A 2 Day Moab Itinerary – Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point
Growing up, my family spent almost every Spring Break camping in and around Arches National Park near Moab Utah. We had a truck bed camper and we would go with several neighborhood families – all with kids our age. I fondly remember camping in Devilโs Garden and spending entire days with my brothers and neighbor friends exploring the spectacular red rock formations. Back then, it felt like we had Arches entirely to ourselves.
But for 30 years, I didnโt return to the Moab area. It always seemed just a little too far away for a weekend trip, and if I had time for a longer vacation, Iโd leave Utah and explore the rest of the world.
Two things changed my thinking this past year. First of all – obviously, the pandemic. Local road trips became our safest form of travel in 2020. And second – Social Media. As I started writing this blog, I also started using social media to interact with other travel bloggers – bloggers from all over the world. On Twitter especially, we travel bloggers exchange lots of travel pictures. And I was stunned by the volume of pictures fromโฆ.. My Home State! Lots and lots of pictures fromโฆ. My Home State! Pictures from places Iโd never been inโฆ.My Home State! So, I decided 2020 to finally make my return to Moab.
Because there is so much to see in this part of Utah, it can be hard to put together a Moab itinerary – especially if you only have a few days to visit. This is how we fit visiting 2 National Parks and Utahโs best State Park over a weekend in beautiful Moab.
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Contents
A Trifecta of Parks
Moab is located in southeast Utah – a 3.5 hour drive from Salt Lake City (or 5.5 hours from Denver). In the area immediately surrounding Moab, youโll find a Trifecta of Parks – Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park. And honestly, every single one deserves a spot on your Moab itinerary. Plus, Moab is also a world-class mountain biking and jeeping destination. The town itself is the largest in southeast Utah with a population of around 5000.
Our Lodging in Moab Utah
Because of its popularity and wide range of activities, Moab offers lots of lodging and dining options. But also, because of this popularity, Moab is expensive. I was a little shocked as I started tripping a place to stay. We’d visited Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon a few months before and prices in those two spots were reasonable. Plenty of condo vacation rentals have popped up in Moab over the years, along with various chain hotels and motels. But it was difficult to find anything for less than $200 a night on this Moab itinerary. This seemed crazy to me for southeast Utah in October. As a rule, I generally choose vacation rentals, but I could not bring myself to spend $300 nightly for a condo in Moab.
But, I also discovered that RV rental is a very popular option in Moab, and at a price I could accept. And because I had only ever camped in Moab anyway, it seemed fitting that we should stay in an RV during my triumphant return. And I wouldnโt have to share the top bunk with a bunch of stinky brothers this time, so it would seem like a castle anyway.
We stayed at Red Rock Tiny Homes. Itโs a small RV Park located about 10 minutes south of Moab with a great view across to the nearby red cliffs. The RVs are permanently parked and ours was perfect for me and Mrs. Thorough Tripper.
You can check out a multitude of other lodging options in the Moab area on this useful map:
Day 1 Moab Itinerary – Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands
Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park are located adjacent to each other, 33 miles and 37 miles from Moab respectively. It therefore made perfect sense to squeeze both together on Day 1 of our Moab itinerary. Dead Horse Point offers what I consider the best view in the entire Moab Utah area, so donโt make the mistake of skipping it in favor of Canyonlands. In fact, during our annual springtime trips to the area, the Jepson clan was guilty of the opposite. We always visited Dead Horse Point and never visited Canyonlands (Iโve asked my parents about this, and they canโt really explain why).
Morning – Dead Horse Point State Park
You may recognize the view at Dead Horse Point. It is a favorite of the movie industry and has been featured in many films and TV. Dead Horse Point sits high on peninsula-shaped mesa, surrounded on both sides by a spectacular wide expanse of canyon carved by the Colorado River, 2000 feet (!!!) below. At the north end of the park, the mesa is wider, and here you’ll find several campgrounds and mountain bike trails
At the southern tip of the mesa sits the Dead Horse Point Overlook. A paved road takes you there. As you approach the Overlook, the mesa narrows to a “neck” that’s only 30 feet across, before widening again to several hundred feet.
