The drive from Moab, Utah to Lake Powell in Arizona is one of the most gorgeous in the United States. At only 4 and a half hours, it’s easy to complete in one day, but I suggest stopping halfway and staying a night in Monument Valley. Moab has the most to do as far as hiking, biking, and places to hang out in town. I suggest staying 3 nights in Moab, 1 night at Monument Valley, and 3 nights at Lake Powell. Here’s my guide for a 7-day Southwest Road Trip from Moab to Lake Powell.
- Contents
1. Moab, Utah
For this trip, fly into and out of Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) in Moab and rent a car there. We found our flights on United.
Where to Stay in Moab
Hotels:
- Where we stayed: Hotel Moab Downtown
- What we liked:
- Cheap ($100/night)
- Pool
- Great location, walkable
- What we liked:
- Other options:
- Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn
- Great, walkable location
- Firepit & cute outdoor area
- $250/night
- Splurge:
- Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection by Hilton
- $270-$350/night
- Gorgeous pool
- Great rooms with a view
- Great location, walkable
- Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection by Hilton
- Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn
Glamping:
- Under Canvas Moab
- Get the “camping feel” but with the comforts of a bed and bathroom
- These teepee style tents are gorgeously furnished with great views
- Near Canyonlands National Park and also very close to Arches
Campsites:
- In Arches National Park:
- In Dead Horse Point State Park:
- Kayenta Campground or Wingate Campground
- Near Island in the Sky Entrance for Canyonlands NP
- In Moab:
- Gold Bar Campground
- Located just 15 minutes from downtown
- Campsite is on the Colorado river with beautiful red rock views all around
- Right across from the trailhead for the Corona Arch hike
- Free campsites near Arches:
What to do in Moab
Arches National Park:
Get into the park before sunrise to beat the lines in. Hike delicate arch first (start before sunrise) and then hike Devil’s Garden and Double Arch. Then drive to view Balanced Rock, The Windows, Turret Arch, and La Sal Viewpoint. Bring plenty of water, food, and snacks and you can knock out Arches NP in one day.
- Hikes:
- Delicate Arch
- 3.2 miles total
- Moderate
- The most popular hike in the park, I suggest being in the parking lot before sunrise to start the hike
- Devil’s Garden
- 7.9 miles
- Moderate
- Very popular hike as well
- You’ll pass 8 arches: Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch, Private Arch, Dark Angel Arch, Double O Arch, Partition Arch, Navajo Arch, and finally Landscape Arch.
- Double Arch Trail
- 0.6 miles out and back- in fact you can see the arch from the parking lot (but make the walk to get closer)
- Easy
- Delicate Arch
- Popular spots to see in Arches:
- Balanced Rock
- The Windows
- Turret Arch
- La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
Canyonlands National Park
There are three different areas in Canyonlands: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Island in the Sky is the closest to Moab with the visitor center about a 40-minute drive from downtown. The Maze is the farthest and the most remote area. The Needles is about an hour and a half south of downtown. Canyonlands is huge. I suggest picking one area to explore for the day. Island in the Sky is a good choice because there are lots of hikes and it is the closest to downtown. You’ll need extra days to visit the other sections. If you want to spend a day in The Needles, you can camp one night at Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground on your way to Monument Valley.
- Island in the Sky Entrance
- Hikes:
- Grandview Point Trail
- 1.8 miles total
- Great views of the canyon rim
- Easy
- Mesa Arch Trail
- 0.7 miles total
- Easy
- Great view of the canyon through an arch
- Shafer Canyon Overlook
- At 0.3 miles total, this is an easy walk out to an incredible viewpoint
- Grandview Point Trail
- Can’t Miss Activity:
- My favorite thing we did in Canyonlands NP was drive Shafer Trail back to Moab. Make sure you have a 4X4 high clearance vehicle and you can take the long way back to town. It will take you about 3 hours to drive this 19-mile off-road trail back to Moab but it’s well worth it! The drive was easy as far as off-road trails go – nothing technical about it. Anyone with the appropriate vehicle will be able to do this and have a great time
- Hikes:
- The Needles Entrance
- Hikes:
- Druid Arch Trail
- 10.4 miles
- Moderate
- Chesler Park Viewpoint
- 5.4 miles
- Moderate
- Druid Arch Trail
- Where to camp in Needles District:
- Hikes:
Other hikes in Moab:
- Corona Arch Trail
- 2.4 miles
- Easy
- 15 minutes from downtown Moab
- I recommend going for sunset. The views are amazing
- Dead Horse Rim Loop Trail
- 5 miles
- Moderate
- 40 minutes from downtown
- Located in Dead Horse Point State Park which is near Island in the Sky Canyonlands NP entrance
- Best views in Moab
Things to do in Downtown Moab
- Food:
- Breakfast:
- Lunch:
- Dinner:
- The Spoke on Center
- Pasta Jay’s
- Moab Diner (for milkshakes)
- Late Night/ Drinks:
- Woody’s Tavern
- This is the only actual “bar” in Moab. It’s got a divey feel, good music, cheap drinks, foosball, and lots of fun. Definitely grab a drink here. Gets more fun after 9pm. Right across from Hotel Moab Downtown
- Woody’s Tavern
2. Monument Valley
The drive from Moab to Monument Valley will take you about 2 hours and 40 minutes but give yourself extra time to make a few fun stops along the way. Make sure to leave enough time to get in well before sunset. Leave early in the morning if you plan to make all of the stops listed below.
