Are you looking for one of the most beautiful places on Earth with the most amazing scenery? If YES then you need to add Moab, Utah to your bucket list! You will not be disappointed with the breathtaking rock formations, arches, and the beautiful colors of God’s creation.
In this blog post, I will provide an itinerary of Moab including: what to do, where to stay, and how to get to each destination!
My husband and I are travel therapists. Utah was our first assignment placement. We road tripped from TN to UT. We drove through Colorado then made our way into Utah. Coming from Denver, Colorado, Moab was the first city in UT we came to. It took around 6 hours to drive from Denver to Moab.
What an amazing city to welcome us to our new home for the next 3 months! With that being said the layout of our road trip was dependent on the direction we were coming from. So, this might be different for you based on where you are coming from. Here are the spots from our Moab road trip starting in Arches National Park, going to Canyonlands National Park, and seeing Dead Horse Point State Park from a drive through the canyons in Canyonlands.
Also, we had other sites to see before our jobs started, so we only had 2 days in Moab. But if you only have 2 days in Moab, you can definitely see so much! We are fast travelers so we were able to see everything we wanted in the 2 days.
This post may contain affiliate links of products I use and love. You can read my full disclosure here.
Okay let’s head out for the road trip! Here is an overviews of what will be included in the blog post:
2 Days in Moab Itinerary:
- Day 1: Arches National Park
- Day 2: Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point State Park
How to Get to Moab:
- You can road trip in like us!
- If you are flying in, rent a car to drive in to Moab.
- The closest airports are:
- Salt Lake City, Utah ~4 hour drive to Moab
- Denver, Colorado ~6 hour drive to Moab
What to Bring for your 2 Day Stay in Moab:
This definitely depends on what time of the year you are visiting the city. We were in the city during summer months. So, we packed for warm weather. But it did get chilly at night time. Here are some basics to pack for your trip to Moab:
- America The Beautiful– We have our annual America The Beautiful (ATB) pass and we have easily made our money back on this! You will benefit from this pass in Moab to visit Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and if you plan to extend your trip out to Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon.
- Water bottles– make sure you have plenty of water. Some hikes take longer than others and you will want to make sure you have water.
- Camera– you will see landmarks and beautiful scenery like no other. Make sure you pack a camera to take pictures!
- Hiking boots (men’s) / Hiking boots (women’s)– there are a lot of options in Moab that do not require hiking. Many of the landmarks are walks. But if you plan to do more of the hikes (Delicate Arch) you will definitely want to wear hiking boots.
- Hiking socks– you will want to make sure you are comfortable in your hiking boots as there is a lot of walking!
- Puffer jacket– if you are visiting in cooler months, I would highly recommend bringing a good quality puffer jacket. The nights especially get chilly here!
- Hydration Pack– above I mentioned packing water bottles. I would also highly recommend purchasing a hydration pack to carry your water and other items. This will come in handy so many times.
- AWD/ 4WD Car– this is not a necessity, but if you plan to do the scenic drive in canyonlands, you will have to have a car that is either 4WD or AWD. This is something to keep in mind when choosing a rental car. See more about this scenic drive below.
- Gas– I would recommend getting a good tank of gas in the car before you head out. There are not many gas stations in the area. There is a lot of driving. Be prepared!
- Tent/ sleeping bags/ flashlights– depending on how you choose to lodge for your trip, you will need to make sure you have your camping necessities.
- This is the exact tent we have and LOVE! So easy to use, set up, and pack. It truly takes 2 seconds- hence the name 🙂
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Where to Stay in Moab:
There are 4 options for lodging in Moab:
- Camping
- Glamping
- Hotel
- Airbnb/ VRBO
CAMPING:
We planned to camp, but we ended up finishing Arches National Park so late that we did not want to have to set our campsite up in the dark. So we decided to stay in a hotel. But there are plenty of options for camping in Moab.
National, State, and Forest Park Campgrounds:
Devils Garden Campground is the only National Park campground in Arches National Park, Island in the Sky- Willow Flat Campground and The Needles Campground are the only National Park campgrounds in Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point State Park Campground is the only campground in Dead Horse State Park. You have to have a reservation for all of these campgrounds, so plan accordingly ahead of time.
We were unsure at the time when planning our trip where we wanted to stay, so we did not get a reservation. We instead planned to stay at a campsite outside the park.
Commercial Campgrounds:
These are also reservation campgrounds so plan accordingly. Also make sure you are mapping these out to be close to the area you are visiting in Moab.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Campgrounds:
These are first come first serve. This is what we planned to stay on our first night. There were plenty of campsites available. We used the app Roadtrippers to locate a BLM campground close to Arches. Like I stated above, we pulled into the campsite and then decided it was too late to set up camp (past 10:30 pm). However, we have stayed at BLM’s before and have had great experiences!
Dyrt Pro app also has a map of free campsites that you can search in the area you are visiting.
GLAMPING
If you want the atmosphere of camping but with the experience of a hotel, then glamping is for you! We have actually never gone glamping before, but it is on our list of things to do! I have read that Under Canvas is the ultimate glamping experience in Moab. Let me know if you have ever stayed with Under Canvas before!
HOTEL
This is the route we took for our night in Moab. We were exhausted from a full day of driving and going through Arches National Park that we did not want to set up camp at 10:30 pm. So we instead drove into the city and stayed at one of the many available hotels and had a great experience. We fueled our bodies with a delicious, hot, and complimentary breakfast the next morning before starting out on our adventures!