At this southern edge, you’ll find the “money shot” out over a gooseneck in the Colorado River below, and across Canyonlands to the south and west.
What about the Name?
It’s not a very nice story, but legend has it that in the 1800s, cowboys would round up wild mustangs roaming the area. They would herd them across the neck to the southern tip, and place a barrier across. After choosing their desired horses, they left the remainder to die of thirst on the Point.
Hiking Dead Horse Point
Dead Horse Point is more than just the famous overlook. There are several hiking trails in the area that offer some pretty spectacular alternative viewpoints, including a trail that circumnavigates the Pointโs rim. After entering the Park around 10 am,, we spent the next 1.5 hours on this trail and at the Overlook.
For a more detailed accounting of the Rim Hike and additional tips on visiting Dead Horse Point State Park, check out my Dead Horse Point blog post.
Afternoon – Canyonlands National Park
Next up on our Moab itinerary, we next headed over to The Island In The Sky area of Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is a vast park with two different entrances and visitor centers. Island in the Sky is a broad mesa that is wedged high above the Green River to the west and the Colorado River to the east. At the southern tip of the mesa, the two rivers meet and become one. Below Island in the Sky, both rivers have carved deep canyons over the millenia. From Island in the Sky, you will find multiple viewpoints out across these canyons, along with hiking trails and other interesting geologic features. The White Rim Trail, 1200 feet below Island of the Sky, follows one of the mesaโs sandstone benches, and is a legendary off-road vehicle and mountain biking route.
The Needles District of Canyonlands is accessed 74 miles south of Moab. It is at a lower elevation, and is located on the east side of the Colorado River-carved canyons. It is named for its red and white banded rock pinnacles that dominate the area. We didnโt have time on this weekend Moab itinerary to visit The Needles
Canyonlands does have a third section called The Maze, located on the western side of the Green River. This area is very remote and can only be accessed via high-clearance 4×4 vehicles.
Island in the Sky
The entrance to this section of Canylonds is located only about 5 miles from the turn off to Dead Horse Point. As we left Dead Horse Point, I noted 5 cars lined up at its entrance. 10 minutes later we approached what turned out to be a very long line of cars waiting to enter Canyonlands. I thought perhaps the Park was limiting entry due to the pandemic, but ultimately found out that it was just the regular line to get in. We ended up inching our way to the entrance over about 30 minutes, and chose to eat our picnic lunch while inching along.
Turns out the Park was much more crowded than I expected. Every parking lot was packed and required some circling to find a spot. Itโs the least visited of Utahโs Mighty 5 Parks, but there were plenty of visitors on this October Sunday during a pandemic. It was interesting to note how much quieter Dead Horse Point was. And the view at Dead Horse Point honestly beats anything from Island in the Sky.
Island in the Sky features a paved main road that extends 12 miles to the southern tip of the mesa. Along the way, there are multiple overlooks and hikes. We spent the next 4 hours exploring some of these. Note: it was already a windy day, but as we entered Canyonlands, a cold front passed through with a little bit of rain, extra wind, and a temperature drop. Consequently, there is quite a bit of haze in the photos. The wind kicks up the dust in the canyon valleys below.
Mesa Arch
Easily the most photographed site in Canyonlands is Mesa Arch. The small Arch sits right on the edge of the mesa, in a spot with a fantastic view out to the surrounding canyons and plateaus. Since the view faces east, the โmoney shotโ here is at sunrise. Big crowds can gather for this sunrise photo, but since it would have also required a 5 am awakening, I do not have the money shot. Instead, I have an early afternoon version. Still a spectacular spot to take a photo, no matter the time of day.
The hike to the Arch is 0.7 miles round trip and it was very crowded even at midday, with everyone lined up to get their own version of the money shot.
Grand View Point Overlook
The Grand View Point Overlook is at the end of the paved road at the southern tip of the mesa. There is also a 1.8 mile hike here that follows the edge of the mesa to itโs very southern tip. We ended up not taking the hike. The views from the Overlook were fantastic and we decided to sit on the edge for a while and just take it all in. From here, itโs easy to recognize the White Rim far below.