Stops to make between Moab and Monument Valley:
- Wilson Arch
- 30 minutes outside Moab
- Park and hike 5 minutes up a steep hill to see this giant arch and view
- Drive Valley of the Gods Road
- 2 hours south of Moab
- Bumpy gravel road, suitable for all cars in good weather
- 16-mile scenic drive through the red sandstone pillars and buttes of Bears Ear National Monument
- FYI, there are free first come first serve campsites all along the road as it is BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) which is federally funded
- Mexican Hat Rock
- 10 minutes south of Valley of the Gods
- Park and hike about 0.7 miles out and back to see the famous Mexican hat rock
- Located in Goosenecks State Park
- Goosenecks State Park
- Forrest Gump Point
- 10 minutes south of Mexican Hat
- Pull over and take a photo in front of the famous spot with views of Monument Valley in the back
Where to stay in Monument Valley
- Hotels:
- Where we stayed: The Premium Cabins at The View Hotel
- One of my favorite stays ever
- Make sure to book the “premium view” cabin to have the best view of Monument Valley right from your back porch
- Book early, these sell out
- Only $139 per night
- Located on Navajo tribal land, there is a small fee to enter the area. Pay at the gate
- You’ll have access to the hotel restaurant and the scenic drive and walking paths located within the tribal area
- Goulding’s Lodge
- Make sure to book a room with balcony to get views of Monument Valley from your porch
- $139 per night
- Free shuttle service and Monument Valley tours for guests
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Camping nearby:
- Camp for free on first come first serve BLM land off of Valley of the Gods Road
- Monument Valley KOA Journey
- great views
- KOA sites are reliable with showers, bathrooms, sometimes laundry sites
- $55/night
What to do in Monument Valley:
- Relax and enjoy the views (from your porch if you stay at one of the above listed places)
- Watch sunset, star gaze at night
- Drive Monument Valley Scenic Drive
- If you stayed at The View Cabins or hotel, you are already in the tribal area and won’t have to pay a fee to enter. Otherwise, pay the fee at the gate
- Beautiful 14 mile scenic drive
- Dirt road, easy for any car in good weather
3. Lake Powell
Where to stay at Lake Powell:
- Lake Powell Resort & Marina
- Affordable rooms right on Lake Powell ($109/night or $150/night room with view)
- The resort has a gorgeous pool with views of Lake Powell
- There is a poolside restaurant/bar as well as a cafe and another restaurant on premise
What to do at Lake Powell:
- Take a private boat tour on Lake Powell: book here
- Reserve ahead of time
- Walk down to the marina at the resort and meet your captain who will guide you through canyons and show you all around gorgeous Lake Powell
- Pay by the hour
- Our captain let us choose exactly where we wanted to go and how we wanted to spend our time
- Hike to Horseshoe bend
- 1.5 miles total
- Easy
- Tour Antelope Canyon: book here
- Because the antelope canyon is on tribal land, the only way to access it is on a guided tour
- Reserve ahead of time
- Meet at designated area (12 minutes from hotel) and you’ll take a bus to the canyon
- Easy, 1/2 mild leisurely walk
- The tour takes about 30 minutes and involves lots of photos and stories from your guide
After staying your last night at Lake Powell, pack up early the next morning to drive 4 hours back to Moab to catch your flight home. We toyed with the idea of extending our road trip and finishing in Phoenix, AZ, but found this was not an option with our rental car. It seems most cars rented at the airport in Moab must be returned to this airport. Fortunately, the drive back to Moab is gorgeous and we didn’t mind much 🙂
I hope this Moab to Lake Powell road trip guide helps you with your adventure! It’s certainly a great one.
Explore and be happy.
-Alanna