Four days · red rock, river and dinosaurs

Moab and Arches with kids: dinosaur tracks, a Colorado River raft day and Dead Horse Point

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Four spring or fall days from one base in Moab, sized for school-age kids and teens: three-toed tracks in the rock, short walks under Double Arch and through Park Avenue, a calm half-day on the Colorado River, then rock art, Corona Arch and the long view from Dead Horse Point.

History & culture Hiking & backpacking Paddling, kayaking & rafting

4 days / 3 nights April–May or mid-Sep–Oct Kids 5+ · car needed

Original illustration

Tall red sandstone fins along Park Avenue in Arches National Park, Utah — **Park Avenue** · the sandstone fins at the first big stop on the Arches park road

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: Families with school-age kids and teens who like short hikes, dinosaurs and a day on the water, with one hotel and no long drives
Route: Dinosaur country north of town → Arches National Park → a Colorado River raft day & the Fisher Towers → Potash Road, Corona Arch & Dead Horse Point
Best timing: April–May or mid-September–October, when NPS says highs average 60–80 °F. Summer often passes 100 °F
Pace: Early starts, a long midday break and short walks: one big outing each morning, an easier afternoon
Sleep: Three nights in one Moab hotel or condo, about 10 minutes from the Arches entrance
Getting there: Fly to Grand Junction (about 1 hour 50 minutes by car) or Salt Lake City (about 3 hours 50 minutes), then drive
Rough budget: Mill Creek, Potash Road rock art and the tracks are free; the Arches pass, the raft trip, Moab Giants and the state parks are the paid lines
Good to know: Rafting outfitters set a minimum age, usually 5 years and 50 lb; book the raft day before you fly

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Illustration: route map of the four days, an illustrated bird’s-eye view of the Moab area with numbered pins at Utahraptor State Park north of town (Day 1), Double Arch in Arches National Park (Day 2), the Fisher Towers up the Colorado River (Day 3) and Dead Horse Point above the river (Day 4) — Moab in four days · one base in town, short drives out each morning

Postcards from the trip

Petroglyphs pecked into a rock wall along Potash Road near Moab — **Potash Road petroglyphs** · Look and point; skin oils damage the rock.

A small waterfall over an old dam in the Mill Creek area near Moab — **Mill Creek** · Stay out after rain and when snowmelt runs high.

The Three Gossips rock formation in Arches National Park — **The Three Gossips** · On the Park Avenue stretch of the park road.

Balanced Rock on its thin pedestal in Arches National Park — **Balanced Rock** · The short loop around its base is flat.

The idea

Four days in Moab with kids: tracks in the rock, arches overhead and a day on the river.

How do you show kids a desert that is bigger than anything at home? You let them touch it. Around Moab, dinosaur tracks sit in the open rock, arches are a short walk from the car, and the Colorado River runs calm enough for a family raft. Everything here is within about 45 minutes of one hotel in town.

Day 1 is dinosaurs: Moab Giants and the tracks and bones north of town. Day 2 is Arches National Park on foot, with a creek to wade in the afternoon and dark skies at night. Day 3 is a half-day raft trip and the Fisher Towers. Day 4 is Potash Road rock art, Corona Arch and Dead Horse Point.

Want all five Utah parks instead? See the Mighty 5 family road trip, or browse more national park trips.

Day-by-day summary

Dinosaur footprints in a slab of rock near Moab, Utah

Day 1 · Thursday · drive in, then short drivesMoab Giants & dinosaur countryTracks in the rock and giants by the road.

Double Arch in Arches National Park, two sandstone arches joined at one end

Day 2 · Friday · early start, park dayArches National ParkPark Avenue, Balanced Rock and Double Arch.

The Fisher Towers with the La Sal Mountains behind, near Moab

Day 3 · Saturday · river morningThe Colorado River & the Fisher TowersA half-day raft trip, then red spires up the river road.

The Colorado River gooseneck seen from Dead Horse Point, Utah

Day 4 · Sunday · checkout, then drivesPotash Road & Dead Horse PointRock art, Corona Arch and the big overlook.

