Planning Moab UT trip

[mark1j]

I have questions about a trip to Moab in April. Flying to Vegas and renting a vehicle and making a loop around southern Utah. Most time will be spent in Moab, Grand Staircase, and Capitol Reef.

Question 1. Family of 4 so we usually rent a minivan. I want to get off the main roads and do some exploring. I am not looking to do any major offroading, I just dont want to get stuck or bottom out. IF I rent a 4wd truck (same price as minivan) would that be sufficient for getting off the main roads?

Question 2. IF I dont rent a truck I will definetly be renting a jeep when i get to Moab. What are the best roads / trails that i should not miss. I will have 2-3 days in Moab.

Question 3. Any other must see and do's in the area of Moab, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase.

[Rustled Again]

We are south of Moab in Monticello. Moab is a madhouse. Canyon Lands, north and south. Arches, hard to get into but try in the middle of the day. Monument Valley is worth the drive south. There are some BLM sites that are worth the effort.

[Maddox]

I have questions about a trip to Moab in April. Flying to Vegas and renting a vehicle and making a loop around southern Utah. Most time will be spent in Moab, Grand Staircase, and Capitol Reef.

Question 1. Family of 4 so we usually rent a minivan. I want to get off the main roads and do some exploring. I am not looking to do any major offroading, I just dont want to get stuck or bottom out. IF I rent a 4wd truck (same price as minivan) would that be sufficient for getting off the main roads?

Question 2. IF I dont rent a truck I will definetly be renting a jeep when i get to Moab. What are the best roads / trails that i should not miss. I will have 2-3 days in Moab.

Question 3. Any other must see and do's in the area of Moab, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase.

I love Moab, been there multiple times.

Question 1: yes, a truck will be just fine. We took a rented Escalade off on some BLM land many times. Jeep’s are nice because you can take the top off, but a truck will do just fine.

Question 2:stop off in a camping/hiking store and pick up some trail maps. They can tell you more about the trails. There is one that goes down and follows the Colorado River down from Dead Horse that I always wanted to do, As a geologist, I was there to look at structures and rocks.

Question 3: Arches, you can not go to Moab and not go to Arches. Dead horse State Park. Get out of the town at night and look up, sky is amazing. Stop off at the Rock Shop and look around, will take you 20 minutes or less and the owner or his kids will BS with you the entire time your there.

Other - I’ve never found great food in Moab, ok food, but not great food. There are two prices in Moab - local and tourist. If they ask you if your local or not tell them you are staying in a local hotel. I typically stay in Moab Valley Inn and the restaurant next door (The Blue Pig) always gave me local prices.

Grocery store is fine, but it’s not HEB. Buy specialty items you may want in Vegas before you leave.

[thegrouse]

1. Rent a 4wd truck
2. They have so many routes to choose from. Most of the places that rent them should have a guide with all the different levels from Fins and Things on the mild side to Metal Masher on the extreme with plenty in between.
3. Do the White Rim trail, it is incredible. You will need a day use permit from BLM. Pick a section and do it, pack a lunch and stay all day. One of my favorite sections is the Shafer Switchbacks. Hit Canyonlands and Arches if you like the outdoors and hiking. Late April might be hot, early April should be nice. I have camped there for a week on several occasions in March. The area is a mecca for mountain bike riding if yall are into that.

If you drink buy all your booze in NV. The liquor stores in UT are state run and have limited hours, like every other Tuesday from 0900-0945 type hours, seriously pack in your beer and spirits if you drink.

[32drawlength]

1. Rent one of these & drives the local trails near Lionsback


2. Venture the pathway to this swimming hole…Mill Creek

[Greenheadless]

I enjoyed Canyonlands much more than Arches.

There are unlimited back country trails in the park and the area.

[BarBBar]

Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage is in the Red Cliffs Lodge, at Milepost 14 on SR 128.

[softpoint]

Dead horse point is an interesting place to visit.

[bowhunterhelm]

My family went out there in 2017. Fun place, obviously drive the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway U-128. We did a Canyoneering/Repelling trip and that was the highlight of our vacation. Definitely do that if you get a chance.

[rbsears]

X2 on Mill creek swimming hole. Especially if ya have kids. Bring a picnic and cool off. When going to the parks, we just went midday when it was easier to get in (for us at least). Plan on watching sunsets and staying till dark. Y’all have fun!

[WhiplashTX]

If you plan on getting off the pavement I would get the truck. There are areas with soft sand and some clearance issues, you also never know what damage the spring runoff has done. I highly suggest this book for the Moab area, it has everything from 2wd to buggy trails listed.

https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Ba.../dp/193483825X


My favorite area/trail was Elephant Hill in Canyonlands NP. It's a narrow vehicle trail as a full size truck is too wide for the squeeze. If you have facebook here's a post I did on the trail.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6426...57350637449718

[yaqui]

We rented a jeep in Moab some years ago. They have plenty of maps at the rental places. We rented for one day, but is was a very long fun day. Did some off roading in Arches Natl park and took a trail up a mountain east of Moab, up to the snow on the same day. Kids were in high school then. Out of college now. They still talk about it. We are headed to Tahoe in July, looking to do the same there.

[TX03RUBI]

If you plan on getting off the pavement I would get the truck. There are areas with soft sand and some clearance issues, you also never know what damage the spring runoff has done. I highly suggest this book for the Moab area, it has everything from 2wd to buggy trails listed.

https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Ba.../dp/193483825X


My favorite area/trail was Elephant Hill in Canyonlands NP. It's a narrow vehicle trail as a full size truck is too wide for the squeeze. If you have facebook here's a post I did on the trail.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6426...57350637449718

We’re headed through Moab in 10 days, and this post makes me want to take our 4Runner instead of my F350. It sure would be nicer exploring in the 4Runner, but dangit my truck is so much more comfortable to set the cruise at 80 on multi thousand mile road trips!

[WhiplashTX]

We’re headed through Moab in 10 days, and this post makes me want to take our 4Runner instead of my F350. It sure would be nicer exploring in the 4Runner, but dangit my truck is so much more comfortable to set the cruise at 80 on multi thousand mile road trips!

A lot of the stuff I did my Dodge 2500 could have done also but there were some trails the length and rear overhang would have been a no go. My 4runner has the elocker with 2" of lift and decent 31' AT's, it's done everything I've tried and surprised a few people along the way. I don't have any issues going 80 down the highway for long distances and my last trip was 5K miles pulling a teardrop trailer.

Here's a video I'm in a few times on Fins and Things and the beginning of Hell's revenge, neither of which would have been fun in the truck.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7VEQmUCRv0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7VEQmUCRv0[/ame]