One of the most frequent questions we get about our Utah National Parks trip is where to stay in Moab. Moab is a small town, perfectly located for exploring both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. There are lots of accommodation and food options within Moab and both parks are easily accessible from the town. The remarkable Dead Horse Point State Park is also easily reached from Moab. After staying in Moab during our Utah National Parks road trip we’ve put together this list of the best places to stay in Moab, including accommodation for every visitor group size, style and budget.
Where to Stay in Moab
Most visitors to Arches and Canyonlands stay in the nearby town of Moab. The town is a popular stop on a Utah National Parks Road trip and is a magnet for adventure seekers. As well as the variety of accommodation and food options, there’s also a great supermarket (City Market), fantastic outdoor gear stores (make sure to check out Gearheads Outdoor Store for last minute hiking supplies) and some fun and quirky cafes and shops.
With its small-town feel and easy accessibility to Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park, we loved our stay in Moab.
Where to Stay in Moab tip: During the busy summer months demand for Moab accommodation is high. Once you know your dates we highly recommend booking your place to stay well in advance!
National Parks Pass America The Beautiful
If you’re planning to visit a couple of the US National Parks we highly recommend purchasing an America The Beautiful pass. The pass grants you access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites across the US, including all the National Parks. We purchased a pass before we began our trip across the US and it’s one of the best value tickets out there!
Buy your National Parks pass now!
Choosing Where to Stay in Moab
Moab has a range of accommodation options to suit every budget and group size. Visitors to Moab can choose from a wide range of offerings including standard hotels, luxury hotels, unique rentals and campgrounds within the National Parks. If you are focused only on maximising time in the parks (like we were) we recommend looking at hotels close to the park entrances.
If you prefer to be closer to the cafes, bars and shops in downtown Moab we recommend looking at some of the options closer to town.
1 | Where to Stay Close to the Arches National Park entrance
With over 1.5million visitors passing through Arches National Park every year, accommodation close to Arches is highly sought after. Our picks include:
- Fairfield Inn Moab: Where we chose to stay during our time in Moab and had a perfect stay. It’s adjacent to the Springhill Suites, the Fairfield Inn is another great option close to the Arches National Park entrance. Rates are often less expensive than its neighbor and you will still have access to the shared outdoor pool. We chose the Fairfield Inn when we visited Moab and had a perfect stay. It was a great base for out time in the National Parks. – check prices now!
- Springhill Suites Moab:less than a 5-minute drive from the entrance, the Springhill Suites in Moab are perfectly located for visiting Arches National Park. It offers modern rooms, a decent breakfast and a sprawling outdoor pool which is awesome for some post hike relaxation – check prices now!
Click here for the best Moab hotel prices
2 | Where to Stay in Moab town (within walking distance of restaurants, bars and shops)
Many visitors to Moab prefer to stay in town and within walking distance of the restaurants, bars and shops for some relaxation after exploring the parks.
- Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn: excellent location just off the Moab main street. Comfortable rooms, outdoor pool and daily breakfast make this one of the best hotels in Moab – check prices here!
- The Gonzo Inn: retro boutique motel just off the main street. Nice pool and perfectly located for all the bars, restaurants and stores of Moab – check prices here!
- Hoodoo by Hilton: one of the newest hotels in Moab with excellent facilities and modern, spacious rooms. Located one block from the main street – check prices here!
- Cottonwoods 57: modern 3 bedroom rental close to downtown Moab. Clean, well equipped and fantastic option for groups and families – check prices now!
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3 | Quirky and Unique Accommodation Options in Moab
From tiny homes to luxury glamping and desert yurts, Moab has some awesome quirky options for accommodation:
- Under Canvas Moab: luxury desert glamping. Spacious and well equipped tents, some with private viewing decks and stargazing windows above the bed. Amazing night sky views – check prices here!
- Wingate and Moenkopi Yurts in Dead Horse Point State Park: there are two sets of Yurts in Dead Horse Point State Park. Accommodation is clean and spacious and the yurts are equipped with electricity and air con. Wingate is the newer option and our favorite – check prices here!
- RVs and glamping: If you’ve always wanted to experience the RV life, Ok Campground and RV park is a great option. Choose between RVs and tent’s for a unique Moab experience. – check prices here!
Click here for more hotel options in Moab!
4 | Where to Stay for Peace and Quiet
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all! These options have spectacular settings
- Red Cliffs Lodge: set against the spectacular backdrop of towering red cliffs and the mighty Colorado River, Red Cliffs Lodge has a homely feel. Rooms are large and comfortable – check prices now!
- Castle Valley Inn: not far from Red Cliffs Lodge and 30 minutes outside Moab, the approach to the Castle Valley Inn along River Road is beautiful. Tasteful and comfortable rooms and beautiful scenery in every direction – check prices now!
4 | Camping in the National Parks
Get back to nature with these campgrounds located within Arches, Canyonlands and Dead Horse State Park.
- Arches Devils Garden Campground:Arches only in park accommodation, the Devils Garden Campground has 51 sites. Sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance from March through October. 25 sites are available on a first come first serve basis during the rest of the year – reserve your place here!
- Canyonlands Willow Flat Campground: located in the popular Island in the Sky district of Canyonolands, Willow Flat Campground has 12 sites allocated on a first come first served basis. Located close to the Green River Overlook the campground is open year round.
- Dead Horse Point Wingate and Kayenta Campground: the small and remote Kayenta Campground sits in the midst the deep red rock desert and has 22 campsites. Wingate Campground has 31 campsites, 20 of which are suitable for RVs and tents and 11 for tents only – check prices here!