The route

Four days, one Moab base, short drives out and back

North of town for the dinosaurs, Arches about 10 minutes away, up the river road for the raft and the Fisher Towers, then west on Potash Road and up to Dead Horse Point; three nights in the same room.

Illustration: a child’s hand spread beside a three-toed dinosaur footprint in reddish sandstone, with sage desert and a low mesa behind, illustrated day card for Day 1

01Dinosaur country · first day

Small hands, big footprints. Base: one hotel or condo in Moab for three nights; town is compact, and every drive this trip is 10 to 45 minutes. The Mill Canyon tracks and bones are free. Pace: an arrival day with short outings, a long lunch and an early night before the park.

Into Moab, then breakfast

Which airport? Grand Junction in Colorado is the closer one, about 1 hour 50 minutes by car; Salt Lake City has more flights and is about 3 hours 50 minutes away. Either way you need a car. Fly in the night before if you can, and drive in after an early start.

Where to eat: the Jailhouse Cafe on Main Street, a breakfast spot in an old brick building that once held the county jail. Kids like the story. Order something big; lunch is a food truck.

Moab Giants

Moab Giants sits at the junction of US-191 and SR-313, about 15 minutes north of town. It is a dinosaur park and museum with life-size models along an outdoor trail, a track gallery and hands-on rooms for younger kids. Check opening days and hours before you go; they change with the season.

Give it about two hours. Ask the kids to count toes on the tracks in the gallery. Three toes means a meat eater; you will see that shape again in the rock this afternoon.

Lunch, then the real tracks

Where to eat: Quesadilla Mobilla, a food truck in town known for its stuffed quesadillas. Order to go and eat in the shade, or take it north with you.

Drive north on US-191 to Utahraptor State Park, Utah’s newer state park, named for the sickle-clawed dinosaur first found nearby. Next door, the BLM’s Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail and tracksite have a boardwalk over hundreds of footprints and a short path past bones still in the rock. A two-mile dirt road leads in, fine for a normal car when dry. Kneel at the boardwalk rail and the tracks are bigger than your child’s hand.

Ice cream and an easy evening

Expert tip: Mill Canyon is shadeless. Go after lunch only in spring or fall, carry a litre of water per person, and save the full trail for a cool morning if the day is warm.

Back in town, stop at Moab Garage Co. on Main Street for ice cream or coffee. Then rest at the hotel; tomorrow starts early.

Pizza at Antica Forma

Where to eat: Antica Forma on Main Street, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with a patio. It is a relaxed room for kids after a day outside.

Walk back along Main Street at dusk and look east. The La Sal Mountains often still have snow on top in April and October, pink in the last light.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Jailhouse Cafe — a big breakfast in an old brick jail building. Why here: On Main Street, a filling start with a story kids like.
Lunch · Quesadilla Mobilla — stuffed quesadillas from a food truck. Why here: In town, a quick lunch to carry north to the dinosaur sites.
Dinner · Antica Forma — wood-fired pizza with a patio. Why here: On Main Street, an easy family dinner after a desert day.
Quick stop (snack): Moab Garage Co. — ice cream or coffee after the tracks. Why here: On Main Street, a cool treat before an early night.

Book the raft day and check the Arches rules before you fly. The half-day raft trip on Day 3 needs a reservation, and the park’s entry rules can change from year to year.

Grand Junction → Moab: about 1 hour 50 minutes by car. Moab → Moab Giants: about 15 minutes. Moab Giants → Utahraptor State Park and Mill Canyon: about 10 minutes plus the dirt road. Back to town: about 25 minutes.

Where to stay

A hotel or condo in Moab town — three nights in town, close to Main Street restaurants and about 10 minutes from the Arches entrance.
Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park — for families who camp: reservations required, and it fills early in spring and fall.

Dinner: wood-fired pizza at Antica Forma on Main Street.

Tomorrow: an early start for Arches National Park, then a creek in the afternoon.