Buck Canyon Overlook
Another spot worth pulling over and looking down for an alternative look at the canyons and white rim below
Upheaval Dome
Our last hike of our day 1 Moab itinerary was at Upheaval Dome. A 5-mile paved road branches off the Islandโs main road and ends at a parking lot for Upheaval Dome. This is a 1500 foot crater on the Islandโs western side that geologists speculate was created by a meteor strike. In its center, youโll see eroded white sandstone – the same sandstone layer for which the White Rim Trail is named.
The hike starts at the parking lot and ascends 300 feet to the rim of the crater and the first overlook. From here we continue hiking along the crater rim for another half mile to the second overlook. Many hikers stop at the first overlook and return. I think continuing on to the second overlook is worth it. The trail over and through the sandstone formations is interesting, you enjoy panoramic views out over the western side of Canyonlands along the way, and the view into the dome is better at the second overlook.
Keep in mind that Canyonlands is a big Park and we only had a taste of all it has to offer. If you have time for a longer Moab Itinerary, then here’s a look at a bunch more Hikes in Canyonlands.
Day 2 Moab Itinerary – Arches National Park
We spent the second full day of our Moab itinerary focused on Arches National Park. The Park entrance is located only 5 miles from Moab. As the name would imply, itโs famous for its high concentration of natural stone arches. But youโll find much more than just arches in Arches. Itโs full of unusual rock formations and great hiking too. We only had this 1 day on our Moab itinerary to spend exploring my childhood springtime playground, but we were able to see the majority of its major sites. Hereโs how we did it.
First Up – Delicate Arch
This is certainly Archesโ most iconic site and in fact is one of the most famous sites in Utah. This free-standing arch is a popular symbol for the state. Itโs even on my license plate. Itโs also the Parkโs most popular site, which means that your experience here will likely be shared with many others
We entered the Park early and drove straight to the Delicate Arch parking lot and trailhead, hoping to beat the crowds. No such luck. Even at 8:15 am on an October Monday, the parking lot was full and we were turned away by a Park Ranger. We drove in circles nearby for about 20 minutes, and ultimately the gate opened to allow in a few more cars.
The hike to the Arch is 1.5 miles long and moderately steep at times with a total gain of 480 feet. A significant part of the trail involves hiking up a steep smooth sandstone slope.
Towards the end of the hike, the trail follows a ledge along the side of a higher cliff wall.
Suddenly, as you come to the end of this ledge, Delicate Arch appears to the right, on the edge of a natural stone amphitheater. It is a breath-taking moment.
You can walk across the amphitheater to the Arch itself and stand underneath it. Or perhaps, more accurately, wait in line to stand underneath it. I counted nearly 100 people at the Arch with us. Still, I was able to patiently bide my time and get a few people-free photos.
We spent approximately two hours in this part of the Park
The Fiery Furnace Viewpoint
The Fiery Furnace is a concentrated collection of narrow sandstone canyons. It gets its name from the reddish glow that emanates from its sandstone walls at the end of the day as the sun sets. Itโs located north of Delicate Arch and we headed there next for a quick look.
Hiking in the Fiery Furnace is allowed with a permit or a ranger guide, but access has been closed during the pandemic. It was still worth stopping to take a look from the Fiery Furnace Overlook.
The Windows Section
We then headed to The Window Section of the Park to check out its famous Arches and do some more hiking.
First, we visited Double Arch. This is probably the Parkโs second most photographed Arch. Itโs easily reached via a flat quarter mile trail from the lower tier of the Windows parking lot. Once at the Arch, you can climb up and explore directly underneath this massive stone structure.
It’s also hard not to notice the elephant standing right next to Double Arch
After eating our packed lunch, we next explored the Windows Arches. The trailheads to these Arches start at the upper tier of the Window parking area. There is a 0.5 mile trail that takes you up flights of steps directly to the three arches in this section – North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch
We decided to explore these arches via the Primitive Trail instead. This trail starts at the north end of the parking lot and takes you on a 1.5 mile loop hike around the back of the Windows.
