The Ultimate 3 Day Moab Itinerary: Arches and Canyonlands
Are you planning a trip to Moab? Trying to decide what to do in Moab and and how to put it all together? Well, look no further.
I have crafted the ultimate 3 Day Moab Itinerary! You can simply follow it to a T! My family and I went on a road trip to Moab in the summer and I outline the exact itinerary we used (unless stated otherwise).
Of course, feel free to customize it to your liking and schedule. However, I must say, this Moab itinerary worked perfectly for my family. We felt we were able to see a good sample of what Moab had to offer. The ultimate 3 day Moab itinerary includes hiking at Arches and Canyonlands National Park, seeing sunset at Deadhorse State Park, and rafting the Colorado River.
Let’s get to it!
Day zero consists of the travel to Moab. For my family, we rented a van and took a road trip from Los Angeles to a Moab. It took us nearly 13 hours with stops for gas, bathroom breaks, and dinner (and boba) in Las Vegas. 750 miles later and very much past midnight, we sleepily arrived at our hotel in Moab.
Moab is the perfect place to call your home for the next 3 days for this itinerary. Moab is ideal to take day trips to nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Park. Next up: what to do in Moab in 3 days.
Day 1: Arches National Park
Day 1 of the 3 Day Moab Itinerary consists of exploring Arches National Park, which is just five to six miles away from Moab! Your objective for Day 1 is to spot as many arches as you can because you are in Arches National Park after all.
It’s okay to have a late start in the morning like we did, because if you are traveling in the summer, the sun sets late. A late start in the day is also nice if you had a long travel day the day before.
Arches National Park Entry
It is $30 to enter Arches National Park per vehicle. Or…if you have the America the Beautiful National Park Pass, you can enter for free.
Also, before we get to the points of interest at Arches National Park, I recommend going in the exact order we did as there is no need to backtrack on the roads.
Garden of Eden Viewpoint
The Garden of Eden Viewpoint is a great place to start your day at Arches National Park. Appreciate the vastness of the area and the towering rock formations jutting out of the Earth.
Along the drive there, you could also see Balanced Rock in the distance. We didn’t stop there, but you certainly can! Personally, I think the balanced rock in Idaho was more spectacular.
My family and I did a little exploring around the Garden of Eden area. No defined trails here, but we went through these two rock formations and even spotted a park ranger eating her lunch. People started following us as if we found a trail. It was the blind leading the blind.
Double Arch
Double Arch is just a mile down the road from the Garden of Eden Viewpoint. Parking was a little tight over here, but we managed without having to do another circle around the road. The “hike” to double arch is just 0.6 miles out and back; you can even see it from the parking lot.
And it’s way more massive when you get up close!
Double Arch is the tallest arch in Arches National Park. In my opinion this was the second grandest arch, just behind Delicate Arch (but more on that later). Double Arch is a easy arch to see with the family, great for all ages.
And if you want a thrill, you can rock scramble around (like my cousins did) to get a better vantage point. Just be careful, especially on the way down! You may have to go on your butt.
The Windows Loop and Turret Arch Trail
We did not plan on hiking to “The Windows”, but a visitor on the way down from Double Arch encouraged us to do it, so we followed her advice. The trailhead to The Windows loop is actually from the same parking lot for Double Arch so it was easy to tack on to the itinerary.
We ended up only going to the North Window (pictured above) since we had other hikes planned for the day. We skipped the South Window and Turret Arch, but if you are up for it, you can see them along this loop trail, which is just 1.2 miles long and 154 ft elevation gain. Another very family friendly hike that is well-marked.
You can see Turret Arch if you look westward from the North Window.
Sand Dune Arch
Next is Sand Dune Arch, which is a 15 minute drive north from the previous spot. Sand Dune arch is very different from the other arches because of the terrain. You walk along the desert sand through a short slot canyon. It feels like you are in a Star Wars set of Tatooine.
Sand Dune Arch is 0.3 mile round trip. Not much of a hike at all. So once again, perfect for families! This is a great arch to see to diversify your day trip to Arches National Park.
Broken Arch
From the same trailhead, you can hike to Broken Arch.
This was also not on our original itinerary, but once again, another random visitor made a recommendation. Broken Arch is just one mile round trip so we decided to do it. However, we maybe should have skipped this one because the heat was definitely pounding now.