Bad-weather plan

Thunderstorm or heavy rain? Skip the Mill Canyon dirt road, which turns slick when wet, and spend longer at Moab Giants; or visit the Moab Museum on Center Street for local history and dinosaur bones indoors.

Stay: Moab base · Anchor: the Mill Canyon tracks · car needed, short drives

Good to know: Leave every track, bone and rock where you find it; collecting fossils on public land is illegal.

Illustration: Double Arch in Arches National Park, two huge sandstone arches joined at one end, with two tiny visitors in the shade beneath, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Arches · park day

Sandstone walls as tall as office buildings, and a kid at the bottom looking up. Base: the same Moab room; the Arches entrance is about 10 minutes north. Mill Creek and the night sky are free. Pace: three short walks in the park before the midday heat, a long lunch in town, a creek afternoon and a late evening for stars.

Breakfast, then the gate early

Where to eat: Love Muffin Cafe on Main Street, for breakfast burritos and muffins. Order extra for the car.

Do you need a reservation? For 2026, no: the National Park Service ended timed entry at Arches for the year, and a park pass is all you need at the gate. Rules for 2027 have not been announced yet, so check the park site before you go. Get to the gate early anyway; the lines and the heat both build after mid-morning.

Park Avenue and Balanced Rock

Start at Park Avenue, the first big stop on the park road. The trail drops into a canyon between sandstone fins that stand like a row of skyscrapers. It is about 1 mile one way; walk part of it and turn back if the kids tire, or have one adult bring the car to the far end.

Next is Balanced Rock, a boulder the size of a few buses sitting on a thin pedestal. The loop around its base is short and mostly flat. From below it looks like it should fall. It has not, yet.

The Windows and Double Arch

Turn off to the Windows Section. Double Arch is a flat walk of about half a mile from the parking area, and kids can stand right under the two arches joined at one end. The Windows are a short climb across the lot.

Expert tip: for Fiery Furnace or a Devils Garden campsite you still need a separate reservation; both fill early. With younger kids, skip Delicate Arch (a 3-mile round trip with steep slickrock) and save it for the teen years.

Burgers, then Mill Creek

Where to eat: Milt’s Stop & Eat, a small burger stand from the 1950s, for burgers, fries and shakes at outdoor tables.

In the hot part of the afternoon, walk the Lower Mill Creek trail on the east side of town, about three-quarters of a mile up a canyon to a small waterfall and pools. Kids wade; adults sit in the shade. Stay out after rain and when spring snowmelt runs high and cold. Then cool off with something from Moab Garage Co.

Moab Brewery, then the stars

Where to eat: Moab Brewery on Main Street, a big family-friendly brewpub with a kids’ menu.

Arches is an International Dark Sky Park. After dinner, drive back in to Balanced Rock or the Panorama Point pull-off, switch off the headlights and let eyes adjust for ten minutes. On a moonless night the Milky Way is easy to see. Bring a red light and jackets; the desert cools fast.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Love Muffin Cafe — breakfast burritos and muffins. Why here: On Main Street, a quick early meal before the Arches gate.
Lunch · Milt’s Stop & Eat — burgers, fries and shakes at outdoor tables. Why here: A long-running Moab burger stand, a midday break from the heat.
Dinner · Moab Brewery — brewpub dinner with a kids’ menu. Why here: On Main Street, room for a hungry family before the stars.
Quick stop (snack): Moab Garage Co. — a cold treat after the creek. Why here: On Main Street, between Mill Creek and the hotel rest.

Be at the Arches gate early. You will walk in cool air, find parking at Double Arch and be back in town for lunch before the heat.

Moab → the Arches entrance: about 10 minutes. The entrance → Park Avenue: about 10 minutes. Park Avenue → Balanced Rock → the Windows Section: about 15 minutes. The Windows → Moab: about 35 minutes. Town → Lower Mill Creek: about 5 minutes.

Where to stay

A hotel or condo in Moab town — the same Moab room; the night drive back into the park takes about 20 minutes.
Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park — for families who camp: reservations required, and it fills early in spring and fall.

Dinner: Moab Brewery, then stars at Balanced Rock.

