With two national parks, several state parks, and hundreds of hikes and off-road trails, it can be overwhelming to decide what to do on your first trip to Moab. We’ll help you narrow it down with this Moab weekend itinerary that is ideal for a first timer. This Moab weekend itinerary is great for those who want to sample a little bit of each park; although, you could spend days in each park alone!
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Where to stay in Moab
We stayed at The Radcliffe Moab and loved it. It’s a central location to all of the adventures in Moab, has an incredible restaurant, a new pool, and even a connected outdoor gear store for all of your needs! The rooms are comfortable and pet-friendly. The rooms even have bike racks and Purple mattresses which we use and love at home.
As far as camping goes, you have three types of campgrounds: commercial, park, BLM. Commercial campgrounds, like the KOA or Sun Outdoors, usually have more features like showers and sometimes food. Check the websites of the state and national parks for lists of campgrounds, and reservation requirements. The BLM does manage a few campgrounds in the area, but you can also in more remote locations.
Responsible Recreation in Moab
Planning your Moab weekend itinerary requires a lot of preparation. It’s very important to be prepared for the desert heat with sunscreen, hats, and light layers with UV protection. It can get chilly in the morning and evenings. If you are traveling in the winter you should bring appropriate gear like microspikes and layers. Finally, the cell service is spotty and it is necessary to download offline trail maps with the AllTrails app.
In order to recreate responsibly in these remote areas, follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles:
- plan ahead and prepare: research current weather and trail conditions, bring enough food and water, bring/download an offline map, prepare for crowds in certain areas
- travel and camp on durable surfaces: be sure not to hike off trail or use social trails! Camp at designated areas only
- dispose of waste properly: even an orange peel or cherry pit can disturb the ecosystem and take years to decompose. Be sure to pack out absolutely everything!
- leave what you find: do not take rocks or build cairns of rocks, do not carve into trees, rocks, or other natural objects
- minimize campfire impacts: know current fire restrictions, keep fires small and only use established fire rings
- respect wildlife: stay 25 yards away from all wildlife
- be considerate of other visitors: do not play music on the trail, give the right of way to uphill hiker
When to visit Moab
We’ve been to Moab in all seasons and there are pros and cons to both. You’ll find more crowds during the summer, but you’ll be able to take advantage of activities like tubing the Colorado River. This Moab weekend itinerary was done in July, so even though Moab is HOT during the summer, you can still explore a lot!
Winter, fall, and spring will have less crowds and is prime for hiking. Be sure to research conditions for each season and bring appropriate gear! For example, you may need microspikes for the popular Delicate Arch hike in the winter. Some stores and restaurants may close or have reduced hours during the low season.
Arches National Park Reservations
Arches National Park requires timed entry reservations between April 1st and October 31st. Reservations are first come, first serve and are available 3 months in advance. Make the reservations and find out more information on the park website.
Day 1: Arches National Park and Tubing
Delicate Arch Hike
You’ve probably seen this arch on the Utah license plate! This is one of the most iconic and popular trails at Arches National Park. We highly recommend starting early to minimize crowds. If you go during the summer, it will be necessary to start early to avoid the heat as well. The hike is considered moderate at 3 miles round trip with some steep sections. The trailhead is located 30 minutes from the entrance of the park. The trail is exposed with minimal shade, so prepare accordingly with sunscreen, a hat, and appropriate clothes. If you are into photography and and want the best light, we recommend doing this hike at sunset.
Balanced Rock
Now you’ll be heading back towards the park entrance the way you came and hitting a few short trails and viewpoints. First up is Balanced Rock, a quick stop next to the parking lot where you can walk 0.3 miles to view the massive 128 foot tall Balanced Rock resting on a 55 foot tall pedestal. This is a unique phenomenon and definitely worth a stop!
Double Arch
This short 0.5 mile trail, located in the Windows section of Arches National Park, is your next stop. We love how easy and accessible this trail is to view an incredible double sandstone arch. Double Arch is an amazing place for photography. It would make a good sunrise spot as well due to its accessibility if you wanted to stop for sunrise photos there before hiking Delicate Arch. The scale of this arch is truly amazing!
The Window and Turret Loop Trail
Your next stop is in the same section as Double Arch.The trailhead is located in the Windows Section parking lot. It’s only 0.5 miles to the North Window a massive arch that frames a view of Turret Arch. This is an amazing photography spot, but be careful. To get the iconic framed shot, you need to climb a rocky area. The trail continues to South Window, another impressive arch. If you’d like, you can also hike to Turret Arch for an up close view of one of the most unique arches.
