Are you traveling around America with kids and looking for a place full of nature and adventure? If so, Moab in Utah is a perfect base. This lively desert town is close to Arches and Canyonlands National Park and offers plenty of activities such as rafting, kayaking and baby carriage riding. You may even know the impressive red rock landscapes from movies. In this blog you will read everything you need to know for a vacation in Moab with kids.
Moab with kids
A few things that are important to know before your visit to the Moab:
Entrance fee: To visit national parks in America, you must pay entrance fees. If you are touring America and want to visit multiple parks, it is beneficial to purchase an “America the Beautifull” pass. It costs $80 and then gives access to all national parks (not state parks).
The pass is valid for 1 year. You can buy these online and have them shipped to the Netherlands. We found it more convenient to purchase it at the entrance to the first national park we visited (you can purchase the pass at any national park).
Reservations: Because Arches national park is popular and crowded in certain months, at some times you need a reservation to visit this park. You can make a reservation through the Arches reservation website. Please note, this reservation is only required if you want to drive into the park between 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
If you get there before 7 a.m. or after 4 p.m., you can enter the park without a reservation. Reservations are required from April through early July and from late August through late October. Often you can make the reservation 1 month in advance. Check this out carefully before your trip because there are a limited number of tickets, so gone is gone.
#1 Visit Arches National Park
Arches is a nature park filled with beautiful dark red rock formations. Arches were created from these rock formations through wear of layers of stone. For these arches, or “Arches,” this park is known. You will find several arches to visit in the park.
You often have to walk a bit to do this. Some of these hikes are challenging and long with kids in the hot temperatures. Fortunately, there are also plenty of arches to visit that require a shorter walk.
We saw several arches during our visit to Arches and found the Balanced Rock, The Windows, Double Arch, Delicate Arch and Sand Dune Arch really worth seeing with kids. The hikes were relatively short, or you could choose to walk to a viewpoint a little farther from the arch, making the hike shorter.
Our kids enjoyed playing in the sand at the Sand Dune Arch and felt like they had landed in the movie The Lion King because of the large rock found on the way to this arch. The size of the arches is overwhelming and you can also climb the arches and the surrounding area. So put on sturdy shoes! Our kids loved doing this and enjoying the view on large rocks under a beautiful arch.
In basically all of America’s national parks, there is a Junior Ranger Program. In many of the parks you can ask about this at the Visitor Center, including Arches National Park and Canyonlands. If your kid wants to participate in the Junior Ranger Program, you can ask a Ranger about this. There are activity booklets about the park for each age group.
They are often assignments related to the various plants and animals they may encounter. A very fun way to learn a lot through play! Depending on their age, they must complete a minimum number of tasks, which are checked by the Rangers.
If the Rangers give their approval, the kids will receive a wooden badge after taking the official Ranger oath. Our kids really enjoyed doing this, and it became a sport to collect as many different badges as possible during the tour.
Are you curious about this park and want to know more about it? Then read the blog Arches National Park with kids.
#2 Visit Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is very large and has several entrances. Certain parts of the park you can only access through a specific entrance, so it’s good to decide in advance which part you want to see. We visited the Island in the Sky section from Moab, which is closest to Moab (about a 40-minute drive). Other parts you can visit are “The Maze” and “The Needles.
It is recommended that you begin your visit to Canyonlands at the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. Here you will find information about the park, what to see, the times Rangers explain and organize tours. You can also get a Junior Ranger booklet here for the kids, if they want to participate in the Ranger program. At the end of your visit, return the booklet here and the kids will receive a nice badge. In fact, our kids thought the Canyonlands badge was the most fun of the entire trip.
In Canyonlands, there are well-traveled and paved roads past several viewpoints. Ideal with small kids, as long walks are almost non-existent. You do have to pay attention, though, because at several viewpoints you are right at the edge of the canyon.
There are not always fences or barriers, so you are literally above a high precipice. Very impressive, our kids thought, but so also careful. The Shafer Canyon Overlook at the visitor center is an example of this, and immediately one of the most impressive points not to be missed!
We also found a visit to Mesa Arch, which is located in the middle of the park, well worthwhile. You walk about 500 meters to reach this arch. The trail is well trodden, but still feels adventurous. The route is marked by large rocks on which smaller stones have been piled by Park Rangers, so you can’t get lost.