Tomorrow: an early breakfast, a half-day raft trip on the Colorado River and the Fisher Towers.

Bad-weather plan

Thunderstorm? Stay off slickrock and out of washes and Mill Creek; flash floods come fast. Drive the park road and walk only at Balanced Rock, or swap the afternoon for the park visitor center exhibits.

Stay: Same Moab base · Anchor: Double Arch · park pass, early start

Good to know: There is little shade and no food inside Arches; carry water, snacks and sun hats for everyone.

Illustration: a family in life jackets in a raft on the calm green Colorado River, with red canyon walls and the Fisher Towers behind, illustrated day card for Day 3

03Colorado River · raft day

Cold green water over the side of the raft, and a kid who will not stop laughing. Base: the same Moab room; the river trip leaves from town, and the Fisher Towers are about 40 minutes up the river road. The Fisher Towers trail is free. Pace: a morning on the water, a long lunch, a short walk under the towers and a quiet evening.

Breakfast at seven

Where to eat: Love Muffin Cafe again, early. Eat a real breakfast; the river morning is long and lunch is after one.

Pack swimsuits under quick-dry clothes, river sandals that strap on, sunscreen and a dry layer for the ride back. Leave phones in the car unless you have a dry bag.

A half-day on the Colorado

Moab Adventure Center’s morning half-day trip leaves at 8 a.m., Monday to Saturday, and runs about 4 hours 15 minutes in all, with a bus to the put-in up SR-128. The water is Class I and II, gentle riffles rather than big rapids, between red canyon walls. Kids must be at least 5 years old, 50 lb and 42 inches tall.

Will they get wet? Yes, and they will want to. The river crew lets kids sit up front on the calmer stretches and point out the side canyons. Life jackets stay on the whole time.

Burgers back in town

Where to eat: Milt’s Stop & Eat for a second round of burgers and shakes. After a cold river, nobody argues.

Rest for an hour. The afternoon walk is short but sunny.

Up the river road to the Fisher Towers

Drive northeast on SR-128, the river road, past the stretch you rafted. The Fisher Towers are dark-red spires of mud-coloured rock, some over 900 feet tall. The trail to them is about 4.4 miles round trip; with kids, walk the first part to the base of the first tower and turn back.

Expert tip: go after about 3 p.m. in spring or fall, when the towers are in shade on the trail side and glow in late light on the drive out. Carry water; there is none at the trailhead.

Dinner at 98 Center

Where to eat: 98 Center in town, Asian-inspired plates and noodles, a change from burgers and pizza.

Ask the kids what the river looked like from the raft. Then write it down; it fades quicker than you think.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Love Muffin Cafe — an early breakfast. Why here: On Main Street, open early enough before an 8 a.m. river start.
Lunch · Milt’s Stop & Eat — burgers and shakes after the river. Why here: Close to the outfitter, a filling lunch after a cold morning.
Dinner · 98 Center — Asian-inspired plates and noodles. Why here: In town, a change of food for the third night.
Quick stop (viewpoint): Fisher Towers trailhead — the first stretch of trail to the base of the towers. Why here: Up the river road, red spires in late light.

Book the raft before the trip and plan Day 3 for a weekday or Saturday. The morning trip runs Monday to Saturday only, and spring and fall dates fill.

Moab Adventure Center → the put-in on SR-128: by the outfitter’s bus. Moab → the Fisher Towers trailhead: about 40 minutes by car on SR-128, the last 2 miles on a graded dirt road. Back to town: about 40 minutes.

Where to stay

A hotel or condo in Moab town — the same Moab room; the outfitter is in town.
Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park — for families who camp: reservations required, and it fills early in spring and fall.

Dinner: 98 Center, after the Fisher Towers.

Tomorrow: checkout, rock art and tracks on Potash Road, Corona Arch and Dead Horse Point.

Bad-weather plan

Storm or high water? Outfitters move or cancel trips for safety. Swap in a morning at the Moab Museum and Moab Giants, and do the Fisher Towers walk the next clear afternoon.

