See our Moab, Arches, Canyonlands Area Overview and Trip Ideas

Dave Webb
2/17/23

This winter has been cold and wet. Moab always has a few snow days every winter but this year it has been hit repeatedly and so winter visitors might need to make adjustments to their plans. I've hiked there on many winter days and always find opportunities for great adventures. Here are some tips.

Favorite Trails During Winter

If you haven't hiked Delicate Arch, do it. If you haven't walked around the Windows, do it. If you haven't hiked Devils Garden, do it. After you have done the mandatory trails in Arches, here are some additional favorites:

• Dark Angle - This is a spur off the Devils Garden Trail. It is 
• Tower Arch and the Marching Men - This is located off Salt Valley Road, in a less visited part of Arches. The road to the trailhead can be rough, sandy, and muddy, so check on conditions and know your vehicle's capacity.
• Corona and Bowtie arches - These are along the Colorado River off Potash Road (279), west of Moab.
• Grandstaff Trail - There will probably be some ice along this trail but it is worth doing. It is located off Hwy 128, east of Moab.
• Chesler Park - This is in the Needles District of Canyonlands. It is an amazing area with excellent options for winter hikes.

There are dozens more, but these are favorites.

Conditions

Winter days can be very nice with temps often climbing into the high 40s or low 50s F. But daytime temps can also be very cold if a storm passes through. Nighttime lows are often in the 20s -- sometimes even down into the teens. Days often start cold but warm up nicely as the sun rises in the sky. So dress in layers. Go prepared for anything.

When snow falls it usually melts quickly in sunny open areas. It may linger for days or even weeks in shady spots, and it may turn into ice. Open country trails dry quickly after storms and are usually good to hike year-round. Trails that go through shaded areas and into canyons may have snow and ice. Hikers pack down the snow quickly and snow/ice usually picks up sand, which improves traction. Boot spikes are not usually needed on most trails but definitely come in handy if the trail has steep stretches.

It is always best to check at visitor centers and ranger stations for current conditions. In general,  The Fiery Furnace in Arches will have ice most winter days. Most trail sections in Devils Garden will be in good shape but there may be spots with packed snow and ice. The Delicate Arch trail has great sun exposure but near the top it goes around a rock formation where you will probably encounter ice.

Canyonlands offers a wide range of trail choices. There are many open-country trails that are easy hiking during the winter, but many others where you will encounter snow and ice.

Moab offers many great hikes that are not in the national parks, but conditions will be similar. Inquire about conditions and be prepared for anything.

The "down" season at Moab becomes shorter every year. Now, visitors start arriving in good numbers in March and it continues busy well into November. February is a great time to visit because you can go anywhere and do anything without battling crowds.

Eating

Moab has grown and now offers a range of decent restaurants. I usually opt for simple and less expensive:

• El Local - For Mexican
• Milt's Stop & Eat - For burgers.

Camping

We love camping in the Moab area. But, as we have grown older and wiser, we don't camp much in the dead of winter. People who have good gear can find plenty of opportunity - campgrounds that are booked solid spring through fall will probably have open sites during winter.

Lodging

When I want to splurge I opt for Red Cliffs Lodge. Sorrel River Ranch is very nice but too expensive for my budget.

Most trips I just want a comfortable place to sleep, and the Adventure Inn meets my needs nicely. 

There are now many very nice lodges/motels in town. On my trips, I play hard. It is late when I arrive at the motel and I leave early. I just need clean, comfortable, and quiet.