The town of Moab, with its population of around 5,000, serves as the tourist hub of southeastern Utah. Besides a large selection of motels, concessionaires, restaurants, shops, and museums. Moab is, first and foremost, an incomparable base of operations for exploring the diverse and extraordinary canyons of southeastern Utah, and in particular Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park and the La Sal Mountains. It is also the preeminent base of operations for river trips, bicycle excursions, hikes, and four-wheel-drive expeditions through the red-rock country. On top of that, thousands of visitors flock to Moab each year for special yearly events such as the Moab Half-Marathon in March, the Easter Jeep Safari, the Moab Folk Music Festival, the Labor Day Jeep Jamboree, and the October Fat Tire Festival for mountain bikers.

If you are traveling to Moab from April through October you will want to arrive early in the day to arrange lodging, unless you have not made reservations ahead of time. Moab is a popular destination and the hotels as well as the campgrounds fill up quickly during peak season. A great way to beat the crowds is to come during the wintertime. Moab occasionally receives a sprinkling of snow, and temperatures have been known to dip below freezing, however, if you choose to travel to Moab during the winter to avoid the crowds you will generally enjoy mild temperatures.

Moab was founded in the 1870's by Mormon farmers and ranchers. The town is located in a green valley on the edge of the Colorado River and is surrounded by high sandstone cliffs. Moab remained a small, quiet ranching community until the early 1950's, when a uranium boom tripled the population. The town also became a center of potash mining, but as the economy changed Moab's mining boom went bust and the town turned instead to tourism.

Moab's beautiful canyon country and western setting helped develop Moab into a movie center. John Wayne films such as Rio Grande and The Comancheros, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and more recently Thelma and Louise with Tom Cruise were filmed in the area. The Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage at the Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab provides a glimpse into the role Moab has played in the film industry.

Moab has gained a reputation as the world's undisputed center for mountain biking. The first thing you will notice while driving through town is the number of mountain bikes you see strapped to the top of cars or packed in the back of trucks. The Moab slickrock bicycle trail is a must for anyone who wishes to call themselves a mountain biker. The trail was originally constructed for use by motorcycles but has since been overrun by mountain bikers who want to test their skill on the petrified dunes.

Mountain biking is a relatively new activity in southeastern Utah, but Moab has long served as a base for river-running adventures. Day and night jet boat trips and one-day rafting trips are a great way to get a taste of the area's incredible canyons, but to really get to know the country, a longer expedition is in order. Most Colorado River trips into Cataract and Westwater canyons begin in Moab. A guided expedition through these canyons includes the thrill of facing some of North America's most difficult rapids, coupled with the experience of swimming in the river, camping, and exploring the canyons on foot.

Those searching for a great four-wheel-drive experience will enjoy exploring the thousands of miles of old, unmaintained mining roads. Rental vehicles and guided trips are available in Moab. If you prefer to keep your feet on the ground there are a multitude of incredible hiking trails around Moab. Whatever you choose, you will not be disappointed; Moab can dish up enough excitement, entertainment and natural beauty to satisfy anyone.