellent hike to a spectacular arch

Notes

  • 3 miles round trip, mostly on slick rock; view several other arches along the way

#16.Mill Creek North Fork Trailhead

trailhead rock art waterfall hiking / walking
Out and back hiking trail with waterfalls, rock art and ruins

Notes

    • Requires multiple stream crossings; plan footwear accordingly
    • Rock art is readily seen; you can also visit an alcove with metate and a cave with hand prints

#17.Birthing Scene Petroglyph

rock art

#18.Dead Horse Point State Park

campground park
Great views and a nice campground and mountain biking trails

Links

#19.Island in the Sky Visitor Center

park visitor center hiking / walking
Canyonlands district with Grand Canyon-like views, ruins, and hiking

#20.The Needles Visitor Center

rock art visitor center hiking / walking
District of Canyonlands with interesting hikes and Newspaper Rock petroglyph panel

#21.Utah 128 Scenic Drive

scenic drive
Scenic drive from I-70 to Moab along the Colorado River.

Notes

  • For at least one direction to/from Moab, you should take the scenic route along the Colorado.