Prevent Wildfires

Prevent Wildfires

A fire ban is currently in effect in and around Moab. That means you cannot light fires or personal fireworks of any kind — including in your campsite fire ring. Please practice fire safety and review locations of active wildfires in Utah. 

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Moab Hiking Trails

One of the best ways to explore the Moab is on foot. While off-roading vehicles, bikes, and rafts can get you further in the backcountry, you can always explore with a decent pair of shoes and a small pack for water and snacks. National park landmarks like Delicate Arch and Mesa Arch get the hiking spotlight, but there’s much more to see here. 

The vast majority of the land surrounding Moab is public, managed by entities like the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. That means that nearly all of this landscape is open to you (and your hiking feet) — just stay on trail, so you don’t get lost or accidentally stomp on fragile desert plants. 

We’re recommending these trails for their infrastructure (like parking areas and bathrooms) and landscape diversity (no two are alike). Keep your eyes peeled on these trails — particularly hikes near the river or creeks — for petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, but remember, the best way to protect historic sites is to leave them untouched. 

And if you’re traveling with a pet, know that leashed pets are allowed on all of these trails. Just be sure to test the ground temperature: the desert terrain can be hard on dogs’ paws!

We recommend the following trails for their accessibility and diversity of landscape. All of the following hikes are located outside of the National Parks.

Amphitheater Loop Trail map

Amphitheater Loop

A meandering, good-for-exploring trail that encourages hikers to pay attention to the landscape. Note that this trail is hard to follow at times, and is marked by cairns only—but if your trail-finding and directional skills are decent, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping…

Corona Arch

Corona Arch Trail

One of the most accessible and astounding arches in Moab outside of the national parks, with views of the Colorado River and Bootlegger Canyon along the hiking trail. The trail crosses railroad tracks, then follows cairns and painted dashes across slickrock. A small section of…

Dellenbaugh Trail Map

Dellenbaugh Tunnel

  Give yourself the entire afternoon, at least, for this adventure. Dellenbaugh Tunnel is actually an elongated arch, with excellent views of Spring Canyon: It’s accessible along a popular offroading route, but there is also a dedicated trail for hikers. Look for…

Hiking with pets

Fisher Towers Trail

  A National Recreation Trail, good for long explorations of bizarre and beautiful mudstone towers. This trail is an out-and-back, but is best done with no specific end point in mind: wander down the trail until you’d like to turn back again. From the parking lot…

Grandstaff Hiking Trail

Grandstaff Canyon Trail

  A National Recreation Trail and one of the more popular trails in Moab, for good reason. The trail follows a stream through a scenic canyon, ending underneath a natural bridge called Morning Glory. Look out for dinosaur tracks on boulders in the stream—and look out…

Hunter Canyon trail map

Hunter Canyon

  A relaxed canyon romp that’s a great addition to exploring the Kane Creek area and is especially lovely during summer (for shade) and winter (for less water in the creek). The trail requires creek crossings and can have loose sand.  At the end of the canyon…

Juniper Mesa Hiking Trail map

Juniper Trail

Easy trail with great views of the landscape as it transitions from high alpine mountains into sandstone desert, and a fantastic way to explore the Sand Flats Recreation Area — managed by Grand County and the Bureau of Land Management — beyond biking and off-roading…

Ken’s Lake

Ken's Lake Trails

  An excellent spot to hike, picnic, and swim. There are a few trails around Ken’s Lake to explore: hikers can wander the perimeter of the lake and jaunt to “Faux Falls,” a manmade waterfall near the camping area.  If circumnavigating the lake, begin…

Longbow Arch Trail map

Longbow Arch Trail

  Fun trail atop slickrock with amazing views of the Colorado River, the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Area, the La Sal Mountains, and—at the end—the 60 foot Longbow Arch. This trail requires some scrambling and route finding, including a ladder section that may…

Moab Rim Trail map

Moab Rim Trail

  Who needs a gym when you’ve got the Stairmaster trail? High elevation gain in a low amount of mileage means you’ll be working your legs. Take breaks when you need it to gaze at the Colorado River. The trail follows the same rock formation as the 4x4 road (the…

Red Onion Trail map

Red Onion Trail

  Often missed, the Red Onion Trail is a good adventure for hikers looking to challenge themselves with their trail-finding skills. If you’re up for it, the payoff is worth it: the trail features fun scrambles and explorations in and out of drainages that feel like…

Moab Outdoor Adventure Guide

The Moab Outdoor Adventure Guide (available for free at the Moab Information Center) is a comprehensive guide to adventures and activities that are available on the public lands surrounding Moab.

MOAG

Moab Trail Ambassadors

Moab’s Trail Ambassadors station themselves at popular trailheads to help spread messages about responsible recreation and safety.

Local Tips

Bring a map 

Download a map of the trail to your phone, or take a picture at the trailhead. Many of these trails don’t have cell service. 

Bring lots of water and snacks

Sure, we love hiking for the views … but we also love it as an excuse to eat all the M&Ms in the bag of trail mix. Bring snacks with you, and more water than you’d think. The general recommendation is one liter per person per hour. 

Protect the crust

The crusty sand you see next to the trail is actually alive! It’s “biocrust”, a living skin of microorganisms like lichen and fungi that bind sand together and retain moisture. Those little guys are the reason why many of our plants can thrive in the desert.

 

Pet Etiquette and Local Laws

There are many pet-friendly trails and accommodations to choose from in the Moab area. By taking a few precautions and observing local rules and regulations, traveling with your pet can be a very rewarding experience.

NATIONAL PARKS
Activities with pets are very limited within the National Parks of southern Utah. Pets are prohibited from the backcountry as well as on trails. Pets must be leashed at all times when outside a vehicle and may be walked only on roads or in parking lots. Pets may accompany visitors in campgrounds.

STATE PARKS 
Pets are allowed on trails within the state parks and must be on a leash.

OTHER PUBLIC LANDS
Generally, pets may accompany you as you hike on public land in Canyon Country outside of the national parks.

Clean Up After Your Pet
Bring plastic bags when exploring. Wherever you stay, don’t forget to clean up after your pet. Waste doesn't decompose very quickly out here.

Pet Friendly Trails and Places
All of the trails on this page are pet friendly. In town, Moab’s Bark Park is an off-leash dog park.

Identification
Make sure the identification tags on your pet’s collar are up to date and fastened securely to the collar. An updated rabies vaccine is required for all dogs and cats in the state of Utah.