Judy Jewell - Moon Arches & Canyonlands National Parks: Hiking, Biking, Scenic Drives

South Window at Arches National Park.

Southeastern Utah is so filled with staggering beauty, drama, and power that it seems like a place of myth. Two national parks, several national monuments and recreation areas, and multiple state parks are all within a days drive of each other. The colorful canyons, arches, and mesas found within this high, dry area are surprisingly diverse, and each park has its own characteristic landscape.

Nor are the riches here restricted to natural beauty: These rugged landscapes hold the remains of ancient indigenous cultures, while the haunting beauty of their rock art is on display at hundreds of locations. The areas modern hub, and one of Utahs most vibrant communities, is Moab, a recreational mecca known for its mountain biking and comfortable, even sophisticated, dining and lodging.

The beauty of Arches National Park, where delicate rock arches provide vast windows into the solid rock, is awe-inspiring and nearly mystical. Short trails draw hikers into a dramatic landscape of slickrock promontories and stone bridges.

In Canyonlands National Park, the Colorado River carves through deep red sandstone. From the Island in the Sky unit, expansive vistas take in hundreds of miles of canyon country, while rafting the Colorados Cataract Canyon is the wet and thrilling climax of many a vacation.

biking the Slickrock Trail

Rough Mules Ear grow in Arches National Park

Mesa Arch

Beyond the national park boundaries, much of the land is publicly owned. In many cases it vies with the national parks in terms of beauty and grandeur. No trip to Island in the Sky should neglect a side trip to Dead Horse Point State Park, with its astonishing views into the Colorado River Canyon. Hikers looking for their own patch of wildlands should check out Fisher Towers, a Bureau of Land Management recreation area upriver from Moab. A bit off the beaten path, Hovenweep National Monument preserves a wondrous series of Ancestral Puebloan villages perched on the edge of a cliff.

Although many people first visit southeastern Utah as part of a grand tour of the Southwest, they often return here to further explore a smaller and distinctive corner of this vast landscape. Best of all, you can still find special places that you will have all to yourself.

Hovenweep National Monument

Colorado River flowing through Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

hiking through slot canyons in Arches National Park

Take in the

are just some of the stunning rock formations that are endlessly photographed by visitors.

Admire : The Colorado Plateau contains a rich tapestry of pictographs and petroglyphs.

Go Off-Road : When it comes to mountain biking, Moabs Slickrock Trail may get all the love but Southern Utah offers an abundance of off-road adventures.

Take a : Wander through epic canyons, arches, and needles of sandstone.

Explore Ancestral Puebloan Villages: Wander amid the stone structures built around 900 years ago at .

Where to Go

Arches National Park

Just up the road from Moab is Arches National Park, with its famous natural bridges. Arches is a great family park: Its not too large and there are lots of accessible hikes to explore. Unlike other Utah national parks, theres plenty to see even if you cant get out of the car and hike. Be sure to hike the