Moab Utah’s Canyonlands and Arches National Parks are one of those magical places that live up to the all the hype and really are worth the time and energy visit. While millions are visiting National Parks like never before this year you can certainly include them in an itinerary that’s practical and unforgettable. Yes, they are extremely busy and yes, you are going to have to plan like a seasoned pro. Let us help you maximize your efforts! Or as we like to say “Know Before You Go.” This way you won’t feel the pressure of planning a trip to Utah like a 5 star general.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is located just outside of Moab and adjacent to the beautiful Dead Horse State Park. Both are must see places in our opinion during your visit to Moab. Neither one requires reservations in 2021. Canyonlands National Parks can easily be just an enjoyable scenic drive on a hot Utah afternoon but, there are many enjoyable hiking options as well. The popular Mesa Arch is a much anticipated hike at this park and we can recommend this trail for any beginner or expert hiker. Difficulty levels vary here but this trail is on a gradual incline and a very short walk from the parking lot. You will spend maybe 10 minutes at most on this hike! We have included a link here to the full trail to Mesa Arch from our YouTube channel. Know before you go.
Canyonlands is not only incredible landscape scenery but with an America the Beautiful Pass is also completely free! This $80 purchase which includes an entire year of National Park visits is well worth the purchase. No, it is not $80 (US Dollars) per person either. The $80 covers 4 adults and anyone under 16 is always free according to the nps.gov website. We checked out the list on the America the Beautiful Pass website page where you could purchase this card in person to avoid the wait by mail. An acceptable National Park was only an hour away and card in hand we were all set for our trip! So far we have been able to use this pass to visit 11 national parks! I think we got our money’s worth!
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a popular destination in 2021 and to be honest in any previous year as well. It has some of the most stunning scenery in the western United States you’ll ever find! So well worth a visit that Utah locals probably wish they could downplay how amazing these parks are to preserve their natural beauty from the millions of tourists that visit each year. This park is so impressive that a well researched plan of attack will leave everyone happy and family memories for a lifetime. With our itinerary we had traveled from Grand Junction, Colorado and arrived at the Arches gate before 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning and were absolutely turned away as the park was already full! Don’t make our mistake. Plan your visit keeping in mind the following factors:
Planning Tips
- Utah is hot in the summer! The desert heat is a dry heat so it’s easy to forget you are thirsty. Sunshine while hiking is taken seriously here. Seasoned hikers we passed had long sleeve shirts on and hats. Very smart! Such an enjoyable short hike to the Mesa Arch but when it is 103 F (39 C) in the middle of the morning water should not be left behind in the car. East coast residents like us would never consider being outside at 103 F (39 C) without a trip to the hospital with heat stroke! Planning tips aside afternoon hikes in the summer are risky. We say plan your day with an afternoon of driving or at the hotel pool.
- The National Parks are open 24 hours a day. Be sure to pick a hike you really want to do and use that to plan our day at Arches. Delicate Arch was our jumping off point. Pictures we had seen just boggled the mind! Estimating our travel time through the gates and to reach the parking lot for Delicate Arch (around 45 minutes to an hour drive) AND hike to the arch (google estimated 45 minutes to hike it but it was actually a little over an hour hike to Delicate Arch.) While it may mean getting up before sunrise we booked our room across the street so that entering the park at 5 a.m. was easily done. Cooler temperatures will be your reward! While still busier than we imagined it was a lot less crowded than pictures we’ve seen online of people hiking to these famous landmarks.
- Staying across the street seemed like a win win to us. Moab is not cheap. Let’s be honest. It’s not fancy either. We had Marriott points saved up thanks to the pandemic and decided to use this as our lodging of choice! The hotel was new, clean and extremely customer service friendly. The pool was outstanding! We were not disappointed as you will read below!!
Plan your visit using these tips as guidelines and you and your kids will not leave disappointed.
Where to Stay
We loved our lodging choice in Moab! The Spring Hill Suites and Fairfield Inn are located across the street from Arches gates. The Spring Hill Suites has the most fabulous pool we’ve ever seen at a hotel! A pretty great way to enjoy a desert don’t you think?
As we mentioned they are both fairly new, clean and have breakfast. VRBO and Air BnB have some great options as well! Take your time looking at all your options but trust us we can not wait to go back to Moab and stay at that Spring Hill Suites again! Just sayin!
When to Visit
The summer in Utah is hot as mentioned previously. The nicest times of year to visit Moab are April through May and September through October when daytime temperatures range between 60 and 80 degrees F (15 C and 26 C) If summer is your only time to go just be prepared to be flexible with the time of day you can do the most. If you prefer to only drive Arches National Park there are a few spots marked that are easily gotten to by parking and a few short steps. Even the infamous Delicate Arch has an observation point that is easily accessible from your parked car.
A Little PSA
Remembering while you’re there to never leave your print. News accounts of litter and graffiti are just so depressing and just worth a reminder here for anyone visiting these amazing parks. You’ll agree, I’m sure that they need to remain for future generations. They are beautiful reminders of how humble we should feel to live on this amazing planet and where we come from. The lessons in nature that teach us about time and patience and humility are well worth learning from anyone willing to make the trek here. It should be viewed with respect instead of an amusement park attraction. There, I’ve said my peace and I know anyone reading this would agree. Safe travels as you explore abroad or close to home. Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions or suggestions that helped you when you visited this marvel of creation in Moab Utah.
