When we think about Moab, images of cool rivers, sun-kissed summer days, and throngs of tourists usually come to the mind. While summer and spring are the more popular tourism seasons, we found winter to be somewhat of a best-kept secret here! Winter in Moab, Utah, can be a magical and incredible place, offering us an array of gorgeous vistas and exciting activities. What’s more, we enjoyed a ton of perks, such as lower prices and fewer people. While some of the traditional summer water activities were missing, there was an even huger variety of recreational opportunities in winter. Think hiking, mountain biking, winter airplane tours, skiing, and much more. Plus, Moab had a ton of live music events, festivals, and holidays during the winter season too. To that end, here’s a detailed travel guide to Moab and its wintry world.
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Winter Weather in Moab
Moab’s winters are very cold and often sunny, given its dry weather. Daytime highs are usually 40s-50s degrees Fahrenheit, with nighttime lows dropping well below freezing temperatures. So, we bundled up — best mid-layers for snowboarding and skiing worked best — as we prepared for an amazing vacation. Usually, it was colder than it was snowy, so we had lots of opportunities for lower elevation fun, like tee time, biking, and even hiking. Since we’re snow sports enthusiasts, we even headed to enjoy winter sports like snowshoeing and backcountry skiing, as the mountains get a lot more of it. Some other tips to remember during a wintry Moab holiday are listed below:
- Do check road, weather, and avalanche conditions in the La Sal mountains too before heading out. Also, conditions in public lands and local parks outside the town and in the town can be quite different, so check those too.
- Bring tons of appropriate winter gear, such as women’s winter leggings, winter hiking clothes, snow sunglasses, winter mittens, and more.
- If you’re driving, even a rental, ensure that you and your car are prepared for winter drives. So, you need an entire winter emergency kit, including car winter tires, etc.
Outdoor Activities To Do In Moab In Winter
Backcountry Skiing
The La Sal mountains, which lie just over an hour outside of Moab, offered us a ton of opportunities for cross-country skiing, ski touring, and more. Of them all, backcountry skiing was one of the most thrilling activities we indulged in. Since we’re experienced skiers, we bundled up on backcountry ski clothes — backcountry ski pants, backcountry ski boots — the works and soaked in the views of the red rock desert canyons while standing atop snowy peaks. Also, make sure that when you’re ski touring in the Le Sal Mountains, do carry safety gear like shovels, probes, beacons, etc. for safety. After that, you can enjoy everything from short full-day adventures, like we did, to even longer, multi-day excursions, staying at backcountry yurts.
Another equally fun snow activity to do is snow tubing. We headed to Wasatch Mountain State Park’s Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, a Nordic skiing and a former Olympic Winter Games venue. The beautifully manicured cross-country ski trails were as thrilling as they were smooth, but we especially loved the snow tubing lanes, Utah’s longest, which even had night tubing.
Airplane Tours
There’s nothing better than when incredible red desert features are covered with a dusting of snow. Moab, Utah’s landscape is exactly that, and there was no better way to soak the landscape than from the air? We booked a scenic winter airplane tour, and it was one of the most special experiences of our lives. The Canyonlands National Park Morning or Sunset Plane Tour allowed us to see the gorgeous red rocks from above, which were all the more striking against the bright white powder. In fact, the bird’s eye views of the wondrous rivers, arches, and canyons in the winter was completely different from what we’d experienced when we visited Moab in summer.
Our activity provider was Redtail Air, which operates around the year, even in colder temperatures. The enclosed airplanes allowed us to fly over the iconic sites while staying comfy too.
Mountain Biking
Whether you’re an experienced mountain biker or a beginner like us, Moab has some fantastic bike trails to zip around. It’s not one of the world’s most popular mountain biking destinations for nothing; no matter the season, mountain biking takes place in and around the city. We were lucky enough to find dry conditions free of snow, rain, and ice when we want. So, the weather in Moab, Utah, in December even allowed us to go biking!