Stay: Same Moab base · Anchor: the Colorado River · raft booked, 8 a.m. start

Good to know: Bring a dry change of clothes for the bus back; spring river water is cold even on warm days.

Illustration: a teen seen from behind at a low stone wall on the Dead Horse Point mesa, the Colorado River gooseneck far below and the La Sal Mountains on the horizon, illustrated day card for Day 4

04Dead Horse Point · overlook

A low stone wall, then two thousand feet of air. Base: checkout morning; load the car and keep it with you. The Potash Road rock art, the tracks and Corona Arch are free. Pace: a morning of short stops and one real hike, then the big overlook and the drive home.

Breakfast, then Potash Road

Where to eat: the Jailhouse Cafe once more, early.

Drive north out of town and turn left on Potash Road, SR-279, which follows the river under tall cliffs. A few miles in, pull off at the petroglyph panels: figures and animals pecked into the rock wall by Ancestral Puebloan and later people. Look, point, and do not touch.

Dinosaur tracks by the road

A little farther along, a signed pull-off leads to dinosaur tracks in a tilted slab of rock above the road. Binoculars help; the tracks are up the slope rather than at your feet.

Ask the kids if these feet look like the ones at Mill Canyon on Day 1. They are the same three-toed shape, left by meat eaters walking a muddy shore.

Corona Arch

The Corona Arch trail starts from a pull-off on Potash Road and runs about 3 miles round trip over slickrock, with a short section of steel cable and a small ladder. School-age kids who hike manage it with a hand; the arch at the end is huge, a ring of rock with sky inside.

Expert tip: start Corona Arch before 9 a.m. in spring or fall; there is no shade at all, and the slickrock reflects the heat back up.

Lunch and Dead Horse Point

Where to eat: Quesadilla Mobilla in town for lunch to go, then drive about 45 minutes to Dead Horse Point State Park, which needs its own day-use fee.

From the point, the Colorado River bends in a tight gooseneck about 2,000 feet below, with the snowy La Sal Mountains far off. A low wall runs along the rim. Walk the short rim path, then stop at the visitor center for water, exhibits and the restrooms before the drive.

Pizza for the road

Where to eat: Antica Forma for pizza to go, if your flight is from Grand Junction tonight or tomorrow; call ahead and pick it up on the way out of town.

Somewhere on the drive out, someone will ask when you are coming back. That is the trip working.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Jailhouse Cafe — an early breakfast before Potash Road. Why here: On Main Street, a last sit-down breakfast in town.
Lunch · Quesadilla Mobilla — quesadillas to go. Why here: In town, an easy lunch to carry to Dead Horse Point.
Dinner · Antica Forma — pizza to go for the drive. Why here: On Main Street, a call-ahead pickup on the way out of Moab.
Quick stop (other): Dead Horse Point visitor center — water, exhibits and restrooms on the mesa. Why here: At the overlook, the last stop before the drive home.

Plan the last day around your flight. Grand Junction is about 1 hour 50 minutes away and Salt Lake City about 3 hours 50 minutes; for a Salt Lake City evening flight, skip Corona Arch and go straight to Dead Horse Point.

Moab → Potash Road petroglyphs: about 15 minutes. Petroglyphs → the track pull-off and Corona Arch trailhead: about 10 minutes. Corona Arch → Moab: about 20 minutes. Moab → Dead Horse Point: about 45 minutes. Dead Horse Point → Grand Junction: about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Where to stay

A hotel or condo in Moab town — checkout day; or add a fourth night and drive out in the morning.
Devils Garden Campground, Arches National Park — for families who camp: reservations required, and it fills early in spring and fall.

Dinner: pizza to go from Antica Forma for the road.

Home: about 2 hours 15 minutes from Dead Horse Point to Grand Junction, longer to Salt Lake City.

Bad-weather plan

Rain or wind? Skip Corona Arch, where wet slickrock is slippery, see the petroglyphs and tracks from the road, and spend longer in the Dead Horse Point visitor center.