Despite the delirium from the heat, some of my cousins and my boyfriend, scrambled up the base of the arch, and I managed to take a music album-esque photo of them. So maybe it was worth it.
While it was a pretty big arch, I’d say this was my least favorite. A fine arch, but without the wow factor. However, if you want peace and quiet, put this on your list. We were virtually the only ones who did this hike!
Devils Garden (Landscape Arch and Double O Arch)
Devils Garden is the big hike of the day. The best (and most strenuous) for last.
We did a modified out and back route for the hike that was about 5 miles. It was perfect to see the main sights: Landscape Arch and Double O Arch.
However, if you want to do the entire loop with the primitive trail and see all of the arches (including Tunnel, Pine Tree, Private, Dark Angel, Partition, and Navajo Arch), then it is about 8 miles.
The hike I’d say is family friendly up until Landscape arch. After that, Devil’s Garden is much more strenuous. The modified route we took had some rock scrambling and narrow sections that got our heart pounding and even made some of us back out, so I wouldn’t advise going beyond Landscape Arch for the faint of heart!
Landscape Arch
it takes about a mile to reach Landscape Arch, which is easy and relatively flat. Landscape Arch is one of the longest arches in the world and certainly the longest in Arches National Park, spanning 306 feet. As you can see, it is super thin. It makes you wonder how it hasn’t broken in two by now.
There is a little outlet to get closer to the arch. Take some pics and then it is off to the difficult sections.
Rock Scramble and Narrow Section at Devils Garden
Here are my cousins being happy we survived a rock scramble section. I don’t know if there is an exact name for this steep, narrow, rock scramble section, but it was quite the challenge! Below is a picture of us descending it once we were on our way back to the car.
Not too long after here, is an exposed high road of narrow rock that will test your fear of heights. It certainly did for my cousins and sister, so much so they opted to stay behind and wait for the rest of us to finish. Basically, you have cliffs on both sides of you. There was even a spot where you had to make a small jump over a crevice, like you were in a Crash Bandicoot game or something.
Personally, I thought it was fun!
Double O Arch
After another half mile or so, we made it to the end of the hike. Well… 3 out of 7 of us did anyways!
As you can see, Double O Arch is aptly named. You could go closer to the arch and hike even further to see the Dark Angel Arch, but after a long day of arch spotting and hikes (and the godforsaken heat), we were more than satisfied with what we had already accomplished.
Alright Day 1 of the 3 Day Moab Itinerary is done! Hike back 2.5 miles to the car, drive back to Moab and reward yourself with some dinner. We ate Italian at Pasta Jay’s. The portions were generous, and more importantly, the food was divine.
Day 2: Canyonlands National Park and Deadhorse State Park
Day 2 of the 3 Day Moab Itinerary is a more chill day with less hiking and more sight-seeing. Your sore legs from the day before will thank you. My family and I ate breakfast at the hotel and then it was off to Canyonlands National Park, about a 40 minute drive from Moab.
Just like Arches National Park, it’s the same deal at Canyonlands with the entry fee. And similarly, you can follow the itinerary for Canyonlands National Park in the exact order. Okay, first up, the infamous Mesa Arch!
Mesa Arch
The hike to Mesa Arch is 0.7 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 88 ft. An easy hike perfect for the family. Be warned you may need to wait your turn to take your photos in front of the arch.
Mesa Arch is probably the most photographed spot in all of Canyonlands and for good reason too. Mesa Arch is like a window into the dramatic desert landscape. I thought Mesa Arch was going to be overhyped, but I’m glad I was proven wrong! The views were unbeatable.
You can get an early start in the day to capture the sunrise at Mesa Arch, but seeing it midday is still a treat. Here I am standing to the left side of Mesa Arch, giving my approval of the scenery.
Being here felt like I was I stepped into Episode 5 of my favorite video game, Life is Strange 2. If you know you know.
Buck Canyon Overlook
3.5 miles down the road is the next point of interest: Buck Canyon Overlook. It looked like a canyon within a canyon. I would say Canyonlands National Park reminds me a lot of the Grand Canyon.
Grand View Point Overlook
Grand View Point is the southernmost tip of the Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park. It was quite spectacular to see these finger like projections seemingly imprinted onto the desert canyon.