This was a much less crowded way to appreciate these Arches. We only encountered two other people until we arrived back around at the front of the Arches.
We spend 1.5 hours in this area of the park, including our quick lunch. Quick lunches are a great way to fit more sight-seeing into your Moab itinerary.
Balanced Rock
After leaving the Windows area, we made a quick stop at Balanced Rock – another of Arches National Parkโs iconic and oft-photographed features. Itโs easily spotted while driving the main road through the park. There is a small parking area and short hike around the base of this impressive natural structure. It stands 128 feet tall and the rock on top weighs 3600 tons!
Park Avenue and the Courthouse Towers
Park Avenue is the first viewpoint and hike after entering the Park. We had driven past it on our way to Delicate Arch first thing in the morning, saving it instead for our last hike of Moab itinerary. Park Avenue is lined on both sides by giant sandstone fins and towers called the Courthouse Towers.
A 2-mile round trip hike takes you down through the sheer sandstone walls, and past named features including Queen Nefertiti and The Three Gossips.
After an initial steep descent from the parking lot, down a series of rock staircases, the trail is fairly flat, though there is a 300 foot gain over the length of the hike.
We were pretty tired by the time we hit this trail, after our early start and several hikes already. I will admit that we did not walk the full length of the trail, but we did follow it into the heart of Park Avenue to appreciate the full majesty of these high sandstone towers.
We left the Park at around 2:30 after having spent a little over 6 hours exploring as much of Arches as we had the energy for.
Devilโs Garden
Devilโs Garden is the only major area in the Park that we didnโt have time to visit.
The full hike to see all 6 arches in Devilโs Garden is over 5 miles round trip and is rated difficult. Many Devil’s Garden visitors will only hike the easier first two miles to visit the 306 foot long Landscape Arch, taking slight detours to Pine Tree Arch and Tunnel Arch along the way. We didnโt have the needed amount of energy in our single day, but certainly would have made all of Devilโs Garden the focus of a second day if weโd had that luxury.
For additional Tips on visiting Arches, check out my Arches Highlights Post.
Dining in Moab Utah
You’ll find plenty of good dining choices in the area for your Moab itinerary. Regular readers know that I try to scope out the best before we even arrive, often depending on TripAdvisor to guide me. Hereโs where we ended up eating in Moab – all in TripAdvisorโs top 5.
Hidden Cuisine
A South African restaurant in Moab Utah! Iโd never eaten South African cuisine before and so a visit here was an absolute must. Hidden Cuisine is popular in the area for itโs great American-style breakfasts, but at night the menu skews more towards the South African roots of its chef/owner. I ordered Bobotie. Honestly, there were other things on the menu which I would have more typically gravitated to, but Bobotie is considered the national dish of South Africa, so of course I had to try it. Bobotie is spiced ground beef stew topped with egg custard and baked. Itโs then served with yellow rice on the side. It was OK. Mrs. Thorough Tripperโs shrimp curry served along with a lightly battered fried fish over yellow rice was excellent.
Antica Forma
It seems like โgenuineโ Neapolitan pizza places are everywhere now and I have eaten at many. Antica Forma in Moab is genuinely one of the best Iโve eaten at. We ordered a pizza with prosciutto, arugula, and pecorino – this is one of Mrs. TTโs favorite ingredient combos and so we order it often. This was the most flavorful version weโve ever had.
Quesadilla Mobilla
This quesadilla-only food truck is ranked #1 for Moab dining on TripAdvisor. Itโs very popular and there was always a line whenever we drove past. Quesadilla Mobile is located on a street corner in downtown Moab and has several tables set up for outdoor dining. They offer several different kinds of quesadillas. Each is huge and filled with a generous amount of fresh ingredients. Beware – they are only open until 5pm and are known to close before then if they run out of food. We found this out the hard way when we arrived just a bit too late on our first attempt.
Final Thoughts and Tips
It was fun to return to Moab after 30 years. Much was exactly as I remembered it. After all, it requires a few million more years to change the landscape. But in the 30 years since I last visited, Moab has become one of the United Stateโs most popular tourist destinations, and so itโs crowded and expensive. Donโt let that dissuade you from visiting this natural wonderland. Just be prepared, and plan your Moab itinerary accordingly.
