#8 Moab, Utah

Population: 5,100

Getting there: Only one commercial airline flies into Moab Airport (CNY) – Great Lakes Airlines – which offers two daily flights from Denver. Charter flights for small groups can be booked through Redtail Aviation. Or if time allows, you can make it a road trip by flying into a larger hub like Salt Lake City or Grand Junction, Colorado. Private shuttles can be arranged through Moab Luxury Coach, but best to rent a car at the airport as having a car in Moab is a necessity to get around (there are only two cab drivers in town – two!).

Buttes and hoodoos and arches, oh my! Moab is a secret no longer. John Wayne called it “Where God put the West” and adrenaline-seeking adventurers have been flocking to this rock haven for decades. It’s not a place for someone who wants to sit by the pool and read a book, though you can. Moab is for the active, the jeepers, the mountain bikers, the canyoneers, the hikers, the kayakers, the rafters… you get the picture. For outdoorsy types, it’s the Holy Grail.

You may feel like you’ve been there before, and you probably have – in iconic films like “Thelma & Louise” – and in epic photographs that make you think, “where is that place? I want to go there,” when looking at a photo of a red arch framing a full moon. That would be Delicate Arch, the crown jewel of Arches National Park, just minutes from downtown Moab.

Unless you are an outdoors expert, go with a guide. With high octane adventure comes danger, and this is no place to mess around. The guides at Moab Adventure Center (the MAC) are your go-to for adventures from rim tours in hummers to canyoneering off 120-foot cliffs. After a day of adventure, head to Moab Brewing Company not just for the house-crafted beers but also to hang with the laid back locals, who will have just come from eating dinner at the tiny Mexican joint Miguel’s.

There is just one main street in Moab, where you’ll find shops, restaurants, and the MAC. Insider tip: Head to the Love Muffin Café for the best coffee and breakfast in town.

Where to stay:  In town you’ll find the well-appointed Best Western Canyonlands Inn just fine since you’re not going to be spending much time in your room. It’s convenient, clean, and affordable. If a more luxurious stay is in the cards however, the Sorrel River Ranch is a special property about a 20 minutes drive from downtown on the banks of the Colorado River. Pronounced SOR-ul (not sor-EL), it’s rugged luxury with an unpretentious feel. You can even bring your four-legged friends with you – dogs AND horses. It’s newly renovated rooms are clean, affordable and a convenient choice.

Side trip: Canyonlands National Park

Driving time from Moab: 1 hour

Though Arches is closer to town and equally stunning, Canyonlands has some of the most epic views of anywhere in the world. The Island in the Sky district is the most accessible with,several hikes of varying length. It also has a popular four-wheel-drive road. The Needles District is more for backcountry explorers and requires a good amount of hiking or four-wheel driving to get to the most scenic parts. Other areas of the part like the Northwest section of the Maze and Horseshoe Canyon take even more effort to get to, but the payoffs are worth your time. Along the way you may find some Native American rock art. Ranger-guided trips or hikes via the MAC are the best (and safest) way to explore the area for first-timers. River trips are another option, but at least two days are required.

Keep in mind that though the districts appear close on a map, there are no roads within the park that link them directly. It can take up to six hours by car to get from one to the next, so plan appropriately and carefully! Also use caution with weather –the summer monsoon season can be dangerous and flash floods are common. Again, this is not a place to tempt Mother Nature. While hiking, be cautious not to step on what looks like black dirt – it’s cryptobiotic soil, and it’s critical to the area’s ecological well-being and regeneration of plant life (the only source of shade in sweltering summer months).

Side note: The spectacular beauty of the national parks in Utah rivals any in the world. If you have time to explore in a road trip, take the 5-hour trip from Moab down through the “staircase” of canyons from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon and into the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (the less touristy section). It’s called the staircase because you descend as you go south, meaning for example – the lowest point of Zion’s Canyon becomes the highest point of Bryce, etc. In Zion, stay at the Desert Pearl Inn and don’t leave without taking a day hike through the Narrows. It’s some of the most epic scenery you’ll ever see in your life. If not an experienced hiker, go with a guide.  Zion Adventure Company has experienced guides and provides equipment;  you’ll need special walking shoes and sticks to get through the waters of the Narrows.

More info: www.discovermoab.com, www.nps.gov/arch, www.nps.gov/cany, www.nps.gov/zion

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