Looking for the best hiking in Moab? Check out these trails for some of the best simple hikes in Moab for slot canyons, waterfalls, arches, and more!

why this blog? Hi there! I’m Maddy and I’ve been working as an outdoor guide and writer since 2018! Both in real life and online, my goal is to match hikers and adventurer lovers to the right trails and trips for them!

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What to pack for hiking in Moab, Utah:

Moab is a super fun destination! Keep in mind it’s going to be HOT and sunny. Pack more water than you think, to the tune of one liter per hiking hour. Also pack:

• Shorts or loose-fitting long pants: for women looking for a flattering fit and functionality try Kuhl Freeflex or REI Trailmade
• A hiking day pack
• Hiking boots: I like Oboz Bridger Mids for best grip and ankle support, or alternately hiking/paddling sandals like Bedrocks (designed for paddling guides and paddling guide (me) approved)
• A UPF sun hoodie
• A down puffy jacket that packs down small: nights are a lot cooler than you might expect!
• On rugged trails, trekking poles
• An America the Beautiful Pass
• At least 2.5 L of water per day; note that some areas recommend a Liter of water PER HOUR while desert hiking. One water bottle is likely not enough for a day hike.
• A water filter (in case of emergency you may be able to find water to filter)
• Three ways to call for help: Garmin InReach, whistle, signaling mirror
• First aid kit
• Map and compass; a way to navigate without a cell phone
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, an emergency bivy
• WAG bags: in the desert you need to pack out your poop while hiking! Yes, for real — it won’t biodegrade in the arid climate. Worry not! WAG bags are relatively smell-proof and easy to use. Read more here.

READ: How to Hike in the Desert

Best Hiking in Moab, Utah:

From easy hikes to harder and long adventures, here are the best places to hike in Moab, Utah:

1) Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls (~ 3 miles)

Looking for an easy hike near Moab with swimming along the way? Check out Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls, a relatively easy hike beginning at Ken’s Lake and following a stream through the desert to a waterfall.

There are several good spots to get your feet wet or fully swim around this route, both at Ken’s Lake and at the base of the waterfall. There’s plenty of parking here, as well as bathrooms at the trailhead. I recommend parking at Ken’s Lake and finding the trailhead from there.

2) Windows Viewpoint, Arches National Park ( ~1 mile)

The Windows Trail in Arches National Park is a beautiful spot to hike for arches, desert and mountain views, and sunrise! There are several good arches along this trail and it tends to be moderately to heavily-trafficked at any point in the day. Generally the trails here are fairly accessible to most hiking abilities, but keep children close near cliffs edges.

The picture on the left, below, can give you a pretty good idea of the crowds you can expect to see in this area — there will be people in your photos, which isn’t always a bad thing!

To visit Arches National Park, you’ll need an America the Beautiful Pass and you’ll also need a timed-entry ticket; if you enter before seven am you will not need a timed-entry pass but still need your national parks (America the Beautiful) pass. Alternately book a scenic guided tour of Arches National Park from Moab to get around timed-entry permits and hike the highlights of Arches with a guide.

DESERT HIKING REMINDER!!! You really need more water than you think you do, even on these short hikes, even in the spring, winter and fall. Think one liter of water, per person per hour of desert hiking — one water bottle for a hike is NOT ENOUGH water.

READ: Check out a more through guide to hiking in Arches National Park

3) Mill Canyon Dinosaur Hike (less than one mile)

Want to hike with dinosaurs!? There’s no better place than Moab to hike with dinosaur bones around, dinosaur tracks and even with replica dinosaurs! This is a super fun triad of hikes for families with kids, but when my friend and I went as two adult women we also had a blast (maybe because we never got to do the fun roadside stops growing up and now we did idk but i’m healed now).

The Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone Trail takes you on a well-marked interpretive trail past four different species of dinosaur bones embedded in sedimentary rock. Not far from this trail, you can find the Mill Canyon Tracksite and check out one of the best dinosaur track sites in North America.

After checking out the dinosaur hiking options, head to  Moab Giants, a kid-friendly dino park to hike next to replicas of the dinosaurs whose bones you just finished looking at. Moab Giants is for sure for kids but not going to lie it was very fun for Sarah and I to walk up and order two VIP passes for adults because why not!

4) Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park (less than one mile)

Mesa Arch is the classic Canyonlands National Park hike, postcard perfect. This is a heavily-trafficked hike and a wildly popular sunrise location but for good reason. We skipped this spot for sunrise, but overheard an older couple talking about how it was incredible and glowed pink and even though it was crowded it felt otherworldly.

