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| Moab, Utah |
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There is more to Moab than mountain biking. This small town in the heart of Canyon Country boasts a nearly endless offering of outdoor activities. And it is a convenient base for families touring Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Dead Horse Point State Park and the La Sal Mountains as well as those exploring the Colorado and Green Rivers and Native American Rock Art Sites. Yet you need not be an outdoor enthusiast to enjoy nature's answer to Disneyland. The area's red rock cliffs, stunning rock formations, roaring rivers and high desert are as fun to view as they are to explore. Just ask the moviemakers! |
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| Plan |
| Getting there |
| Moab, in southeast Utah, is located 120 miles (193 km) southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado and 240 miles (386 km) southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah. The small Moab Airport, situated 16 miles (26 km) from downtown, has limited commercial service. U.S. Airways Express offers daily service between Moab and Salt Lake City only. The nearest full service airports are Grand Junction's Walker Field Airport and Salt Lake City's International Airport. The nearest Amtrak stops are Grand Junction, Colorado and Green River, Utah.
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| Getting around |
| While shuttle services will get you to Moab and several offer transport to the river as well as trailheads, unless you partake in an organized tour, a car is required to reach neighboring National Parks, National Forests and Native American rock art sites. Yet thanks to this small town's convenient location you won't be driving far. What's more, no matter where you point your vehicle there are trails galore. In addition to the hiking trails found at Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, there are a plethora of hiking, mountain biking and 4x4 trails less than 20 miles from downtown Moab. And you need not be an enthusiast to enjoy them. Area trails range from easy to extreme and many are appropriate for families traveling with kids.
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| When to travel |
| Summers are hot and dry with an average high in the mid 90s°F (35°C). Winters are mild (50°F or 10°C) and snowfall is rare at lower elevations. Daytime temperatures at higher elevations, including mountain valleys and mesa tops, are roughly 10 - 20°F (7-12°C) cooler. Strenuous outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking are best in spring and fall but they are doable in summer as long as you head out early and beat the heat between 13:00-16.00. River rafting is ideal from May to early September.
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| Travel health & child safety |
| The climate in Moab is high desert and the elevation ranges from 4,000 to 6,000 ft. Wear sunscreen and a hat and carry plenty of water (4 liters per person per day). When hiking in the backcountry be sure to tell someone where you are hiking and when you plan to return.
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| Things to keep in mind |
| Pack outdoor clothes and plan to dress in layers. |
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| Explore |
| History & Culture |
| The history of Moab precedes the first Mormon missionaries in 1855. Hunter-gatherers, known as Paleo-Indians, are believed to have ventured into the area at the end of the Ice Age roughly 10,000 years ago. The later Archaic culture, likely inhabited the area for several months each year collecting wild plants and hunting native animals. But it wasn't until the arrival of Fremont and Ancestral Puebloans, known as the Anasazi, sometime between AD 1 and AD 450 that the area was settled permanently. Archaeologists believe that around the time that the agriculturalists moved on, roughly AD 1250, the Ute Indians moved in. But it wasn't until the arrival of the early Spanish explorers around 1630 that life changed dramatically. The horse created mobility and was instrumental in changing Ute society.
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| Maps |
| Online maps are a great travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Plot your route to Moab, Utah and have the kids locate your hotel or campground as well as the Moab attractions you plan to visit on Moab maps.
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| Books |
| Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. Find recommended reading lists for adults and kids, learn more about the U.S. state of Utah through guidebooks, novels and historical fiction and embark on a different kind of family journey.
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| Music & Sound |
| Music is a great way to introduce children to a local culture and embark on a journey through sound. Listen to Native American music from hip-hop to pow wow and storytelling.
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| News |
| Read Moab news online and in addition to finding out what's happening in Canyon Country discover what the locals are talking about.
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| Kids' stuff |
| Online resources make learning fun. Discover which Native Americans lived in the state of Utah and map their territories. Learn about the Southern Ute Indians and find out how they differ from the Paiute tribe. Read about life in modern day Moab and discover how uranium changed the economy of this small town. But don't limit your inquiry to the history of man. Tune in to geology and discover the earth inside out. Find out what's below the dirt in your backyard and why landforms have funny shapes. You might find something that you didn't know!
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| Organizations |
| Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as a means to get involved. Find out more about a few of the organizations involved in enhancing the appreciation of public lands in Utah and safeguarding the interests of all who use the Colorado River.
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| Forkids |
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Geological Formations |
Erosion, the architect of the spectacular landforms found throughout the Colorado Plateau, could not have created the area's canyons, arches and domes if it weren't for some really old salt. Believe it or not, what is today a high desert was once an inland sea. When the seas retreated 300 million years ago, they left behind a really thick layer of salt. Over time, deposits, mainly sand, covered the salt and were compressed into a hard crust scientists call sedimentary rock. Salt, being the weaker of the two, eventually yielded to the pressure of the rock and was squeezed up and out like toothpaste from a tube. With nothing under it to hold it up the rock cracked and eventually collapsed. When movement in the earths surface known as uplift caused the land to rise, the crevices left by the salt were exposed making it easy for water, ice and wind to move the rock causing erosion. |
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| Sleep |
| Cali Cochitta Bed & Breakfast |
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Moab, Utah 84532 |
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 Cali Cochitta Website
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calicochitta@moabdreaminn.com |
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tel: +1 888 429 8112 (Toll-free U.S. only) |
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Map It! |
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Type of Accommodation: b&b / guesthouse |
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The Cali Cochitta Bed & Breakfast is a refreshing alternative to the budget hotels and motels on Moab's main drag. Not only is the Cali Cochitta tucked away on a quiet residential street the B&B's relaxed style gives it the feel of a family home. Guests have use of the refrigerator, an extra plus for families traveling with ever-hungry kids. |
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| Outfitter |
| Moab Adventure Center |
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Moab, Utah 84532 |
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Moab Adventure Center Website
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moab@moabadventurecenter.com |
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tel: +1 (866) 904 1163 |
Map:
Map It! |
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Type of Organization: adventure travel company |
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Moab Adventure Center offers outdoor experiences for the novice as well as the enthusiast. Whether you whitewater raft, mountain bike or horseback ride the professional guides do more than chaperone. They work hard to ensure each excursion is memorable and carefree for both the adults and the kids. Minimum age varies. |
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| Review |
| Hardly a sleepy town |
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Submitted on 09 May 2008 by snowedunder from Monza, Italy |
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Moab was the first stop in our circle tour of southeast Utah and western Colorado and it was a perfect place to start our 2-week adventure. Canyonlands has to be seen to be believed. The views at Dead Horse State Park outshine even the Grand Canyon. Arches National Park is in a league of its own. Both my 8-year old daughter and 18-year-old niece were in awe for 3 entire days. But of all the things we did in Moab three stand out for both kids: the ranger-guided Fiery Furnace hike at Arches National Park, rafting on the Colorado River and navigating Hell's Revenge on a hummer tour with Moab Adventure Center. All 3 were simply wild. |
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Fun things to do in Moab with kids |
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Great family attractions in Moab |
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Points of interest nearby |
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Related tips for travel with kids |
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Top family travel destinations |
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