Moab: Mecca for outdoors enthusiasts

MOAB — Moab is a Mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Your first clue — every vehicle is towing, hauling or carting some sort of two- or four-wheeled toy. Now, there are three new ways to get your Moab on.

The Adventure Park Moab “high ropes challenge course” sits just on the edge of town, giving you a chance to test your skills before you head for the hills. It’s perfect for the entire family.

While there are several ways to get down, I “highly” recommend the swing.

When you climb off the ropes course, it’s time to climb on a paddle board. That’s right. Paddle boarding has now made its way to the Colorado River with more and more outfitters offering excursions. It’s perfect for some of the slow, meandering sections of river.

For the first time ever, you can add some zip to your Moab trip.

After 2 years of planning and preparations, Raven’s Rim is now open with six zip lines crossing canyons and cracks with slick rock trail below, all with stop-in-your-tracks views of Arches National Park and the La Sal Mountains. Just the razor ride up to the lines is worth the price of admission.

God’s Crib

It’s been said in these parts, that God made the world in six days, and He made Moab so He could have a place to rest on the seventh day.

Where else on this planet can you find such a concentrated cluster of geographical wonders in a 200 mile radius?

  • Six state parks, including Dead Horse Point, Goosenecks and Goblin Valley
  • Three national monuments — Rainbow Bridge, Natural Bridges and Hovenweep
  • A national Recreation Area at Glen Canyon, home of Lake Powell
  • Three of the state’s five national parks — Arches, Canyonlands and the often over-looked Capital Reef

Each feature their own unique form, feel and fingerprints of time.

Westwater

Another Moab highlight channels your inner John Wesley Powell.

Westwater is a stretch of the Colorado River that begins right along the Utah-Colorado border and has remained largely unchanged from days when Powell and his crew explored the Green and Colorado rivers.

After a couple of hours of drifting and day dreaming, the first 7 miles are over and it’s time for a quick stop for lunch to allow everyone a chance to refuel before the rapids. You’ll need it.

Over the next 2 1/2 miles the river will drop more than 50 feet, launching you through rapids with names like Big Hummer, Funnel Falls, Skull and Sock-it-to-Me. — a series of class three and four rapids.

Jeep Crawling

From the mighty Colorado River to the famed slickrock, Moab is a top destination of thrill seekers.

Our guide is a four wheeling legend around these parts named Dan Mick

“I love to take people out here,” he said. “I say we like to make memories that last a lifetime, one day at a time. You know, I’ve got knew victims — I mean, customers — to take out and show the beautiful scenery to every week.”

The Golden Crack is just one of the more exciting obstacles on the trail. There’s no bypass. Drop your tires in the crack, hope you don’t roll over and hope you don’t do too much damage coming out.

He takes time to show you the local history, the landscape and has fun, even if it means scaring the daylights out of you.

Up close the “magic bush” doesn’t look too magical. Dan makes sure everyone touches the bush on the edge of the cliff. Take a few steps back however, and the magic unfolds.

“We used to hang a $10 bill on it and see who was bold enough to go get it,” he said.

One thing is for certain, Dan and his son Richard will show you a great time and will make sure you remember your time down in Moab on Dan Mick’s Jeep Tours.

Add comment

Get In Touch

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.