If you are up for it, you can also hike the Grand View Point Trail from the parking lot for more views of the area. It’s an easy 1.6 mile, 160 ft elevation gain hike that you can tack on to your day. My family and I opted not to because we wanted to relax more today and the views seemed already amazing from the trailhead.
Candlestick Tower Overlook
Drive 10 minutes back up North to reach the Candlestick Tower Overlook. Of note, there are no signs for the pull out, so just use Google Maps to alert you when you arrive. The Candlestick Tower is the rock formation a bit right from the center of the picture above. This was my favorite overlook.
This was a great spot to just chill and hang around for a bit. Lots of great photo ops and open terrain to do a bit of exploring without a trail. I am sure this would be a great spot for sunset.
Whale Rock Trail
Whale Rock was the only hike we did that actually felt like a hike at Canyonlands National Park. It is a 0.8 mile out and back trail with 131 ft elevation gain and a couple of steep sections. Even though only a bit longer than the trek to Mesa Arch, I think the heat made this especially hard; I mean…we were in 100+ degree y’all. Every step was an effort.
At the end of the hike, you are on this big rock (I’m assuming Whale Rock heh) that will give you 360 degree views around the area.
Island in the Sky Visitor Center
After a few hours of exploring Canyonlands National Park, stop at the visitor center to buy any merch or souvenirs. The store is a bit small, but I was able to find a decent magnet for my magnet collection.
We didn’t see it, but you can also make a pitstop at Shafer Trail Viewpoint for another stunning view. It’s just before the Visitor Center, so keep your eyes peeled.
Arches National Park Visitor Center
Because Day 1’s itinerary was packed with hikes, we didn’t have time to check out the Visitor Center at Arches National Park. We decided to go there after Canyonlands National Park since it was on the way back to Moab. Plus, the visitor center at Arches is right at the entrance to the park, so it was super convenient.
Downtown Moab
After getting back from Canyonlands and the quick pitstop at Arches, now is a good time to just chill at Moab. My family and I had lunch and most of us took a nap back in our well air-conditioned hotel room.
After a bit of rest, some of us went to check out Downtown Moab, which our hotel was just a few blocks away from. This is a great chance to check out the souvenir shops, local clothing stores, and other family owned boutiques.
Sunset at Deadhorse State Park
Last on the itinerary for Day 2 of the 3 Day Moab Itinerary is watching the sunset at Deadhorse State Park. This is a must-do in my books.
Deadhorse borders Canyonlands National Park so it has a very similar vibe, but with an even better view of the Colorado River. Theoretically, you could visit Deadhorse State Park right after Canyonlands National Park, but my family and I wanted to see Deadhorse at sunset. And…it was well worth it to drive back at night!
I’d recommend getting here about 30 minutes to an hour before the actual sunset so you could do a bit of exploring. Set your google maps to “Deadhorsepoint” and from there you can go along the West Rim Trail to see the sunset. There is no bad view to watch the sunset. Find a good slab of rock and soak in the views.
This was one of my favorite sunsets. It is up there right with the sunset at Cape Flattery.
That’s it for Day Two!
Day 3: Colorado River Rafting and Delicate Arch
We have reached Day 3 of the 3 Day Moab Itinerary. And well…I have saved the best for last!
Colorado River Rafting at Castle Valley
Book an early morning whitewater rafting excursion along the Colorado River for the most incredible experience. I think my family and I are in collective agreement that this was the highlight of the entire trip!
We booked a trip to Castle Valley with Mild to Wild Rafting Jeep Tours. Because most of us have never rafted before and one of us didn’t know how to swim (*cough* Andrew *cough*), we opted for the Class I and II rapids trip. While it was the tamest levels, it still ended up being very thrilling! We are ready for Class III now.
You meet at the designated call time at the rafting company’s office in Moab. There, you put on your gear with assistance from the staff. Then, you board a bus for a 30-45 minute drive North along the Colorado River.
Then, at the docking site, they put you into groups of 10 or so and you’re off with a guide! Our guide was super chill and let us even try steering the water craft.
At certain sections, he allowed us to swim in the river itself. In the above picture, there were small swells that you could float along with down the river. I opted not to, but my boyfriend and my cousin did, and said it was a cool experience.