Stay: Checkout day · Anchor: Dead Horse Point · state park fee, car packed

Good to know: Dead Horse Point is a Utah state park with its own fee; the Arches pass does not cover it.

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Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

A refillable water bottle each. Plan on at least a litre per person for every walk.
Wide-brim sun hats. There is almost no shade in Arches or on Corona Arch.
River sandals that strap on. Flip-flops come off in the raft and in Mill Creek.
Real walking shoes. Slickrock is grippy in dry shoes with good soles.
A warm layer and a rain shell. Spring and fall nights cool fast after sunset.
Headlamps with a red setting. For the stargazing night in the park.
Your park pass. Buy it ahead or at the gate; keep the receipt in the car.
Salty snacks. There is no food for sale inside Arches.

The Arches National Park entrance area with red rock behind — **Have your park pass ready at the Arches entrance station.** **The Arches entrance** · about 10 minutes north of Moab on US-191, pass in hand

Corona Arch, a large sandstone ring, near Moab — **Pack sturdy shoes and water for the Corona Arch slickrock.** **Corona Arch** · the arch at the end of the slickrock trail off Potash Road

Illustration: two water bottles, a child’s sun hat, sunscreen, river sandals, a small orange life jacket, a folded blank trail map, two headlamps and a rock with a dinosaur-track print on worn canvas, original illustrated plan card for 4 days in Moab and Arches with kids — **Original illustration** · water bottles, a sun hat, river sandals, a life jacket and headlamps on worn canvas

Moab in one frame

The plan card lays the trip out on canvas: water for the trails, sandals and a life jacket for the river, headlamps for the stars and a rock with a track in it. Every stop and meal is in the day-by-day above.

Illustration: a burger in paper and a vanilla milkshake on a sun-faded picnic table outside a small burger stand, with red cliffs behind and a child’s hand reaching for a fry, original illustrated recap card — **Original illustration** · a burger and a milkshake on a picnic table under red cliffs

Where the trip refuels

The recap card sits at a picnic table in town: a burger, a shake and a small hand going for the fries. The day-by-day has each stop and meal.

Postcards

Moab with kids, from 70 °F spring days to starry nights.

Main Street in Moab, Utah, with red cliffs behind the town — **Moab’s Main Street** · the town base for every day of the trip

The Jailhouse Cafe, a small brick building on Main Street in Moab — **The Jailhouse Cafe** · breakfast in an old brick building on Main Street

The snowy La Sal Mountains seen from Utah State Route 313 near Moab — **The La Sal Mountains** · seen from the road up to Dead Horse Point

Quick answers

Planning notes

How many days do you need in Moab with kids?

Four days is a comfortable start: one for dinosaur sites, one for Arches, one for a river half-day and one for Dead Horse Point. That leaves time to rest at midday and to swap days if a storm rolls in. See the four-day route, or the Mighty 5 trip if you have a week.

Do you need a timed-entry reservation for Arches?

Not in 2026: the Park Service dropped timed entry at Arches for the year, so a park pass is enough. Rules for 2027 have not been announced yet, so check the park site before you go. Fiery Furnace and Devils Garden Campground still need reservations. See Day 2 and more park trips.

When is the best time to visit Moab with kids?

Go in April to May or mid-September to October, when the Park Service says highs average 60 to 80 °F. Summer often passes 100 °F, with flash-flood storms late in the season. Plan early starts on any trip. See the park day or the Grand Canyon family trip.

Are Moab and Arches the same place?

No. Moab is the town; Arches National Park starts about 5 miles north, roughly 10 minutes by car. Families usually sleep in Moab and drive in each morning. Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point are nearby too. See the route, or Sedona with kids for more red rock.

What are easy hikes in Moab for kids?

Try Double Arch, about half a mile each way and flat, or the Balanced Rock loop. Park Avenue is about a mile one way, downhill. Mill Creek suits a hot afternoon. Corona Arch, about 3 miles round trip, fits older kids. See Day 2 and Day 4.

Can kids go rafting in Moab?

