SLOW SALLY & CREW

As I stood in the City Market grocery store, surrounded by throngs of outdoors enthusiasts dressed head to toe in overpriced sports apparel, each fighting for a spot in the long lineups for the cashier, I was sure that we had made a mistake. Moab WAS going to suck.

There’s a bumper sticker for Moab. It reads: “Moab Sucks. Tell Your Friends”. To display this bumper sticker or to use #moabsucks on social media is a cute tongue-in-cheek way to show your love for Moab, with its red rock arches, green rivers, and National Parks. Using it means you love it so much that you want to keep it a secret – have it all to yourself.

Well, too late! The secret is out. And some people are now genuinely complaining that Moab sucks – for real. It’s overrun at times and the atmosphere is rife with fights for territory between hobbyists. According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), recreation is becoming one of the biggest problems in trying to preserve this part of Utah.

Maybe Moab Does Suck…

We knew all this when we chose to visit Moab, but we were still surprised by the crowds and congestion when we arrived late on a Sunday afternoon in April. Weren’t the Weekend Warriors supposed to be heading back to the city by now? Weren’t we still in low season (actually no, we weren’t)? We drove around for an hour, trying unsuccessfully to find a campsite in one of the scenic campgrounds along the Colorado River, eventually giving up to search for a site along Willow Springs Trail, further out of town.

We arrived at Willow Springs to what looked like a scene from Mad Max. It’s a dispersed and disorderly camping area jam-packed with four-wheelers, dirt bikes, RVs, fifth wheels, vans, tents, truck campers, mountain bikes, and the owner of the aforementioned wheeled toys. It was getting dark, and we could barely see the backdrop of red cliffs and snow-capped mountains in the distance. There was a slightly apocalyptic feeling to the place. After bumping along to the end of the dirt road, we claimed a satisfactory little patch of dirt to call our own for the night. We cracked open two beers, not sure whether to toast our arrival or drown our disappointment in Moab thus far.

We Need a Plan

Moab can be overwhelming. There were countless campgrounds, loads of trails, and activities galore of both the motorized and non-motorized types, all of them teeming with visitors. When we awoke on Monday morning, the sun shone brightly, and we were able to truly appreciate the beauty of the surrounding cliffs and mountains. Despite the Mad Max appearance of the area, it had been a quiet night and campers were already starting to clear out. We decided that we would give Moab a chance to not suck but recognized that we needed a plan. This was not a place that could be fully enjoyed by winging it, especially not with a dog in tow. With our weak but functional cell signal, we set about researching the weather forecast, campgrounds, trails, and “best things to do” in downtown Moab. With our research complete, we put our heads together and developed a detailed plan for our 6-day stay, something we rarely do.

Our plan looked something like this…

Find the Best Campground

Moab has a campground for every budget and preference, ranging from free camping on BLM lands south of town, to full-service downtown RV Parks in a glorified parking lot, priced at over $100/night. We decided to spend 5 of our 6 nights in the area camping along Willow Springs Trail (technically part of the Utahraptor State Park).

It wasn’t our first choice for a campground, but there were a few stellar sites along the Trail and on our second day, we managed to snag one. It absolutely lived up to its iOverlander app title of “Paradise on the Hill”. From this hill, we felt like lords of a feudal society, overseeing the activities of our loyal, 4-wheel-loving subjects. Out the back door of the van, we had a perfect view of the hulking, snow-capped La Sal Mountains in the distance.

When it wasn’t too windy (which was somewhat rare), we’d sit in our camp chairs, sip our coffee or beer, and survey our little kingdom. Every day the sky would change, and I would take another hundred photos of the sun, the clouds, the mountains, and Sally atop her little hill. We were grateful for our weak but functional cell signal, which allowed us to catch up on admin, plan our next moves and write blog posts. When we needed services, downtown Moab was just 20 minutes away. For $15 a night, it was a very practical arrangement.

In our opinion, the campgrounds along the Colorado River (owned by the Bureau of Land Management and priced at $20/night) are the best in the area. The campsites are nestled among the canyon walls with good shade, wind protection, views of the river and convenient amenities. They’re also accessible by paved roads and located close to downtown. We’d wistfully admire them on our way to and from the hiking trails. On the downside, however, these campgrounds are in high demand, and you must show up early in the day to snag a site… circling and creeping until one opens up. They’re also out of cell signal range, which for us was a deal breaker as we were very much in need of some time on the internet.