One of the best winter options was the Amasa Back trail network, but there are a few things to remember. Firstly, watch out for any slippery patches. Secondly, ensure that the bike is ready for these conditions by stopping at one of the local bike shops. Also, make sure to check the trail and weather conditions and pack lots of layers for the varying temperatures. As for gear, don’t forget to invest in one of the best mountain biking helmets.
Winter Hiking
One huge perk of hiking during winter in Moab is that the hiking temperatures are much more pleasant in the colder months as compared to those during the summer ones. The heat is much less intense, the sun doesn’t beat down as much, and the hiking atmosphere is much cooler. The cherry on top is the views of the gorgeous snow-capped red rocks.
One of our most favorite spots where we went hiking was Dead Horse Point State Park with 7 mi (11.2 km) connecting as many as 8 overlooks along the rim. The best part was that there wasn’t much elevation change along the route, and it rewarded us with stunning views of the La Sal Mountains and the Colorado River. Other places where we went hiking were Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park’s Island in the Sky district, both of which are less than an hour from Moab. Plus, we had choices of both relatively easy routes as well as more challenging winter Moab winter hikes.
Most Moab hikes have almost 100% sun exposure, so don’t play with fire and pack one of the best sunscreens.
Stargazing
Utah has the world’s most certified International Dark Sky parks, and Moab is home to not onw but three of them! Stargazing in winter is all the better thanks to the clean and crisp air and the prolonged nights. During winters, the outside edge of the galaxy is more prominent, with subtler, less intense, and fewer stars.
What was great was that we had a bunch of places to stargaze in Moab. During evenings at Arches National Park, we soaked in the twinkling stars that were the perfect backdrop against the stunning stone arches. Another place of geological whimsy was Goblin Valley State Park, which has fascinating gobline-shaped sandstone formations. Stargazing at this internationally-certified, gold-tier dark sky park was like experiencing winter on Mars! Did you know you can stay in two heated yurts here and actually step out to see the sky in the middle of the night? Yep.
Other excellent places to stargaze are Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, and Ulum Moab, which sits surrounded by 100-ft sandstone cliffs in a secluded, crescent-shaped desert landscape. This unique outdoor resort boasts safari-inspired Suite Tents and a bunch of luxurious amenities, including a yoga deck, three dipping pools, a full-service restaurant, and an endless roster of adventures and activities.
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Birdwatching
Although Moab’s winter weather is crisp, birdwatching even in the winter is an excellent activity here. We saw many unique to the Southwest birds who habited the canyons, wetlands, and picturesque high nesting areas.
One of the places we visited was the 875-acre-huge wetland area of The Matheson Wetlands, which boasted more than 225 species of birds. So, we’d walk both major trails and boardwalks that provided access from the southern side of the wetlands. Another excellent birding trail is the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, which traverses many habitat types and provided great birding opportunities amidst some spectacular scenery. Since bird diversity and numbers are high, do look out for Townsend’s Solitaire, Hermit Thrush, Western Bluebird, and the MacGillivray’s and Virginia Warblers. If you’re here for longer, don’t miss the UT-128 corridor, a.k.a. the Colorado River Scenic Byway, which also offered excellent scenic and birding opportunities.
Since we were going to be doing birding extensively, check out the best compact binoculars for birdwatching.
Dining and Shopping
While many businesses in Moab do close for the winter season, that doesn’t mean that we didn’t get to dig into delicious local food! After a long day of exploring the outdoors, we would always be tired and ready to settle down for the evening. What was better was that there were many wonderfully cozy dining options right in downtown Moab, like The Spoke On Center and Zax. In fact, many local hotels also had fireplaces that we’d cozy up next to with a hot drink and a good book. We feasted on everything from cocktails at La Sal House and wood-fired pizzas at Antica to Thai specialities at Singha Thai, a local favorite. When we were in the mood for healthy eating, the healthy granola bowls at Love Muffin were perfect.
