Moab by motorcycle
Moab is the red-rock end of the trip: two national parks on the doorstep and a handful of paved day rides that all start in town. Most riders get here on day one from Salt Lake City and stay two nights.
Arches on a bike
- No timed entry in 2026. Arches announced on February 18, 2026 that it will not require advance timed-entry reservations this year; you can enter any time during operating hours (NPS).
- You still need an entrance pass. Buy it online at Recreation.gov or at the entrance station (NPS).
- Still by reservation: Devils Garden Campground and the Fiery Furnace hikes (NPS).
- The ride in: hairpins on the first climb, then a mostly straight road with gentle sweeps past Balanced Rock, Sheep Rock and the Parade of the Elephants. Go late in the afternoon and ride back out at sunset (Discover Moab).
- Visiting from outside the US? The new $100 non-resident surcharge applies at 11 parks including Zion and Bryce. Arches and Canyonlands are not on that list (TownLift).
Day rides from town
| Ride | Road | Length | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| The River Road | UT-128 | 44 miles, Moab to I-70 | Colorado River, Castle Valley, Fisher Towers, Dewey Bridge |
| Potash road | UT-279 | 17 miles | River canyon, petroglyphs, Jug Handle Arch |
| Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky | UT-313 | 14 miles to the overlook | Hairpins onto the mesa, then the Canyonlands loops |
| La Sal Mountain Loop | Off UT-128 at Castle Valley | 60 miles | Climb from desert to pine and aspen, back past Ken's Lake |
The River Road (UT-128)
The local favourite. It runs 44 miles from downtown Moab to I-70 near Cisco, and the best riding is the 30 miles between the US-191 junction and the historic Dewey Bridge (Visit Utah). Sweepers across open desert, then tighter turns along the river past Fisher Towers and Castle Rock (Discover Moab). Dewey is a ghost town with no services, so most riders turn round at the bridge and ride it back (Visit Utah).
Potash road (UT-279)
17 miles down the Colorado River Portal: petroglyphs, dinosaur tracks and Jug Handle Arch, ending at the potash plant below Dead Horse Point (Discover Moab). Short enough for a morning before Arches.
Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky (UT-313)
Turn off US-191 about 9 miles north of Moab. Hairpins climb onto the plateau, then a calmer road runs 14 miles to the Dead Horse Point overlook (Discover Moab). The same road carries on into Canyonlands' Island in the Sky, where the loops have sweepers and tight turns that come up fast while you are looking at the view (Discover Moab). Dead Horse Point is a state park and Canyonlands is a national park; each charges its own entry.
La Sal Mountain Loop
About 60 miles. Follow UT-128 to Castle Valley, then climb through hairpins from pinyon and juniper into pines and aspen before dropping back past Mill Creek Canyon and Ken's Lake (Discover Moab). It is the coolest ride in Moab on a hot day; the high section can hold snow early and late in the season.
Getting here and moving on
- From Salt Lake City: SLC to Moab, over Soldier Summit and through Green River.
- On to Capitol Reef, Byway 12 and Bryce: Moab to Bryce via Highways 24 and 12, with Capitol Reef by motorcycle on the way.
- South to Monument Valley: US-191 to Bluff, then US-163 through Mexican Hat. Moab to Monument Valley.
- The whole week: Utah's Mighty 5 by motorcycle.
- Flying in: Salt Lake City for riders.
Before you ride
- Summer afternoons in Moab are hot. Ride early, carry water, and plan the shade.
- Helmet law, eye protection and lane filtering: Riding in Utah.
Rent a bike
Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.