Utah holds some of the United States most beautiful natural landmarks. From the Grand Canyon to Moab to Page, the enormous red rocks are endlessly surrounding you.
When my family and I went out west a few years ago, I realized how completely different every part of the world is. Since we live in New York, I have never seen anything like the natural landmarks in Utah and Arizona. All those red-orange rocks were one of the most beautiful pieces of the Earth I had seen.
The entire state of Utah is filled with wonders beyond your imagination. Any pictures or photos you have seen of these landmarks don’t do them justice; each one looks more amazing in person! On our 2 week roadtrip out west we did a lot of different activities, but Moab has some of my favorite attractions and things to do.
Canyoneering in Moab, Utah
One of the best things to do in Moab is canyoneering. Canyoneering is exploring a canyon with a combination of activities including hiking, rappelling, sliding, and stemming.
When out west we decided to go canyoneering in Moab. We got tickets with the Red River Adventure company and did the Bow and Arrow Tour. The entire experience allows you explore behind the scenes red rocks, which are unavailable to the public without a guide.
For the Bow and Arrow Tour, there was a one-on-one tour guide with us throughout each part of the canyoneering experience. The difficultly level for this tour was moderate. The hardest part was learning how to rappel from rocks, but once I got the hang of it I had such a good time!
The tour was about 3 to 4 miles long and only took us about 3 hours to complete. This included all the hiking, rappelling, and walking we did in between each rappel. During each of the 4 rappels, the tour guide worked with us to help get through each drop and feel comfortable the entire time. The first rappel is only about 10 ft so it is a great learning experience before you get to the higher 110 ft and 90 ft rappels on this tour.
Being that free while rappelling down the side of a rock wall is an amazing feeling. Not only is it super fun but seeing the canyons from those rappels is an experience like no other. I highly recommend taking part in this amazing activity when in Moab.
Water Rafting Down the Colorado River
Rafting is such a fun experience to partake in no-matter where you are. I have rafted many times and each time it is loads of fun!
I thought that Moab was a great place to raft because you can go down the Colorado River, which is super unique. There are many companies that offer this activity, but we used the Moab Adventure Center. All the companies bus you up the river by road and then you raft down to the end of the rapids section with your group.
At this particular company we choose the option Colorado River Full-Day Rafting Adventure with Exclusive BBQ Lunch. Half way through the day we stopped for lunch at this gorgeous ranch and then continued down the rapids to finish out the day. The total time of this adventure is about 7 hours long, so you need to be prepared for a full day! I would also make sure you pack water shoes, a hat, retention devices for sunglasses (so they don’t fall off), and water proof cases for cell phones.
On the river you travel about 14 miles total and the rapids can vary based on water level. We accidentally went on a day with a low water level and therefore there was not as many rapids as we hoped, so definitely double check water levels before you book!
Must-See Arches in Utah
The arches out west are among the most beautiful natural landscapes I have ever seen! I love learning about how each arch has been shaped by the Earth’s changes over time. Some of the arches we saw were almost unbelievable. It is crazy to look at them and think that no human sculpted it like that, it became like that naturally. All the following arches can be found in the Arches National Park in Utah.
Delicate Arch
One of my favorite arches we saw is called the Delicate Arch. To be able to see this arch you have to hike 1.5 miles up and around rocks. The entire hike is 3 miles round trip and definitely not the easiest hike to do.
Compared to other relatively flat hikes within this national park, the Delicate Arch Trail has no shade throughout, uneven grounds, wildlife, and lots of loose rocks. I don’t think this is a difficult hike, you just need to be prepared to hike the 1.5 miles there and back.
I recommend doing what my family and I did; getting to the national park when it opens around 5:00 am. The drive from the beginning of the park to the arch hike parking lot is about 15 minutes and then you’ll want time to get ready for the hike. This allowed us to hike the entire trail in no heat and see the sunrise from the top of the rocks. When the sunlight first hit the Delicate Arch it was beyond amazing! The beauty of this arch is endless and a definite must see in Moab!
Devil’s Garden
The Devil’s Garden is also located inside the Arches National Park and contains a few beautiful arches to see. We choose to see two arches within this section of the park and they both have a unique style to them that I love.
First, we went to see the Landscape Arch. This arch is super special because it is the longest arch in North America with a light opening of 306 feet. In the 1990s, a bunch of large segments crashed down from the arch, showing how quickly things can change within the park’s landscapes. This arch literally hangs on by a very thin thread, as you’ll see in person.
Roundtrip the hike to get to the Landscape Arch is about 1.8 miles which is about 30 to 60 minutes long. This trail is super easy compared to the Delicate Arch Trail; the entire hike is flat and mostly paved out so you can see the path. This is another trail, like most within the park, that has little to no shade throughout. I definitely recommend seeing this arch because the hike is so easy and we never know when the rest of the arch will crash down!
The Sand Dune Arch is another beautiful arch to see within this national park. The entire trail hike is about 10 minutes long and a total of 0.4 miles. It is another flat hike with a path shown to follow.
This arch is at ground level so you are able to see up close (great for kids who want to experience arches). The trail is completely walkable and very kid friendly. I think both of the arches in Devil’s Garden are great, easy trails to be able to see such wonderful pieces of nature.
Garden of Eden
The section called the Garden of Eden is known for its Balanced Rock and small arches. The name comes from the shapes of the rocks resembling flowers and trees. I thought this place was different than anything else in the park and therefore something we wanted to see.
The Balanced Rock literally looks as if it is balancing on the rock bellow it. It is 128 feet tall and actually not balancing at all. Even though it looks as if it is hanging on a balance, the entire rock is attached and just shown to be balancing by all the years of erosion. There is also a small picnic area near the balanced rock in which you can have lunch and take a break for all the hiking.
Window’s Section of Rocks
The Window’s Section is known for all of its small window-shaped arches. These arches look very thick on top and centered in the middle of the rocks, making it look like windows of a house or building. These can all be viewed from a distance and are non-hiking arches to see.
Something else to see in this window section is the Double Arch. This arch is literally a double arch and when looking underneath one arch you are able to see through to another arch. It is visible from the Window’s parking lot, but I think it is best to see up close. It is only about a 15 minute walk to the arch which is a completely flat 0.6 mile trail. I loved looking through these arches because it is so one of a kind and unseeable almost anywhere in the world.
While there are so many more arches at this national park we only choose to see a few and spend half a day there. The endlessly beautiful arches of Utah are incredible and amazing to look upon. I think that they are a must when traveling to Moab!
The Canyonlands of Moab, Utah
The Canyonlands, located in the Canyonlands National Park, are endless deep canyons, cliffs, and spires which stretch about 530 square miles. They were formed over time by the currents of Utah’s Green and Colorado rivers.
It is the largest national park that offers a variety activities inside the canyons such as camping, hiking, rafting, backpacking, rock climbing, etc. The Canyonlands are one of Utah’s largest treasures which allows for lots of different exploration activities. Just looking out upon the Canyonlands is overwhelming enough. They are so beautiful in the sunlight and provide so many lovely views.
Each of these attractions Utah provides shows it’s endless beauty. I think that visiting the town of Moab allows for individuals to take part in fun activities that are incorporated with nature. It allows for every individual to become fully immersed with the world around them!
