Greetings Wonderful People,
Summer is here and it is time to start thinking about your travel plans. Where will you be going this year? Are you looking to save money and stay close to home with a small trip? Or is this the year that you plan the big trip that you have been dreaming of for years? No matter where you go, or how much you spend; the key is to enjoy your time away.
If you enjoy outdoor vacations, Moab, Utah is the place for you. Maybe it is an adventurous hike through the mountains? Maybe it is the adrenaline rush from an off-roading adventure in a 4×4 vehicle is more your speed? Or maybe a peaceful drive, looking at the panoramic vistas of the rock formations is the way you want to spend an afternoon. These adventures are waiting for with a trip to Moab.
Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, just outside Moab, Utah.
Each year, millions of people ascend to this small town of just over 5,000 people in eastern Utah to experience nature at its finest. Moab is jumping off point for Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and the Colorado River. If you want a vacation where you stay inside all the time, then Moab is not the place for you. But if being outside and experiencing the beauty of God’s amazing creation, then it time set packing.
My wife and I celebrated our Seventeenth Anniversary in Moab last year. I would recommend that you spend at least four full days to get a good feel for the region. One full day at Arches National Park, one day at Moab Giants, Dead Horse State Park and the Island in the Sky region of Canyonlands. A second day in the Needles District of Canyonlands and a fourth day to explore the scenic routes in the area. I recommend spending more than four days if you can do it. Each of the National Parks are large enough for you to spend two to three days in each area and still not see all that it has to offer.
A view of the Colorado River from Canyonlands National Park!
Moab is also home to the nearly-created the Bear Ears National Monument. Mesa Verde National Park near the Four-Corners Point and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park at the Utah/Arizona border are only three hours to the south. Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park are also in western Utah. It is possible to combine a trip to Moab with one or two of the these other destinations, but you need to allow about a week or more thoroughly see the area and to fully take in its beauty.
In the coming weeks, I plan to write more articles on what Moab has to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Based on the time that my wife and I spent there, talking with our tour guides and taking time to research the area prior to leaving, we learned many useful tips that made our trip a truly memorable adventure. I will be sharing those experiences and tips you.
Until then, Happy Road Tripping!
Jay
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