The Best Things to do in Moab
How to Spend an Afternoon In Moab
Moab, the only town in Utah on the Colorado River is located in Canyon Country on the Colorado Plateau. The now-prosperous town of Moab had a rocky beginning! Founders of the town had to face Ute Indians which prevented a white settlement here for more than twenty years. By the 1830s, the river crossing at Moab became a critical stopping point on the famous Old Spanish Trail trading route that stretched from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, even though there wasn’t a permanent settlement here.
It wasn’t until 1877 when the Uti were moved to reservations, that settlers returned to Moab and started farms, orchards, and ranches. In the late 1890s, Moab was typical of a “wild west” town. It became known as the toughest town in Utah because the surrounding countryside had many deep canyons, rivers, mountains, and wilderness areas. For this reason, it became a favorite hideout for many outlaw gangs. Among the most infamous of these outlaws were Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch.
Uranium and vanadium were discovered here in 1910 and in 1920, manganese, oil, and gas were found. Mining surged, a railroad was built, and Moab thrived. In 1952, Charlie Steen discovered one of the country’s richest uranium deposits and the boom began. Sadly, by 1966, the Federal Government contracts to buy uranium ended, and Moab set its sights on tourism.
Some of the Best Things to Do in Moab
Today, Moab is famous for its outdoor recreation and you can find just about any outdoor activity that you can imagine. Mountain biking, hiking, rafting, off-road tours, climbing, canyoneering, jet boat tours, horseback riding, National Park tours, scenic flights, and more.
If you have an afternoon to spend in Moab and need a change of pace from outdoor adventure activities, exploring historic downtown Moab is an ideal alternative. If finding the perfect souvenir during your Utah adventure is part of your trip plan, then Moab’s Main Street might be the best opportunity for you to do some shopping.
All of the shops on Main Street are locally owned and offer a unique selection of gifts and souvenirs found nowhere else. Right in the heart of downtown is Moab Made, a modern art shop brimming with local crafts making it easy to find a little piece of Moab to take home with you. Lema’s Kokopelli Gallery offers an exquisite selection of authentic Navajo jewelry including bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces. Back Beyond Bookstore specializes in hard-to-find natural history and regional titles of the Colorado Plateau which will give you a better understanding of the area that you are visiting. Arches Trading Post offers various gift items, t-shirts, hats, Christmas decorations, and many local items at reasonable prices. Another gift shop to check out is Moab Momento which offers a lovely selection of locally made items and t-shirts.
If you enjoy museums, Moab has three interesting museums that are sure not to disappoint. The Moab Museum, for example, traces the many fascinating facets of Moab’s past and present history and culture. The Moab Giants Dinosaur Museum Park is the first of its kind worldwide. Set against Moab’s extraordinary landscape, visitors walk in the tracks of state-of-the-art, life-size dinosaurs and take a 3-D journey back to prehistory. If you are a movie buff, head to the Film Museum at Red Cliffs Ranch. Countless movies and over 100 commercials have been filmed in Moab because of the area’s magnificent scenery.
If you have worked up an appetite no worries, locally owned restaurants dominate the downtown scene in Moab. Dewey’s Restaurant and Bar serves New American cuisine, Blu Pig BBQ & Blues Joint serves a variety of slow-smoked meats and offers live entertainment, the Broken Oar serves pasta, seafood, and BBQ, and Moab Brewery has ales and IPAs along with casual southwestern food and, is in easy walking distance of the Greenwell Inn. Sweet Cravings is a cute cafe that serves sandwiches, wraps, paninis, and baked goods, perfect for a light lunch.
If you want to get out of downtown for dinner, head to the historic Sunset Grill in the 1953 mansion of Charlie Steen of uranium fame. In addition to a commanding view of Moab, this restaurant serves a classic American menu from prime rib, shrimp scampi, and raspberry duck, to Idaho trout and fettuccine Alfredo. Best of all they offer a free shuttle service during normal restaurant hours from any hotel in Moab.
There is so much to see and do in downtown Moab making it a great place to spend an afternoon on your next trip to Utah.