National & State Parks

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is an amazing family park. Foot trails lead to many park features. You can see a lot from your car, but to get a sense of the timelessness and the scale, spend some time hiking and enjoying the park. A 41-mile round-trip paved road in the park leads to the major sights, including Balanced Rock, Skyline Arch, and the Fiery Furnace. In summer, rangers lead guided walks. Bicycles are welcome on roads in the park. Our favourite hikes are the hikes to Delicate Arch and Corona Arch.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park has three districts: Islands in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze, which includes Horseshoe Canyon with its life-size petroglyphs and pictographs.

The Islands in the Sky district is the most popular for visitors. From the Inn it is a 1-hour scenic drive. The Island provides easy access to overlooks with spectacular views of the canyons and other geological formations.

Manti-La Sal National Forest

The La Sal Mountains are one of the best kept secrets in the Moab area. Dramatic landscapes of alpine mountains and high desert plateau come together with striking contrast and beauty.  The La Sals are the second highest mountain range in Utah, and offer fishing, biking, hiking and camping. We recommend that you opt to drive the entire scenic loop, stopping in at Warner and Oowah Lakes – the 2 to 4 hours are well worth it. Otherwise you can take the more direct, 10-mile route from the Inn.

Dead Horse Point State Park

Perhaps Utah’s most spectacular state park, Dead Horse Point towers 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, providing an astonishing panorama of the sculptured pinnacles and buttes of Canyonland.