For all the magic of Mesa Arch at sunrise, it’s pretty average-looking in the daytime in my opinion. An America the Beautiful Pass is required.

5) Fiery Furnace, Arches National Park (2 miles, permit required)

Located in Arches National Park, Fiery Furnace is an iconic hike accessible by permit only or with a park ranger. This hike tends to be extremely hot and and with difficult terrain. According to the National Parks website, in some places hikers must hold themselves above the ground by pushing against sandstone walls with your hands and feet.

Watch the hike video here. An America the Beautiful Pass is required.

READ: Plan an epic Utah Road Trip through Arches, Moab, and Canyonlands

6) Delicate Arch, Arches National Park (~3 miles)

About three miles to what is likely the most iconic arch in the United States, Delicate Arch is heavily-trafficked hike with impressive views considered moderate or challenging. Also check out the rock panel petroglyphs along this trail.

An America the Beautiful Pass is required.

9) Chesler Park Loop, Needles District of Canyonlands National Park (10+ miles)

The Chesler Park Loop is a challenging route through the needles district of Canyonlands National Park, perhaps best done as an overnight backpacking route. This was for sure the highlight of my trip to Moab.

The Joint Trail portion of this loop features a dramatic slot canyon, and throughout this entire part of Canyonlands National Park pretty much features nonstop incredible views and canyon hiking. It’s a really stunning area to hike in and easily one of my favorite places I’ve ever camped. After this trail Canyonlands easily became my second favorite National Park after Isle Royale.

While this was a gorgeous hike and great experience, that “challenging” rating is for real no joke. We did NOT pack enough water even at almost three liters per person, per a day. You pretty much need a gallon of water per person per day when hiking in this terrain and this heat; there are no water sources along the route.

Beyond the water situation, the terrain itself is pretty challenging. There were several points were we took off our packs to have one person climb up or down and the other would pass the backpacks before climbing themselves. Really for sure a challenging trail, and difficult to follow at times. I would not recommend this trail to inexperienced backpackers, or inexperienced hikers. I work as an outdoors guide, and this trail kind of kicked my a**.

An America the Beautiful Pass is required as well as overnight backpacking permits if backpacking.

READ: Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Needles in Canyonlands

10) Needles Overlook

If you’re looking for an easy, mostly no-hike sunset or picnic spot, head to the Needles Overlook south of Moab. This is a great spot to find a slice of isolation in a very busy area! We had a fun camp dinner her and it was absolutely stunning at sunset.

Needles Overlook a little out of the way but well worth the trip, with views on pretty much all sides.

11) Double Arch, Arches National Park (less than one mile)

Double Arch is less than one-mile round trip and has both the tallest and second tallest arch in Arches National Park. Personally, I think this is one of the most impressive places to see in Moab and probably the only must-visit in Arches National Park in my opinion. This arch set is really cool, and has Indiana Jones vibes, though I can’t explain why.

An America the Beautiful Pass is required in Arches National Park. Book a scenic guided tour of Arches National Park from Moab to get around timed-entry permits.

Where to stay in Moab, Utah:

Moab is the perfect place to stay and basecamp to explore Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and the surrounding hikes and canyons, and the ultimate basecamp location for your adventure trip. Check out the Expedition Lodge for a family-friendly and downtown location (Where Exploren Borgen and I stayed on our trip!) or Scenic View Inn for something sleeker.

We also stayed at Glamping Canyonlands which is a great option for staying near the Needles District of Canyonlands with a more rustic, off-grid vibe — this place was truly so much fun and close enough to Moab to do all the fun, town things while also staying somewhere a little closer to the wild.

Other adventures near Moab:

There is so much to do near Moab beyond hiking! Check out guided rafting trips on the Colorado River! Rapids on this trip are Class 1 and Class 2, largely considered to be very beginner-friendly. This trip includes scenic canyon views as well as a professional guide!

Alternately, check out a 4×4 tour in or near Arches National Park! Tours like this are a great way to see parts of the desert you might never see on foot. These adventures are best done with a guide for your safety and protect the fragile desert environment.

To experience the dramatic desert scenery from above, book a scenic flight over Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Experiencing the desert landscape from above not only provides a whole new perspective on the parks, but can provide a sense of scale of the vast desert landscapes. Alternately, head out canyoneering! Look into a half-day guided canyoneering adventure in Goblin Valley State Park for slot canyons, unique caves, rappelling, and an adventure of a lifetime.

READ: Best Things to do in Moab, Utah

Explore more in the southwest:

• Check out the best hiking near Las Vegas!
• Backpack to beautiful blue waterfalls in the Grand Canyon!
• Planning a road trip!? Check out the ultimate road trip planning guide from meal planning to building out your car!

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