Moab National Parks Itinerary with Kids
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Spiriteds, the minute we motored into Moab, UT we fell in love with it and the parks that call it home. It was no surprise, then our foursome would want to make a return trip. This Moab national parks itinerary with kids will walk you through the three parks we visited, where we stayed, and how far apart the parks are (hint: they are wildly close together!).
Moab is eclectic, quirky, and a downright joy. Light travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and families of all kinds converge on this lovely place. And in spite of long lines for gas, bathrooms, and snacks during early morning and daytime hours, everyone was down-to-earth and chill.
If you are thinking about a Moab national parks itinerary with kids in tow, then you’ve come to the right spot. We (I mean, K-Hubs) successfully navigated busy roads and lines, so we could all have a great experience in Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park.
And, yes, we’re already planning a return trip to Moab to delve even deeper into all it has to offer. It was just that cool of a place!
Table of contents
Moab National Parks Itinerary with Kids
Below are a few of the nuts and bolts of how we trekked through three parks (two national and one state) on our way around Moab’s incredible landscape.
How to get to the parks near Moab, UT
US Highway 191 runs parallel to the Arches National Park entrance. There are several hotel chains in the area. We stayed at a Marriott Fairfield just south of the park. Of all the hotels on our trip, it was our favorite.
Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park are right next to each other. As a point of reference: from our hotel, we took US Highway 191 north, passing Arches, and then turned onto Utah 313 in the direction of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. You’ll want to follow road signs carefully to ensure you enter the correct park. Entrance passes for national parks do not get you into Dead Horse Point State Park. And entrance into the state park does not get you into the national parks.
With Arches National Park on one side and rock formations from Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point on the other, US Highway 191 is awe-inspiring.
Can you visit national parks in Utah in March?
You can! And if you want to beat the heat and the crowds, then you should! A Moab national parks itinerary with kids in March is totally doable. And March is now our favorite time to visit Utah. There is something alluring about the offseason we absolutely love.
Arches and Canyonlands National Parks ARE open during March, but prepare for crowds to increase not only throughout the day but also throughout the season. Even a week after we visited, reports showed lines into the parks becoming longer. Traffic begins to taper off during evening hours and at the end of peak season, around mid- to late-October.
Dead Horse Point State Park is also open during this time and may see even more crowds than Canyonlands.
Which park in Moab, UT was the best?
We don’t have a favorite Moab park. Each one has its own unique characteristics. Our appreciation for the national (and state) parks increased with each one we visited. Keep reading for our Moab national parks itinerary with kids to see how we soaked up the beauty of each park we visited!
How long should we plan to be in each park?
You can likely visit the highlights of Dead Horse Point State Park in one day. But if you are able to swing 1-2 days EACH in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, then you’ll be able to enjoy incredible experiences without feeling rushed.
Where should I stay in Moab, UT?
This is a touristy area, so there are lots of options for places to stay. There is a caveat though: Depending on what you have in mind, spots fill quickly.
We were able to book a hotel with just a few weeks to go before we hit the road. But friends of ours, who stayed at an Airbnb, booked much earlier.
Moab Adventure Center, our go-to source for all things Moab, has information about accommodations, including glamping in Moab!
Moab is also congested during the day, even in March. This means lines for bathrooms at gas stations are long, as are lines to gas up your vehicle. We noticed things quieted down by evening, so if you find yourself on a tight schedule, you may want to fuel up at night, so you’re ready to go the next morning.
Moab national parks itinerary: Kid-friendly things to do in Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point
Click through the following posts to see our ultimate family guides and to learn all about the fun things we did with our kids in Arches National Park with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide, Dead Horse Point State Park: Moab’s Hidden Gem, and Canyonlands National Park with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide. We focused on shorter hikes this time, usually 2 miles roundtrip or under, so it was easier to change plans if we needed to. On subsequent trips, we’ll branch out into slightly longer hikes, now that we know the terrain better.
Arches National Parks with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide
Thinking about visiting Arches National Park with kids? Here’s our ultimate family guide! Included are tips and FAQs, helpful links throughout, 12 kid-friendly hikes, what to pack, when to go, and whether we would go back!
Dead Horse Point State Park: Moab’s Hidden Gem
If you have a half day to a whole day to spare in Moab, Utah, then trek over to Moab’s hidden gem: Dead Horse Point State Park! Nestled right next to Canyonlands National Park, this state park boasts incredible views of the Colorado River.
Canyonlands National Park with Kids: The Ultimate Family Guide
Canyonlands National Park is the perfect family-friendly park. Here’s our ultimate family guide, complete with where to hike, what to wear, how to manage crowds, and whether it’s worth it to visit this national park in March.
Moab national parks itinerary with kids: What I would do differently the next time we visit Moab
The food
We have food allergies, so we packed our food ahead of time. That was a good choice since we spent most mealtimes inside the parks. But, we packed heavy foods, worrying we’d get hungry in between meals. That was a needless concern. Lighter fair enjoyed throughout the day would have worked better. Sometimes the food just felt too heavy to enjoy late at night in our hotel room.
So, the next time we visit Moab, we plan to focus on:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Prepackaged snacks like granola, jerky, and fruit strips
- Sandwiches we can assemble on the fly
- Homemade salads (Gluten-Free Italian Pasta Salad is a road-trip favorite)
- Boxed cereal and muffins like Oil-Free Flour-Free Muffins and Spiced Carrot Muffins
- Shelf-stable nut milks (comes in handy every road trip)
- Dessert bars like Chickpea Cookie Dough Bars, which are pleasantly filling and perfect for picnics and hikes
- Cookies (looking right at you, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Chunk Crinkle Cookies)
Discover Moab has suggestions for restaurants and grocery stores in town worth checking out. And the next time we visit Moab, we’re checking these stores out.
Our evenings
Another change we’ll make the next time we visit Moab is free up at least a few evenings to spend time in town. During our first trip, we did several sunset hikes in the parks, which we’ll do again, for sure. Arches and Canyonlands are certified dark sky places, so stargazing in the parks is a must-do activity for those interested in unparalleled views of the constellations. But Moab has great energy worth soaking up when possible, even in March.
But even with those two changes, our first trek into Moab was a rousing success. We enjoyed ourselves so much that when we traveled through the city again, this time coming back from the Arizona portion of our road trip, I told K-Hubs to lock the doors because I might jump out and just move there! 😊
Spiriteds, stay well and stay wild. Jump into the fun (like a park or two) whenever you can. And always remember I’m glad you’re here! ❤️