At the end of the road you will come to Grand View Overlook Point. Here you can see in the distance how the Colorado River and the Green River meet. At this viewpoint, a relatively easy hike of about 1.6 kilometers (one way) runs along the canyon.
On this tour, we chose not to visit the Grand Canyon because we had already seen it 12 years ago when we traveled through this area without kids. The part of Canyonlands we visited now is smaller than the Grand Canyon, but certainly no less impressive. In addition, it was a lot quieter, which we personally liked with our kids.
#3 Cill Mill Dinosaur Bone Trail
In the region around Moab, fossils from the time of the dinosaurs can still be found in several places, including prints of dinosaur legs. At our house, they are big fans of all things dinosaur related, so tracking down these prints was a real must for us.
The prints are preserved in certain layers in the ground. One of the most famous places in the region to see these tracks is the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone Trail, about a 25-minute drive from Moab.
You have to drive off-road for this, so it is wise to drive slowly because of potholes and loose stones on the road. All in all, it was quite manageable. You really drive into “the middle of nowhere” before arriving at a parking lot. There you will find an information board, a simple toilet and some camping spots. From this point you walk about 500 meters to the site of the excavations.
A path has been built and the sites have been cordoned off with low fences so that visitors cannot touch or damage the prints. You can see tracks of different dinosaurs, but our kids found the Raptors’ prints the most impressive. Along the route are several information boards explaining the excavations, the dinosaurs that lived here and the time period in which it was.
We spent about an hour here, and for our dino lovers, this was really one of the highlights of the trip.
#4 Potash Road
Just before you arrive in Moab with kids, you can take the exit for Potash Road. You often see this road passed on social media as a must-see near Moab. We were curious to see if it was really “worth the hype” – and in our opinion, it certainly was. You drive there with the Colorado River on one side and tall red rocks on the other. Along the way, you have several beautiful views of the river.
Along Potash Road you will also find a walk past dinosaur tracks and ancient murals: Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks and Petroglyphs. You drive up a turn and come out to a large parking lot with a restroom building and a nice view of the Colorado River. At the end of the parking lot, the hike begins.
The trail starts out easy, but soon turns into an adventurous climb uphill. Along the way you will see traces of Raptor legs and once on top of the mountain you will discover impressive murals. For very young children, this climb may be too tough, but with our kids ages 10 and 7, it was doable – and they loved it. For older kids, it is definitely recommended! Remember to put on sturdy shoes and bring plenty of water and sun protection.
#5 Moab
Moab is a charming tourist town in the middle of the desert and rocky terrain. In our opinion, it is the ideal base for various activities in this region. Moab has a long main street on which you will find several hotels, nice stores and cozy restaurants. You certainly won’t be bored in this place and its surroundings!
What we really liked was the food truck park located on this main road. Here you will find various food trucks with something for everyone and at fine prices. It was very hot when we stayed in Moab and then it is nice to be able to sit there in the shade. They also have garden hoses hanging everywhere where they have “mist” spraying out of them. This provides pleasant cooling while you eat and drink something.
If you visit the food truck park, don’t miss Miss Gelato! They sell super tasty Hawaiian Shave Ice here in a variety of flavors. Portions are American-style, so we could easily share 1 small ice cream with 2 people. We found it the perfect stop to grab an ice cream and cool off after visiting a national park.
In addition to the cozy restaurants and stores found on the main street, you also have several supermarkets in Moab. Nice to stock up on some food/drink for the road, though, because in the parks like Arches and Canyonlands you don’t have an opportunity to really buy some food. Bottled drinks are sold only at the Visitor centers which are often at the beginning of the park. You will also find several providers of more adventurous activities in Moab, such as sand baby carriage rides in the area, rafting on the Colorado River or mountain biking.
#6 Fort Bluff Utah
Should you be near Monument Valley or Page near Lake Powell during your visit to Moab with kids, a stop at Fort Bluff with your kids is highly recommended. This is an old fort in the town of Bluff where there is much to do for kids, and it is a nice break from the often long car rides. Fort Bluff is about a 1-hour and 45-minute drive from Moab.
As the name suggests, Fort Bluff is an ancient settlement. You can find several wooden houses in which the first inhabitants of this region lived. The cabins have been well maintained and furnished with period furniture, often by relatives of the original residents, restoring them to their original condition as much as possible. In each cottage you will also read the story of the family that used to live there.
You will also see covered wagons, wigwams from various Indian tribes that have lived in the area and several activities especially for kids. At the café – where they sell tasty drinks, cookies and ice cream – you can pick up a scavenger hunt.