Yes. Calm Class I and II half-day trips run on the Colorado River near town, and outfitters usually set a minimum of 5 years and 50 lb. Moab Adventure Center’s morning trip leaves at 8 a.m., Monday to Saturday. See Day 3 and more park trips.

What can families do in Moab besides Arches?

Walk dinosaur tracks at Mill Canyon, visit Moab Giants, raft the Colorado, see Potash Road petroglyphs and hike to Corona Arch. Dead Horse Point State Park has a huge river overlook, and the Arches night sky is very dark. See Day 1 and Day 4 for times and meals.

Before you set off — the official checks

Park rules, trip times, hours and fees change. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

Arches National Park — No timed entry in 2026; check 2027 rules before you go. Park pass required. NPS Arches ↗
Moab Adventure Center — Morning half-day trip at 8 a.m. Mon–Sat; minimum age 5, 50 lb. Moab Adventure Center ↗
Moab Giants — Check opening days and hours for your dates. Moab Giants ↗
Dead Horse Point State Park — Separate state park day-use fee. Utah State Parks ↗
Weather — Check for storms and flash-flood risk before hikes and the river. NPS weather ↗

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

Arches National Park ↗Passes, trails and reservations

Arches weather ↗Seasons and heat

Utahraptor State Park ↗Hours and fees

Dead Horse Point State Park ↗Fees and overlooks

BLM Moab Field Office ↗Mill Canyon, Potash Road, Corona Arch, Fisher Towers

Moab Giants ↗Dinosaur park and museum

Moab Adventure Center: morning raft trip ↗Times, ages and booking

Discover Moab ↗Moab Area Travel Council

Reviewed Oct 23, 2026How we verify

Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Arches National Park: plan your visit ↗National Park Service

Discover Moab ↗Moab Area Travel Council

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Park Avenue, Arches — photo by m01229, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Dinosaur tracks near Moab — photo by Sandy Horvath-Dori, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration
Double Arch — photo by Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), CC BY-SA 2.5; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.5); it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.5)
Fisher Towers — photo by KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Dead Horse Point — photo by Fabio Achilli, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 4 card illustration
Arches entrance — photo by Dino Reichmuth dinoreichmuth, CC0; it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration
Corona Arch — photo by Michael Grindstaff, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Moab Main Street — photo by Steven Baltakatei Sandoval, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Jailhouse Cafe — photo by Saalebaer, CC0
La Sal Mountains — photo by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Potash Road petroglyphs — photo by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Mill Creek — photo by BLMUtah, Public domain
Three Gossips — photo by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Balanced Rock — photo by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Four days in Moab with kids: tracks in the rock, arches overhead and a day on the river.

Day-by-day summary

Four days, one Moab base, short drives out and back

Day 1 · Moab Giants & dinosaur country—Drive in, breakfast at the Jailhouse Cafe, Moab Giants, lunch from Quesadilla Mobilla, the dinosaur tracks and bones at Utahraptor State Park and Mill Canyon, ice cream at Moab Garage Co., then pizza at Antica Forma.

Day 2 · Arches National Park—Breakfast at Love Muffin, Arches National Park early: Park Avenue, Balanced Rock, the Windows and Double Arch, burgers at Milt’s, a cool wade in Mill Creek, a treat at Moab Garage Co., dinner at Moab Brewery, then stars.

Day 3 · The Colorado River & the Fisher Towers—An early breakfast at Love Muffin, a half-day raft trip on the Colorado River from Moab Adventure Center, burgers at Milt’s, the drive up SR-128 to the Fisher Towers trailhead, then dinner at 98 Center.

Day 4 · Potash Road & Dead Horse Point—Checkout, breakfast at the Jailhouse Cafe, Potash Road petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, the Corona Arch walk, lunch from Quesadilla Mobilla, Dead Horse Point State Park and its visitor center, then pizza to go from Antica Forma for the drive.

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Moab in one frame

Where the trip refuels

Moab with kids, from 70 °F spring days to starry nights.

Planning notes

Before you set off — the official checks

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Official Links

Research behind this guide

Photo credits

Choose the landscape. Then choose the pace.

No exact match—yet.