Looking for the best adventures near Moab, Utah? From canyon hikes to horseback riding adventures, here are the best day trips from Moab, Utah.

Why this blog? Hi there! My name is Maddy and I’ve been working as an outdoor guide and writer since 2018. I’ve guided sea kayaking trips on the West Coast and Lake Superior, backpacked throughout the United States (and Canada!) and spend my free time when I’m not guiding exploring everywhere I can in the US and beyond. It’s my goal to help you find the best adventures for your skill and comfort level, make your trip planning easy, and help arm you to visit in an impact-minded way!

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Best Day Trips from Moab

For the best Moab day trips form canyoneering adventures to more simple hikes and adventures, continue reading:

1) Arches National Park Sunrise or Sunset

Just a quick ten minute drive from Moab, you can find the iconic Arches National Park. Arches is one of America’s most iconic National Parks, and makes for an awesome day trip from Moab. From late spring through early fall, you can expect scorching hot daytime temperatures. For this reason, I recommend visiting in the early morning or late evening for cooler temperatures in the summer season.

When I visited, we got up early to catch the sunrise at Turret Arch, which is easily one of the best sunrise spots in Arches. There were plenty of people here watching the sunrise especially at North Window Arch, but South Window Arch was essentially empty and we had it totally to ourselves. Check out a map of Arches National Park here!

Desert Hiking Tip: Don’t Bust The Crust!

When hiking in the desert, it’s extremely important to stay on the trail to protect “the crust”, aka crytobiotic soil. Cryptobiotic soil or biological soil crust include living organisms in desert dirt! Biological soil crusts are important to the desert ecosystem and are involved in carbon and nitrogen fixation. One footstep on biological soil crusts can damage decades of desert ecosystem growth. For this reason, it’s extremely important to stay on the trail!

It may seem like a small thing and to the eye it certainly is, but the downstream effects of ecological damage effect everyone. Besides, it only makes sense that as hikers out to enjoy the beauty of a hiking trail now, we work to preserve it for years to come!

READ: Desert Hiking Guide (How to Pack & Know Before You Go!)

2) Hike the Chesler Park Loop, Canyonlands

If you’re looking for a challenging full day+ hiking trip, head over to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park and tackle the challenging Chesler Park Loop. This loop will take you nearly 11 miles and 1,800 feet through challenging terrain is considered strenuous.

This trail is often tackled as a one-night backpacking trip instead of a full day trip, and keep in mind that daytime temperatures in the Needles District can be extremely dangerous in the spring through fall. There are no water sources along this trail; pack plenty of water. For my one-night backpacking trip, we each carried seven liters of water, and drank all of it and could’ve drank more.

There are a few incredible slot canyons along this loop, a few sections of challenging scrambles, and an option to add to the milage and hike to Druid Arch.

READ: Best Things to do in Moab, Utah

3) Rafting The Colorado River

One of the splashiest day trip options from Moab includes whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. This is a great way to connect the dots of the geologic forces at play that created the dramatic landscapes around Moab, Utah.

4) Cruise Island in the Sky, Canyonlands

For a scenic day trip that can involve as much or as little hiking as you’d like, check out the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park. Island in the Sky is just ten miles north of Moab, and has a few really lovely short hikes including the popular Mesa Arch and White Rim Overlook.

Island in the Sky is a really distinctive portion of Canyonlands National Park. Here, you cruise a mesa high above the deep canyons below, really giving the impression that you’re on an island in the sky! This is an especially cool district to visualize the geology of the park and they layers of history deposited with them, thousands on thousands of years of erosion.

5) Zipline Adventure

Join a half-day zipline adventure near Moab to soar over the tops of canyons! This is a great excursion for anyone looking to catch a sunrise in Arches, have an adventure in the early morning, and spend the afternoon and evening exploring everything there is to do in Moab.

6) Hell’s Canyon 4×4 Driving Tour

Adventure driving tours are sort of the way to experience the desert in Moab as it lets you go with a guide and beat the midday heat while still getting out there! This is a half-day activity for anyone looking for an adventure and driving challenge!

7) Hike a canyon

Personally, I love to visit an area for the nature around and Moab absolutely delivers. One of the coolest things for me about hiking near Moab was finding waterfalls in the desert. Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls (below, right) was probably my favorite day hike that we did when I visited. The water was ice cold flowing down from the mountains and it felt so good to soak my feet in.

READ: Hiking Ideas near Moab, Utah

Keep in mind that the desert gets HOT! We did 100% of our hiking starting before 9am at the latest, and aimed to be done before noon. Remember to stay on trail, and research your hikes and associated hazards well in advance.

8) Chamisa Canyon Canyoneering Adventure

Head out on a canyoneering adventure to experience the heart of one of the best regions for canyons from the inside. Here you can explore unique and off-the-beaten-path slot canyons and get up close and personal with some cool rocks!

Bonus: Glamping Canyonlands outside of Needles District

If you’re looking for an overnight adventure outside of Moab but not ready to backpack quite yet, check out Glamping Canyonlands. Glamping Canyonlands is just outside of the Needles District of Canyonlands and a really great spot to stay if you’re looking for an adventure-forward place to crash after exploring a more remote section of Canyonlands.

Glamping Canyonlands has a communal kitchen, shower space and flush toilets, and a sauna. There are a variety of tent types including traditional glamping tents and high rise tents.

Glamping is a really great option for anyone — couples, families, solo travelers — interested in the vibes of camping but looking for a comfortable experience and soft launch into the field. Glamping allows you to sleep in a bed outside, enjoy a starry sky and views, practice camp cooking but also still have access to a flush toilet and showers. Keep in mind that while glamping leans more luxury than typical camping, you’ll still experience bugs, hear the wind at night and have to walk between tents to get to the bathroom and showers.

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