Thompson, Utah

Elephant Butte sits at 5653 ft. and is the highest point in Arches National Park. It requires two rappels using a 60m rope. In addition to this, it requires some short sections of low fifth class scrambling that can be difficult on wet rock. The approach starts at Garden of Eden trailhead. ...

Owl Rock is a fun, 100' single pitch spire right in the middle of Arches National Park. The approach is minimal, just a few minutes walk from the parking lot, and there's plenty of room at the base to set up for a nice day under the sun. It's a popular spot, so in case there's a short line, bring...

The hike to Double Arch is a relatively flat and easy hike of 0.5 miles roundtrip. You can add this to the rest of the quick spots you may want to visit on your visit to Arches.This arch is created by two arches that shares the same stone as the foundation for their outer legs. This arch was form...

To get to the trailhead: After entering the park, keep driving along the main road until you see signs for The Windows Area (just past the Balanced Rock and a little over 9 miles from the Visitor Center).  Follow this road until it ends in a parking lot and you see the arches to your right. The ...

Arches National Park is a must see for all photographers, but especially for astrophotography. Many of the most common places to shoot are balanced rock, and Delicate Arch and there's a good reason, these are beautiful places. North Window Arch is much less common, and even on a moonless night,...

I'm always find dinosaur tracks fascinating. Willow Springs has a few cool tracks not as defined as others but definitely noticeable. There is also an interpretive sign describing the tracks installed by the Bureau of Land Management. To find the tracks, drive north on 191. Over the Colorado Rive...

The Monitor-Merrimac Trail is a scenic beginner level mountain bike trail in Moab, UT. It is located on BLM Land (Bureau of Land Management), so it is free to use year round. The trail is a 5.5 mile loop and has about 630’ of elevation gain. The Monitor-Merrimac Trail is slickrock for the majo...

Starting from the trailhead north of Moab on Dalton Wells Rd. Follow the Copper Ridge 4x4 road until you see the signs for the start of the Sovereign Trail. It starts with a steep uphill, but once you crest the top of the hill you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the La Sals and surrounding ...

This short trail is located off Mill Canyon rd about 15 minutes north of Moab.  A short walk from the parking area leads to an established interpretive trail with signage of where to look for the fossils and a description of what type of dinosaur they belong to. Several different types of dinosau...

Parriott Mesa Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you past scenic surroundings located near Moab, Utah.

The Halfway Stage Station is a ruin site that is located off of Mill Canyon rd. This station served as the half way mark between Moab and Thompson which is where the train station was. It was 35 miles between Moab and Thomson so travelers would stop for lunch on there way to or from Thompson. The...

Castleton Tower is a popular destination for rock climbing when in the Moab area. However, if you are not a rock climbing, you can still enjoy the scenery of the tower and the surrounding desert. Located on BLM land, there are several access trails off the La Sal Loop road. You can't miss the tow...

Willow Springs Trail is state-owned land located 13 miles north of downtown Moab Utah. The state provides some vault toilets and port-o-lets throughout the area, but there are no designated campsites or fire rings. Along the main road, there are plenty of large flat spots that people with RV's or...

This campground has three different campsites. All the sites are made for larger groups, so there has to be a minimum number of people to reserve a site. Site A is the largest, with the maximum capacity of 40 people. Site B fits 20 people and site C fits about 30 people. All the sites are non-ele...

This a classic Moab area campground. Although you'll have neighbors nearby and a highway next to the site, it feels very secluded and quiet. You can sunbath on the sand and take a dip in the river to cool off/wash up everyday. It doesn't get much better than that. This is first-come, first-serve ...

Drinks Canyon Camping Area is located just 6 miles up the Colorado River on Hwy 191 from Moab. This BLM managed campsite has 17 sites that are all first-come, first served. Just a short drive from Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Fisher Towers, and the surrounding BLM land, Drinks...