Hike Some Dog-Friendly Trails

We had big plans for hiking in Moab. When I opened the AllTrails app and zoomed in on Moab, the map exploded with trail markers. Trails in the area are so plentiful that it would take years to hike them all. However, because dogs aren’t allowed on the National Park trails in Arches or Canyonlands, it really narrowed down the options. Early on Monday when we were putting together our plan for the week, we came across a blog that might as well have been custom written for us. It was posted by Girl on a Hike and titled ‘7 Best Dog-Friendly Hikes in Moab UT’.

We chose to tackle 3 diverse trails that would suit the weather forecast and give us a good flavour of hiking in the area.

Fisher Towers Trail

Red and pink sandstone fins, spires, and pinnacles reach high into the sky tower above the sinuous hiking trail. From the tippy top, there are panoramic views of the valley below. A cheeky little ladder kept Walter on his toes – he impressed a small crowd with his athletic prowess when he leapt across the gap. He was the only large dog we met on the trail that day able to get past the obstacle. This was our first lesson that in Utah, ‘dogs allowed’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘dog-friendly’. The hike was our favourite of the trip up to that point, which wasn’t a surprise given how many different people recommended it to us.

Corona Arch Trail

Corona is one of the most spectacular sandstone arches in Utah, and the best one outside of Arches National Park. We almost felt like we’d found a loophole to the Arches National Park ‘no dogs on trails’ rule. We left early in the morning (with much grumbling from Marc) and were rewarded by having the arch and trail mostly to ourselves on the way in. By the time we arrived back to Sally, the parking lot was full. Early bird gets the worm in Moab.

North Fork Mill Creek

On our hottest day in Moab, we hiked the short North Fork Mill Creek trail, which leads to a couple of waterfalls and the local swimming hole. It’s a perfect trail for dogs on a hot day. We shared the trail and waterfall with only a few other friendly early birds. It was hot enough (and we were dirty enough) that we took a dip and braved the frigid, icy-cold river.

Stock Up & Splurge Downtown

We love a good town and after spending so much time deep in the desert (click here for our experience in Monument Valley & Valley of the Gods), we were excited to explore Moab’s main street, find WiFi, drink lattes, and sit on a patio. Despite finding the downtown way too busy on the weekend, we did really enjoy the vibe. Everything is geared toward outdoors people, and that’s us! Gearheads offers unlimited free filtered water. The gas station has a water hook-up for RV tanks. The hostel offers $4 showers to the public. It is a perfect place to get clean and resupply.

Many patios and stores are dog-friendly, welcoming Walter and bringing him a bowl of water. We tried out a few different patios and coffee spots, with our favourite being the Bonjour Bakery & Café. We almost choked after discovering that our shared sandwich platter and lattes had cost ~ $40 CDN after tax, tip, and currency conversion but, no regrets. A splurge every now and then keeps us happy.

Final Thoughts on Vanlife in Moab

Vanlife in Moab can suck, but it doesn’t have to. After spending 6 days in the area, we are converts. Moab lives up to its reputation as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. There’s a reason everyone is there – the area is magnificent. We truly enjoyed our visit and with each good experience, our negative first impression of Moab was overwritten.

If you’re thinking of paying a visit to Moab and like us, prefer to avoid the crowds, congestion, and throngs of other tourists, we have some advice for you:

• Avoid going on the weekend or during a holiday.
• Consider visiting outside of peak season (which is April-May and September-October).
• Know what you want to see and do and plan for it. Moab can be an overwhelming place if you try to wing it.
• Arrive at your desired campground early in the day (well before noon).
• Hike first thing in the morning (or late in the afternoon/evening if temperatures allow) to guarantee yourself a parking spot at the trailhead, avoid the crowds, and keep out of peak heat.

And finally, don’t share this post. Tell your friends that Moab sucks 😉

Stay Tuned

Did we visit Moab without stepping foot in a National Park? Of course not! We spent a day exploring Canyonlands National Park and hiking one of the most challenging trails of our trip. More about that in a future post.