Planning a trip to Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks in Utah, and looking for practical planning tips?
This guide is your starting point for visiting the Moab area in Utah. It covers what to see, how long to stay, and how to explore Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park.
All recommendations are based on our own trips to the Moab area and are written to help you plan a realistic, easy-to-follow itinerary for any season.
If this is your first time planning a trip to the Moab area, start with these guides:
- Moab itinerary (1–5 days) – ideas for building a realistic plan based on how much time you have.
- Best Things to Do in Moab – a practical overview of what you can see and do in town and nearby.
- Best Things to Do in Arches National Park – main viewpoints, short walks, and longer hikes.
- Best Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park – what to see in Island in the Sky and how it differs from the Needles district.
- Arches and Canyonlands in One Day – how to combine both parks if your time in Moab is very limited.
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Why Visit Moab & What to See
Moab is one of the easiest bases if you want to visit several of the must-see places in Utah.
From one town, you can explore Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park (both Island in the Sky and, with a longer drive, the Needles district), and Dead Horse Point State Park – without changing hotels and without long daily drives. This makes Moab especially practical for short trips and first-time visitors to the region.
The area is best known for its rock formations, wide canyon views, and scenery along the Colorado River, but it’s also a very flexible destination. You can focus on short walks and viewpoints, plan longer hikes, join rafting or 4WD tours, or mix outdoor activities with relaxed sightseeing. It’s also one of the better national park bases in Utah if you are traveling with kids or teenagers and want a good balance between driving, walking, and activities.
Below you’ll find our main guides for what to see and do in and around Moab.
- Best Things to Do in Moab
- Best Things to Do in Arches National Park
- Best Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park
- Best Things to Do in Arches National Park with Kids
Here are more detailed guides to specific places and activities in the Moab area:
Plan Your Trip
There are a few basic things to decide when planning a trip to the Moab area: how many days you have, when to visit, where to stay, how to get around, and which parks and activities you want to prioritize.
Below you’ll find practical details for each of these topics. If you prefer to start with ready-made ideas, begin with the itineraries below.
You can also base yourself in Moab and visit the area with organized day tours. This can be a good option if you don’t want to drive, or if you’d like to see more remote areas that require a 4WD vehicle. More information about tours is included further down the page.
Further below, you can find more details about each of these points. But first, some suggested itineraries for visiting the area:
- Moab Itinerary (Suggestions for how to spend 1 to 5 days)
- Arches and Canyonlands in One Day
When to Visit
Moab is a year-round destination, but temperatures and crowd levels vary a lot by season. Summers are very hot, while winter can bring snow and icy roads in the higher areas.
The most comfortable time to visit Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands is in spring and fall. Late March through May and October through early November usually offer milder daytime temperatures and better conditions for hiking and sightseeing, with fewer crowds than in peak summer.
Moab is also a popular spring break destination in the U.S., so expect heavier crowds at the most visited viewpoints and trails during that period, especially around school holidays.
Where to Stay
Moab is the most practical base for visiting the area. From town, you can reach the entrance to Arches National Park in just a few minutes. The Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is about a 45-minute drive, and the Needles district is roughly one hour from Moab. Staying in one place makes it easy to visit multiple parks without changing hotels.
Moab has a wide range of hotels and short-term rentals for different budgets. You can find a full overview in our accommodation guide below:
If you plan to spend more time in the more remote parts of Canyonlands, staying closer to the park can make sense. In that case, use the guide below to compare alternatives outside Moab:
PRO TIP: If you’re visiting between April and October, a hotel with a pool is a big plus. After a hot day in the parks, it makes a huge difference.
Using the map below, you can compare hotels and short-term rental accommodations in Moab. Simply insert your travel dates and group size and you’ll see the best deals for your stay.
Getting There & Getting Around
The easiest way to get to Moab and move around the area is by car. This gives you the flexibility to visit Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park on your own schedule.
You can also visit the area with organized tours. This is a practical option if you don’t want to drive or if you plan to visit places that require a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. More information about tours is included further down the page.
Good to know: Services and gas stations are very limited once you leave Moab. Always fill up your tank before heading into the parks or driving toward more remote areas.
If you are flying, these are the closest airports:
- The closest airport is Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), just north of Moab. It is a small regional airport with very limited flight options, so availability and routes can change.
- Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) in Colorado is the closest larger airport. It is about 115 miles from Moab and usually takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes by car.
- The nearest major airport is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). It is about 230 miles from Moab, and the drive typically takes around four hours.
Timed Entrance in Arches National Park
Arches National Park uses a timed entry reservation system during the busy season. For some dates and time slots, you must have a reservation in addition to your park pass in order to enter the park.
Because the rules and required dates change, always check the official National Park Service website before your trip to see if a timed entry reservation is required for your travel dates.
Arches & Canyonlands Entrance Fee
You need a separate entrance pass for Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Entrance fees and pass options can change, so it’s best to always check the official National Park Service pages before your trip:
TIP: If you plan to visit several U.S. national parks within one year, the America the Beautiful Pass is usually the best value. It covers entrance fees at all U.S. national parks and many other federal recreation sites. You can find full details on the official pass page here.
Best Tours
There are many guided tours available in the Moab area, and they can be a useful addition to your trip, especially if you want to go beyond the main paved roads or do some fun activities such as rafting, canyoneering, or offroading.
Here are some of the most popular tours in the Moab area:
- Off-road adventure: Self-Drive Hells Revenge 4×4 Guided Tour
- Sightseeing 4×4 tour: Canyonlands + Arches 4×4 Tour
- Relaxing boat tour: Sound and Light Show with Dinner
- Family-friendly rafting tour: Half-day Rafting Tour on Colorado River
For a full overview and detailed comparisons, see our complete guide to the best tours in Moab.
Good to know: You can see most of the main sights in Arches National Park and the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands with a standard car. Tours are mainly helpful if you want to visit more remote areas and don’t have a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, or if you want to see the scenery from the Colorado River.
Where to Eat
There are plenty of restaurants and cafés in Moab itself. Once you leave town for a day in the parks, food options become very limited.
There are no restaurants or cafés inside Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park, so plan to bring a picnic lunch and enough drinking water whenever you go into the parks.
You can refill water bottles at a few locations, but availability varies and facilities can be busy. It’s best to carry more water than you think you’ll need, especially in warmer months.
TIP: If you plan to hike or spend most of the day in the parks, bring at least two reusable water bottles per person and keep extra bottled water in your car. This makes it easier to refill without relying on park facilities.
Connectivity
Cell service is limited and often unavailable once you leave Moab and head into the parks or more remote areas. Download maps, reservations, and any directions you may need before you go so you can access them offline.
If you plan to visit the more remote parts of Canyonlands, it’s also a good idea to carry a paper road map as a backup.
On Amazon, you can find a detailed map of Canyonlands and a separate map of Arches National Park, which can be helpful if you’ll be driving outside the main paved areas.
FAQ
The entrance road to Arches National Park is located about 5 miles from Moab. From town, take US-191 north and turn right onto Arches Entrance Road. The turnoff is clearly signposted. After driving just under 1 mile, you will reach the Arches National Park Visitor Center.
Canyonlands National Park has four different districts. The two most visited areas are Island in the Sky and the Needles. Island in the Sky is the easiest district to visit and is about 32 miles from Moab (around 35–40 minutes by car). The Needles district is about 50 miles south of Moab and usually takes around one hour to reach.
If you plan well, it is possible to visit both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in one day. Stay in Moab, start your day early, and pack a picnic lunch. We recommend starting with Arches and driving to Canyonlands Island in the Sky in the afternoon. See our detailed guide to Arches and Canyonlands for a detailed 1-day itinerary.
No. You can visit all main viewpoints and scenic stops in Arches National Park and in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands with a regular car. A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is only needed for remote backcountry roads and trails, or if you plan to explore lesser-visited areas. For most first-time visitors, a standard rental car is sufficient.
Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit Moab. Late March through May and mid-September through early November usually offer the most comfortable temperatures for sightseeing and hiking.
While it is possible to see the main highlights of Arches and Canyonlands in one day, we recommend spending at least two full days in Moab. This allows you to dedicate one day to Arches National Park and another day to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands. You can also add Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset. With more time, you can explore additional areas, do longer hikes, and join one or two guided tours.
TIP: Did you find this Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands guide helpful? Bookmark it for later, share it with friends, and save it on Pinterest so you can easily find it when planning your trip to southern Utah.