Afterwards, kids even get a free ice cream! Furthermore, they can race ping-pong balls through running water from a water wheel and, according to our kids the absolute highlight: searching for gold! Free fabric pouches will be available in which you can take home the “nuggets” you have found.
A visit to Fort Bluff feels like you really do imagine yourself in an old cowboy settlement for a while.
#7 Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a 2.5-hour drive from Moab. We visited it as we drove toward Page. You literally drive past it, so it’s a perfect chance to take in this iconic landscape. Monument Valley is located on the Navajo reservation. Most famous are the three large red rock formations that you probably recognize from movies. You can admire these up close in the park itself. For this, you pay an entrance fee. Note: Monument Valley is a state park and not a national park, so the America the Beautiful Pass is not valid here.
In the park you will find a visitor center with a restaurant, store and museum. Kids can also participate in a Junior Ranger Program here. It is not the official program, but after completing the tasks, they do receive a beautiful badge – this time even a gold one!
You can explore the park in several ways. The hiking trails are longer though and therefore less suitable with small kids, especially in the hot summer months. A fine way to explore the valley is by car. You then drive a route along the iconic rocks via a dirt road and can see them up close.
Even without access to the park, you can already get a glimpse of the valley. Around the park are several beautiful viewpoints. And for those who have seen the movie Forrest Gump, here you will find the famous “Forrest Gump Point. Our kids loved reenacting the scene and running across the road with Monument Valley in the background. Fortunately, many motorists know this point and are mindful of people taking pictures here.
Family-friendly hotel Moab
In Moab, there are several options for lodging with kids. We stayed at The Gonzo Inn. A small hotel with friendly staff and a wonderful breakfast bar where you have many delicious and healthy options for breakfast. We had a very spacious family room with a balcony, there was an option to wash your clothes (especially nice if you are on tour for several weeks) and a pool with plenty of chairs and sun beds.
At the pool, they have free water and lemonade for guests. The hotel is on a side street off the main street and a supermarket is around the corner. The ideal base we found! Look online for more information about The Gonzo Inn.
Of course, there are several other family-friendly accommodations in Moab. We list some well-reviewed family-friendly accommodations below.
Budget accommodation: Red Stone Inn
Middle Class Accommodation: Big Horn Lodge
Luxury Accommodation: Red Cliffs Lodge Moab
Also, check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Moab.
Tips Moab with kids
Family-friendly restaurant Moab
There are several family-friendly restaurants in Moab. Almost everywhere there are children’s menus with accessible dishes at a friendly price. We ourselves were big fans of the food truck park, where you can eat outside out of the sun and order different dishes to share – ideal with kids!
Another recommendation is the Moab Diner, an old-fashioned diner on Main Street. Here you choose a classic American burger with fries or a hot dog. After a week and a half in America, we were also ready for some variety. Therefore, we had a delicious meal at Arches Thai, where we enjoyed various Thai dishes. If your kids love Thai cuisine, this is definitely recommended!
Best travel time
Moab can be visited year-round, but due to the desert climate, temperatures are often extreme. In winter, it can freeze and sometimes even snow. In summer, especially in July and August, the mercury often rises well above 30 degrees. Rain is rare, so there is little chance of a rainy day.
The most pleasant months for activities are April through June and September/October. We visited Moab in July, when it averaged 37 degrees – pretty hot! Our advice: head out early and cool off in the pool at your hotel in the afternoon. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, use sunscreen and wear a cap or hat, as sun intensity is very high. With the right preparations, it is doable even in summer.
Transportation
For most families, Moab is a stopover during a tour of America. We flew into Denver and drove from there to Moab in 5.5 hours, with a layover in Glenwood Springs. This charming mountain village is very cozy in summer and a fine place for winter sports in winter. There are no direct flights from Amsterdam, Brussels or Düsseldorf to Denver.
Another option is to fly to Salt Lake City in Utah. This is a 3.5-hour drive from Moab and direct flights are available here. Tip: book your plane tickets early, they are often cheaper. Through websites like skyscanner.com or kiwi.com, you can easily find the best options for your family. At Denver and Salt Lake City airports you can rent a car, for example through Sunny Cars. Because the distances in America are great (even within cities), a rental car is actually essential.
About the author: We, Ronald and Maartje love to go “on adventures” with our 2 kids, discovering the world and making memories for life.