Hereโs a few additional tips:
Weather – we visited in early October. This is a great time of year in Moab. It does get a little chilly at night and early mornings, but daytime temps reached the high 70s. Perfect for hiking. Like many destinations with four seasons, late spring and early fall are the best times to visit Moab Utah.
Admission Fees – It costs $30 to enter each National Park with a 7 day pass. We saved a little money by purchasing the Southeast Utah Parks Pass. This pass costs $55, allows entry into Canyonlands too, and is good for 1 year. Had I anticipated our 4 National Park visits in 2020, I would have purchased the National Park Annual Pass for $80 when we entered Bryce Canyon in June. Dead Horse Point State Park has a separate entry fee of $20.
Early Entry – These Parks are busy and popular. Especially Arches. Plan early starts on your Moab itinerary to ensure your best experience – and, at some times of year, to actually ensure admission. In fact, Arches National Park now has a timed entry system during peak season to help combat the crowds – you must reserve your visit ahead of time from April 1 – Oct 31. More details on how to reserve entry are available on the Parkโs website.
Lunch – There is no food for purchase inside the Parks. Moab is close, but not close enough to return for lunch, if spending a full day in the park. Delicate Arch, for example, is 40 minutes from Moab. Plan ahead and take lunch with you to help simplify your Moab itinerary.
Other Outdoor Activities – Our Moab adventures were limited to the Trifecta of Parks. But Moab Utah is world-famous for much more. Organized jeep and biking tours, river rafting, and gear rental opportunities abound. Viator is a great place to look for Moab area adventures:
Very well done, Steve. Your pictures are stunning and fantastic with a super dialog. It brought back so many fun family memories that I was laughing one moment and shedding a few tears the next. I’m so happy you went back and experienced it from your adult viewpoint. It was all fun and games for you as a kid, and I spent a lot of my time trying to keep you all safe! Thanks for bringing it back to mind in such a delightful fashion.
Good times… Good times…
I’m SO keen to visit this part of the world although the thought of it being so over-touristy does put me off somewhat. It looks absolutely spectacular though! Firmly on my bucket list.
Still needs to be seen! Crowds or not…
Wonderful descriptions and gorgeous photos of some of nature’s most amazing architecture! We are so fortunate to have this in our backyard – a truly breathtaking mini adventure. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Sasha! We really are lucky. It’s just always a matter of taking the time to go see it all
Looks like such an amazing trip to Moab and how fun to revisit and experience it again after 30 years away. I think it’s funny how social media can show us what we might be missing right in our local area. I love seeing the food roundup at the end of your posts. They’re always drool-worthy!
Always gotta eat!
I always enjoy returning to where I holidayed as a child (cute pic by the way). Moab looks and sounds incredible, especially Dead Horse Point State Park. I’m now craving a pizza and the one from Antica Forma looks delicious.
Being back there definitely triggered some memories that I had long forgotten
I can understand why this place is crowded. The views and arches look amazing. We had a similar experience at an arch in Jordan, with peolpe standing in line to take a picture…
Wouldnโt it be nice if everyone else would understand that we just want these sites to ourselves ๐
Great post, Steven. I remember some of the bits from your other posts.
Utah is very high up on Ellie’s and my list and we’d certainly stop by Moab when we’re in Utah.
I guess it’s the same everywhere around the world, nearly all of us miss out on a lot of the beauty relatively close to us, because we are too busy, going on long-distance travel, or perhaps it’s just that tad too far for a weekend trip. Living here in the UK, I find that totally forgivable… yes, the Lake District or Cornwall are pretty cool, but it’s not like Utah. However, Utah is Utah… so….. just saying.. 30 years… what..
I know…I know…it was too long of a break from visiting this beautiful area.
I feel the same way about my home state of Oregon. Joining the travel blogger community convinced me that it was OK to stay local for a while! (But I can’t wait to get back on the road and see some of these beautiful places. Thought not at sunrise. Nope.) Beautiful photographs and helpful tips. Thank you!