AIRBNB/ VRBO:
If you are wanting to go the Airbnb/ VRBO route, there are plenty of options to meet your needs.
Moab Itinerary Day 1:
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
From the direction we were coming from, our first stop in Moab was Arches National Park. The drive into the park is the most amazing sight I have ever seen. Pictures do not do it justice! You will be welcomed with gigantic rock formations that are a beautiful red color. Walls of red rock formations follow you the entire drive into the park.
There are many pull off spots for overlooks as you drive in. If you are not beating sunlight, definitely stop to see them!
You can easily spend your entire weekend in Arches National Park alone. But because this is a 2 Day itinerary for Moab, let’s hit the highlights and must sees of Arches National Park.
- The Windows
When you drive through Arches, The Windows is one of the major landmarks you will come to. The Windows are a quick, easy walk from the parking lot. You will find gigantic arches that are like ‘windows’ to the park (hence the name). Make sure you stand in the middle of the window to get a beautiful picture.
There is another arch directly across from The Windows that is just as beautiful, too. It is also a quick, easy walk.
- The Double Arches
Right beside The Windows, you will find The Double Arches. You will see exactly why they are named “Double Arches”.
These are huge arches that are similar to The Windows but there are two of them in connection.
It is another easy, quick walk to the arches to see the amazing landmark. Feeling brave? Climb to the inside of the arches to see amazing views of the national park.
- Delicate Arch
Ready for a hike? Grab your hiking boots to set off to The Delicate Arch. This landmark might look familiar to you. It is on the Utah license plate! Now, when you see a UT license plate, you can say that you have been to the arch on the plate!
This hike is known to be completed at sunrise to watch the sun rise through the arch. This is also a sure way to beat the crowd and heat!
This is a more intense but quick hike. It is 1.5 miles one way. There are trail markers up until a certain point. But you will naturally know where to go once the signs are not as obvious.
Getting to the delicate arch is tough as you have to walk up a steep rock. Once you have made it to the top of the rock, you will see a path way that follows around a rock formation. Be careful on the pathway as it would be a harsh fall down.
After you wrap around the path, you will see the amazing Delicate Arch! There is also a deep crater in the rock formation. This provides a natural sitting area to view the arch.
The walk down is much quicker, but please be careful as you come down the steep rock!
- Petroglyphs
On your way up to the Delicate Arch, look for signs that point you to petroglyphs. You will find these drawn on the rock formations.
- Devils Garden
The Devils Garden is a beautiful walk through the national forest looking at more rock formations. You will find more arches and overlooks on the walk. You will definitely want to make time for this landmark!
- The Three Gossips
As you are entering the park in your car, you will notice lots of different rock formations. One that is most popular is The Three Gossips. You will immediately see how this rock formation got that name.
After you have completed all the hikes and completed your drive through the Arches National Park, it is time to rest up for tomorrow!
Moab Itinerary Day 2:
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK & DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK
After you have gotten your rest and ate a good breakfast, you are ready for another day of adventure in Moab, Utah!
Today, we are starting in Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is known for the many different canyons among their land. These are beautiful and huge!
Canyonlands National Park:
Canyonlands National Park is very large! There are 3 separate sections in the park. We mostly stayed within the Island in the Sky.
- Mesa Arch:
Start your journey in Canyonlands at the Mesa Arch. This is a well known landmark for Canyonlands.
It is smaller in comparison to the arches you will see in Arches National Park. However, it is very unique as you can look through it to see the bottom of canyons.
This is a very quick ½ mile walk from the parking lot. The trail markers are obvious and easy to follow.
- Rim Trail:
After you spend time at the Mesa Arch, you can continue in this area by walking the 2- mile round trip hike / walk around the rim of the canyon. You will see great views of the canyons from this walk and more cool rock formations!
- Green River Overlook:
Once you are finished with Mesa Arch and Rim Trail, hop back in the car for a short drive to the Green River Overlook. Here you will see great views on top of the canyon of the river. The Green River is known for the shaping of the Canyonlands (as well as the Colorado River).
- The Shafer Canyons:
In the “What you should bring” section of this blog, I mentioned a AWD/ FWD high clearance car. This is why 🙂
Let me say again, that you HAVE to have a high clearance AWD/ FWD car. We had just purchased our Toyota Highlander (AWD) and were apprehensive about driving on this canyon at first since we were unsure of the conditions. However, we went for it and were so glad we did! This was our favorite part of Canyonlands National Park!
If you are not a confident driver, then I would not recommend driving on this road as it is very narrow with large drop offs.
Starting from the top of the canyon, you will drive switch backs that are very narrow all the way down the canyon. Videos and photos do not do it justice of how scary and thrilling this drive is! It is amazing. You will see the canyons from a completely different point of view.
As you drive down the canyon, you will be following the walls of the canyon. Then, you will finally make it to the bottom of the canyon. Once at the bottom of the canyon, the views continue.
Here is where you will get to be in parts of Dead Horse Point State Park. Look up while you are at the bottom, and you will see the look outs that are popular at Dead Horse.
You will also see Intrepid Potash Mine on your drive at the bottom of the canyons. This is the largest producer of potassium chloride in the United States.
After you finish the Shafer Canyon drive, you will end at the main highway. Look to your left as you will see people rock climbing and base jumping!
There are lots of Off Road trails for side-by-sides if you are interested in renting one as well!
I hope you enjoyed learning more about Moab, Utah and all the different activities to do while you are visiting! We hope this has encouraged you to GROW in your travels and bucket lists!
If you have any questions or comments about our trip to Moab, UT please leave them below!
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