Moab Travel Guide

Named for a biblical kingdom at the edge of Zion, the promised land, Moab has evolved into a popular base camp for mountain bikers, four-wheel-drive enthusiasts, hikers, kayakers, and rafters eager to explore the red rock canyon country that dominates southeastern Utah. A drive down Main Street confirms that yes, this is a tourist town, with scores of businesses catering to visitors.Not far from the Colorado River, Moab sits in a green valley among striking red sandstone cliffs, a setting that has lured Hollywood filmmakers for hits such as John Wayne's The Comancheros, the biblical epic The Greatest Story Ever Told, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Thelma and Louise, and City Slickers II.It's also become a favorite location for Madison Avenue. Remember those great Chevy commercials with a car perched atop a huge red tower of stone? That's Castle Rock, one of the Moab area landmarks -- and the only way to get to the top is by rock climbing or helicopter. Today, Moab, at 4,000 feet elevation, remains a relatively small town, with only 4,000 or so permanent residents, but that still makes it the biggest community in southeastern Utah. Practically within walking distance of Arches National Park, Moab is also close to Canyonlands National Park and is surrounded by the Manti-La Sal National Forest and vast, open spaces under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).