What’s more, Moab has lots of shopping options also available. We’d stroll along the Main Street looking for everything from t-shirts, photos, rocks and biking accessories to art, ceramics and books.
Go Camping
One of the best things to do in Moab in winter is going camping! There are some excellent campgrounds that are open round the year, like the Devil’s Garden Campground. Not only didn’t it require winter reservations but also drinking water was available and the bathrooms were open. On the other hand, the Willow Flats Campground at Island in the Sky has just 12 first-come, first-served sites, as compared to the 25 at Devil’s Garden. Plus, it has no facilities, including water, so you’d have to bring along everything you need. Finally, there’s the Dead Horse Point and Kayenta Campgrounds, where the RV campsites close in the winter. While reservations are always required, they have water and bathrooms both available.
However, since it was winter, we were more interested in a little more comfort and a little less traditional camping. Fortunately, one of our favorite outdoor living brands had an outpost right in Moab. We’re talking about the amazing Under Canvas Moab, which is one of our favorite campgrounds in Moab, UT. This boutique camp, which was just 6 mi (9.6 km) from Arches National Park, had a whole bunch of adventure packages and camp programs. Think yoga, guided hikes, live music, campfire s’mores, culinary experiences, and more. We had a wide choice of safari tents with plush beds, wood-burning stoves, modern private bathrooms, and even skylights. Bonfires, alfresco grilled dinners, a grab-and-go store round up the facilities here.
“Glamping at Under Canvas Moab was one of the most exciting and amazing things we could do!”
WOW Travel
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Festivals
Did you know that Moab has a slew of interesting and fun festivals taking place even in winter? Yes! One of the most popular ones is Winterlude, the winter edition of the Moab Music Festival. This cozy cultural escape has an intimate roster of community-oriented events such as mini-concerts and workshops, making it great fun in the quieter winter months. If you’re into physical adventures, don’t miss Arches Ultra and Moab’s Red Hot. The former is a challenging footrace with multiple distances (50-mi, half marathon, 50K, and 9K) through Moab’s stunningly rugged terrain near Arches National Park. Conversely, the latter is an endurance running event with 33K and 55K courses. Finally, there’s the Moab Science Fiction Friday Night Film Festival, a free, community-driven event showcasing contemporary and classic sci-fi movies.
Important Tips For Visiting Moab In Winter
Can you visit Moab in Winter? Absolutely! Besides checking weather conditions, being prepared with proper gear, and staying layered all the time, here are some other important tips to remember when visiting Moab in winter.
- Carry and use traction devices like hiking microspikes and crampons so you have a better grip on snow or ice-covered trails. Also pack essential winter gear, including a hot thermos, extra food, a first-aid kit, a flashlight/headlamp, a compass, and a map.
- It’s very unusual, but you can get dehydration even in cold weather, especially since it’s so cold. Carry backpacking water bottles and remember to drink lots of fluids.
- One of the most important things to know is to be aware of sunset times. Since days are shorter and it gets dark earlier, you need to plan your hikes accordingly to avoid being out in the dark. Also be aware of avalanches by checking avalanche forecasts, stay on marked trails, and tell someone of your hiking and camping plans. Finally, keep an eye on advisories like park alerts and trail conditions.
Where to Stay in Moab
- 11 Best Resorts in Moab UT
- 11 Best Boutique Hotels in Moab
- 11 Best Motels in Moab UT
- 11 Best Hotels in Moab with Indoor Pool
Does Moab have skiing?
Moab’s La Sal mountains are becoming very popular for winter activities like snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. Do check the “snow conditions” page for updates about the Geyser Pass.
Can you climb in Moab in the winter?
While it’s a chilly challenge, we had the climbs largely to ourselves. What’s more, the climbing was actually pleasant when the day was calm and sunny. However, since finding dry rock can be tricky due to the snow and rain, planning trips in advance could be difficult.
Does it snow in Moab?
Yes, but there are just occasional dustings. However, nearby areas like the La Sal Mountains get enough snow for snowy activities like crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing.