Park Avenue Viewpoint
On your way out of the park, be sure to stop at the Park Avenue Viewpoint for a panoramic view of several stunning rock formations. If you have time you can also hike the 2 mile round trip Park Avenue Trail that starts at the viewpoint and traverses through the narrow canyon.
Lunch at Moab Garage Company
We loved this spot for lunch. Serving classic American food including street tacos, sandwiches, salads and pizza, this is a great place to stop for a quick lunch. There’s also a full bar and lots of coffee options. The place has a laid back and cool vibe.
Tube the Colorado River
When we visited in the summer, we knew we wouldn’t want to do anything strenuous during the hottest part of the day.
Tubing the Colorado River with Canyonlands by Night turned out to be the perfect activity. There are whitewater rafting if you’re feeling more adventurous, but grabbing some drinks and going for a lazy float was perfect for us. You park at the Canyonlands by Night office and they shuttle you to the drop off spot at the river. Then you enjoy floating down the river for three hours and end back at their office. The views down the river are absolutely stunning as you are surrounded by massive rock cliffs. We highly recommend this experience as it as one of our favorite memories from our trip!
Dinner at Il Posto Rosso
A coastal farm to table Mediterranean restaurant is probably the last thing you’d expect in Moab, but Il Posto Rosso does it so well. We loved the chef-curated fresh dishes and the craft cocktails. Il Posto Rosso is located in the Radcliffe Moab which is amazingly convient if you are staying there!
Day 2: Canyonlands National Park
Off-roading
This might have been our favorite thing we did on our Moab weekend itinerary! We rented a Jeep from Moab Adventure Center. For a full day rental, it cost $260 at the time we went. The staff at Moab Adventure Center will set you up with maps and recommended trails for all skill levels. We were beginners at off-roading so we stuck to the easier trails, but the views were breathtaking!
Shafer Trail
This trail is suitable for beginners, but has a lot of exposure due to the cliff drop offs so be aware of that if you’re not a fan of heights. The mostly unpaved trail is 19.6 miles takes about 2-3 hours.
Gemini Bridges Trail
This trail is suitable for beginners. It is 13 miles out and back and takes you to a natural bridge that you can walk on.
Dead Horse State Park
If you’re doing well on time, you could fit in Dead Horse State Park on your way back to Moab. 45 minutes away from Moab, we think this state park rivals views found in national parks! A day pass is $20 per vehicle and the park is open from 6 AM to 10 PM daily. No hiking is required to see the beautiful views from Dead Horse Point Overlook, but if you want to hike, you could check out the West Rim Trail (7 miles RT) or East Rim Trail (4 miles RT). This park is definitely worth a visit even if you don’t have time to hike!
The overlook is huge and there are several spots where you can photograph it from different angles. If you don’t go after off-roading, you could go the next day for sunrise. The park is absolutely magical at sunrise and sunset! We would highly recommend going for sunrise or sunset.
Spanish Valley Vineyards and Winery
Return your Jeep and head to celebrate your day full of adventures. Head to Spanish Valley Vineyards and Winery to taste local wines grown and bottled right there in Moab. We enjoyed tasting their delicious wines on the patio and it was a great way to relax after an adventure filled day!
Dinner at Cowboy Grill at the Red Cliffs Lodge Restaurant
If you’re looking for Moab restaurants with a view and with outdoor seating, you have to dine at the Sunset Grill. The restaurant overlooks Moab and has incredible panoramic views of the surrounding red cliffs. The food was delicious and we loved sitting outside as the sun set. This is a memorable way to end your first time in Moab!
Day 3: Head Home
Sunrise at Mesa Arch
If you have the time and energy for one more adventure, we highly recommend this sunrise! Keep in mind this spot at sunrise is an iconic bucket list shot for photographers around the world, so it will be crowded! If you want to photograph it, check out Mesa Arch Sunrise Photography Guide here. The trail is only 0.7 miles round trip with minimal elevation; however, there are lots of rocks along the way and it can be difficult to navigate in the dark. We highly recommend a head lamp and downloading an offline trail map beforehand (we use AllTrails Pro for this).
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this Moab weekend itinerary! We think it’s perfect for first time visitors to give them a taste of everything Moab has to offer. However, even if you’ve been multiple times like us, you will still enjoy these activities!