Having lived in Oregon for a while myself, I know what a beautiful state that is. Glad youโve been able to see more of it
It’s amazing what you can squeeze into a short time and you certainly did a great job in Utah highlighting the Parks with amazing photos. Great shtos especially sicne you were shot on time…those are better than my best when I have hours to set them up. THXS for the post.
Very kind of you to say. It was a whirlwind trip for sure
Love the story attached to it after 30 years.
The views are sensation and fair play for cramming in so much in a short space of time.
Ps that pizza looks delicious
Utah is well on our radar
It was fun to go back! I do hope you get a chance to come visit
Excellent job taking us through these.
We like to visit Moab in Fall and one of our best memories is from stargazing at night in Arches. Our last road trip through Moab we stayed at the Fairfield Inn for 70.00. That day we decided to make it to Moab for the night if they had a decent priced hotel to stay in. Otherwise, we were driving an extra 2 hours to Grand Junction, Colorado. Luckily, we checked our Fairfield app and one showed up. There had never been a decent hotel chain there before so we booked it right away. We pulled in to find another couple at the desk checking in. After waiting my turn they told me they had literally just opened a few hours ago and we were the second guests to check in. Darn, we could have been the first if only 1 minute earlier!
We have always found it hard to find a quick place to eat since we like seeing the sights and not spending a lot of time in town. That night one of the few choices was a Chinese restaurant that wasn’t very good. Moab is growing fast so maybe some additional choices will pop up soon.
$70 for a room in Moab! That was a score. Even if you were second… I was very happy with the food choices there now ๐
Wow that is some gargantuan two day effort. I can see why you didn’t fancy that last hike. The body hits its limit. Like you I wouldn’t be getting up to see the Mesa Arch sunrise. While the photos would be great, I couldn’t be bothered. Even though you said your day was hazy, it didn’t take from your images. Amazing throughout. I think the dead horse point ones are my absolute faves.
Even though we try to pack in a lot, you still have to try and relax a little bit when traveling, right? So no early morning sunrise photos, and no more than 6 hikes a day ๐
Gorgeous photos! What a wonderful place to grow up, too. I reckon Utah is one of my favourite states – and I LOVED Moab and Arches NP! I didn’t make it to Canyonlands but that looks amazing too. Did you manage to eat at Quesadilla Mobilla in the end? We loved it there!
Yes, we went back the next night ๐ Quite the quesadilla variety… Too bad about Canyonlands, but there is really is so much to see there. Hard to see it all.
I love how social media inspires you to explore places closer to home! It’s kind of counter intuitive in that way, no?
Ok, so most people are going to comment on your Moab days. (Yes they do look and sound incredible) but also, how people gonna overlook that pizza???? Me and Mrs. TT have similar tastes ๐
It unquestionably inspired me to go exploring Utah. And I can always trust you Lannie to pay special attention to the food section of my posts ๐
This area is one of my favourite places in the world! Your photos are amazing and really capture the drama of the landsacpe. RV is the only way to go here in my opinion too. And by the way, you haven’t changed a bit!
Oh come on….I’ve aged at least a couple of years ๐
Hi! Thanks for the informative article! My hubby and I will be in that area for a couple of days in Sept. on our way back to TX from Yellowstone. We will be driving down from Provo and staying 1 or 2 nights around Moab. So since you are more familiar with the parks, how does this plan sound: drive down from Provo to Dead Horse Point SP and take in the view. Grab an early dinner in town before setting up camp at Ken’s Lake, then spend the next day exploring Arches NP (including a few short hikes) before returning to camp. I’m thinking Canyonlands may not be for us, as we are not backcountry hikers, and it sounds like you can soak up the scenery from Dead Horse Point. Do you think this would be a good use of our limited time there? I would appreciate your advice.
Sounds like a great plan to me. And I agree with skipping Canyonlands in favor of Dead Horse Point given your limited time. Also be aware that you have to make reservations now to enter Arches. Check their website to be sure you are up to date on how that works so that you give yourself enough time to be sure you get one.