5 Days in Moab, Utah, with Kids

We arrived late in Salt Lake City and stayed overnight near the airport to rest and recharge. In the morning, we had breakfast in the lobby and drove into town to see some of downtown before getting on the road to Moab, a scenic three-hour, 41-minute drive.

On our way out of SLC, we made a quick stop at City Creek Center for a visit to the Tabernacle at Temple Square. This beautiful complex is the heart of the LDS Church and features the iconic Salt Lake Temple, Tabernacle, Assembly Hall and Lion House. Take a free tour to learn about the history and significance of these buildings.

After a beautiful drive south, we arrived at Under Canvas Moab and explored the grounds. At sunset, we enjoyed fireside s’mores and campfire tunes provided by the hotel, or enjoy quiet views of Mount Peale and watch the moon rise from your room. In the morning, grab snacks, hot chocolate or coffee from the well-stocked lobby before heading out for the day’s adventures- there are also plenty of small grocery options in town.

Day 3:

We said goodbye to our lovely glamp ground and checked into the Hyatt Moab for the remainder of our stay. The hotel is just outside of town, offering a relaxed vibe and pool to catch our breath between outings.

Since our Arches National Park entry wasn’t until later in our itinerary, we drove over to the Potash Road Petroglyph Trail, located just across from the Arches Park entrance. This is a hidden gem offering stunning scenery, ancient rock art, and a chance to step back in time.

On your way up to the parking area, pull off to one of a few designated areas to take in “Wall Street,” a narrow canyon carved by the Colorado River, flanked by towering red and orange sandstone cliffs. These majestic formations provide a dramatic backdrop for your hike, offering stunning views around every bend. Here's what you can expect to see on your hike:

• Ancient Rock Art: The main attraction of the trail is the abundance of petroglyphs etched on the canyon walls. These intricate carvings, created by Ancestral Puebloan people centuries ago, depict animals, human figures, geometric shapes, and other scenes of hunter-gatherer life. Interpretive signs help you understand the meaning behind these ancient artworks.

• Poison Spider Mesa: This mesa offers challenging hikes and stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

• Dinosaur Tracks: Look for fossilized dinosaur footprints near the Poison Spider trailhead.

Take a half-day of Canyoneering with Red River Adventures - Admittedly, I was a first timer with rappelling, but we had a safe and exhilarating time! Our amazing guide, Sharbo, led our group through a 3mi route of slot canyon which included a rappel at Morning Glory Arch. Not one of us tourists were experienced with rock climbing, but our kids (all ages 11-14) made it look easy and our guide made us feel like pros.

Afterwards, our guide tipped us off to the nearby Moab Food Truck Park for a smorgasbord of options from coffee, frozen treats, pizza, burritos and more– where we recapped the highlights of our day. Afterwards, we re-stocked our minifridges with more snacks and beverages at Moonflower Market and stopped in at Arches Trading Post (50 S Main St, Moab, UT 8453), just one of several gift shops along Main Street in downtown Moab.

After breakfast, we packed up our rental car and backpacks for our entry to Arches National Park. The line of cars seemed daunting, but did not take more than 20 minutes, which was plenty of time to queue up our self-guided audio tour. Stop off at the Welcome Center to fill water bottles and walk thru the exhibit of key sites located throughout the park that tell the stories of the people going back to the Ice Age– from the Ute tribes to pioneers that called Arches home before it became a national landmark in 1929.

Later in the day, we gave our feet a break and checked in for our ATV/UTV off-road tour of Hell's Revenge Trail near Devil’s Backbone. Our UTV convoy took a short drive through town to a series of jagged sandstone fins rising above 3,000 ft – where we were joined by mountain bikers, motorcycles, and tricked-out luxury SUVs for some off-road fun. The challenging terrain will test your driving skills, with steep climbs, narrow ledges, and rock gardens galore. As the sun dips below the horizon, we took a break to watch the red rocks explode in a kaleidoscope of colors, painting the landscape in fiery hues of orange, pink, and purple. This is also a great spot for camping and site of Ulum Moab, sister location to Under Canvas where we stayed on Day 1.

Grab dinner at the famed Sunset Grill- Just behind the Hyatt hotel is the former home-turned-restaurant of Charlie Steen, the "Uranium King" who made millions during the uranium boom of the 1950s. This unique history adds a touch of intrigue and local charm to your dining experience. Perched atop a hill overlooking Moab and the surrounding red rock canyons, Sunset Grill boasts breathtaking vistas that change dramatically with the setting sun. Enjoy your meal while soaking in the beauty of the natural landscape.

Arches Night Sky - Get your camera set up for long exposure photography and return to the Arches National Park Balanced Rock Picnic Area. We drove back to Arches after dinner for our long-awaited Dark Sky Stargazing. Arches is designated as an International Dark Sky Park, or if you prefer, find a tour guide or make arrangements with a park ranger.