One of my cousin’s brought a Go Pro with him and I’m so glad he did. You’re not allowed to bring your phone with you, so not many people get the opportunity to take photos and videos. Thanks Adam!
I mean, this was just a top tier experience. I highly recommend.
Delicate Arch at Sunset
After doing the AM rafting trip, we ate lunch in Moab and rested up at the hotel. Then, about two hours before sunset we headed off to Delicate Arch, the most infamous arch probably in the world. It’s the arch you see on the standard Utah license plate.
The hike is at Arches National Park and is about a 30 minute drive from Moab. The hike is a 3.2 mile out and back trail with 629 ft of elevation gain. Also, I’d recommend going at sunset because… 1) who doesn’t like a sunset (?) and 2) it is so hot during the summer days and it is much cooler later in the day. Seriously, I think the high that day was 110 or something ridiculous.
Be prepared for crowds at Delicate Arch. At times, there was a line to take pictures underneath the arch. It didn’t detract too much from the experience though; we stayed in the area for about a half hour and it was cool to see the colors change in the sky.
The natural color of the red rocks was very reminiscent of when I watched the sunset at Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona.
Of course, we had a photo shoot to update all of our social media profiles. Heh. The arch was even more cool in person.
Eventually, it was time to head back. Not too far away from the arch, is Twisted Donut Arch. You have to rock scramble your way up, but you get rewarded with another vantage of Delicate Arch from afar.
Make sure you bring a headlamp or flashlight for the 1.6 mile journey back to the parking lot! Thankfully, there were a lot of people to light up the trail. We made it back, had dinner, and that was the end of day 3 in Moab. Ending our Moab trip with Delicate Arch just seemed like the cherry on top for an already exquisite trip.
So that’s it folks. That is the end of the 3 Day itinerary in Moab. And I can confidently say 3 days in Moab is the perfect amount of time to experience the area, especially if you are short on time.
The next day we drove the entire day back home to Southern California, listening to all the playlists and reading reddit posts.
Top Tips for 3 Day Moab Itinerary
Tip #1: Be prepared for the heat in the Summer
One thing I did not consider when I started booking the trip was the HEAT. We went in the middle of June and most days it was over 100 degrees. My cousins and I are all relatively young and active so we were able to get by with the hikes, but the heat made it at least twice as hard as they should have been.
There were countless moments before each hike, where I’d get out of the air-conditioned car, the heat would strike your entire body, and I’d think to myself “oh boy, here we go again.”
So if you want to spare yourself the heat, I’d recommend going a different season or when it’s just generally less hot. I have no personal regrets about going when we did, because we still had an absolute blast, but just warning you in case 100+ degree heat plays a factor in your trip planning.
Tip #2 Do an activity (aside from hiking)
I am an avid hiker. I love myself a good hike. But it was nice to change it up and do a different activity. My family did whitewater rafting, but there are several other options for outdoors activities such as jeep tours, zip lining, rock climbing, horseback riding, and even stargazing. I mean… you’re in Moab, the “Adventure Capitol of the West.”
When in Rome, do as the Roman’s do.
Tip #3 Download maps before you go
National Parks are known to have terrible signal, and Arches and Canyonlands National Parks are no different. You can download the map of the parks on Google Maps ahead of time. That way when you do lose signal, and are going from point A to point B, you’ll still be able to route to the next destination with GPS.
Verdict: Should you plan a trip to Moab?
Yes! You absolutely should. This was the perfect trip for my family to go on our 1st annual “Cousins” trip. The perfect mixture of adventure, relaxation, and nature.
Overall I’d give Moab a 10 out of 10. It was truly outstanding and I’m glad I got to experience the area with my family.
I found 3 days in Moab to be the perfect amount of time to experience the area and see everything we wanted to see. Of course, there is plenty more to do, but 3 days in Moab allowed us to do the area justice.
I hope this itinerary helped you with what to do in Moab!
If you have any questions about the itinerary, feel free to comment below!
Til the next adventure,
– Keanu @9to5TravelGuy
2 thoughts on “The Ultimate 3 Day Moab Itinerary: Arches and Canyonlands”
Such a fun trip! Lolol those reddit posts
I still read then pretty regularly!