How to Visit Moab, Utah | Utah Elopement Photographer

Thinking about traveling to Moab this year? There are several ways to get here, by plane, car, and a new train!

Planes

Canyonlands Field Airport

Flights into Moab itself can be pricey, but they’ll save you a lot of extra travel time. You can’t get a direct flight though, so if you’re thinking about flying from somewhere relatively close like Salt Lake City you’re definitely better off driving. But you can rent a car from the airport, which is just 20 min outside town, and see some of the most amazing landscapes on your flight in!

Grand Junction

A lot of people don’t know about the Grand Junction airport, and it’s a little tip I learned while guiding and picking clients up from the airport. Flights are more expensive than Salt Lake City and Denver, but it’s only an hour and a half away from Moab so you’ll save so many hours of driving.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake is about 4 hours away from Moab, maybe more if you stop at the rest stop near Solider Summit, the Maverick in Price, the Green River taco truck, etc…we drive old pick up trucks and bring our dog everywhere, so we’re not the fastest drivers. But one of my friends said he once made it from his house in town to Alta in 3 hours, so theoretically it can be a quick drive.

The Salt Lake airport is a big hub, so you can find pretty affordable airfare here. It’s much closer than Denver too. I’ve experienced some pretty wild weather in here and reroutes in Price Canyon due to floods, fires, snow, etc, but usually it’s a pretty pleasant drive that takes you through a ton of different landscapes. And nothing compares to that view of the Swell as you approach I-70.

Denver

Truly a last resort. Flight-wise it made sense for my Dad coming from Miami, but the first thing he said was “that drive was a lot longer than I expected.” I-70 through the Rockies is stunning, and you’ll pass famous places like Aspen and Vail. You can make a stop in Leadville too and pick up a Melanzana fleece (by appointment only now), but you’re looking at a long drive no matter what.

Train(s)

The Rocky Mountaineer train is new to Moab, but it brings people from Denver to Moab by luxury train. It stops in Glenwood Springs, which has an amazing brewery (stock up on alcohol before you get to Moab). It takes 2 days and costs $1,375 at cheapest - that’s one way with basic accommodations. They do offer a return service, but that pushes the price to $3,757 per person.

The images look undeniably beautiful and this could definitely be a fun option for the right person.

Hwy 128, “River Road”

Automobiles

You need a car to get around Moab, whether you’re driving or renting. I’ve driven to Moab from Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, and other major cities, but I’m most comfortable when I have my own vehicle. If you enjoy flying, flying from any of those cities makes sense.

191 from the south is a beautiful drive, and passes through some of the most amazing areas in southern Utah. The Needles District of Canyonlands is a really popular place for hiking, archaeology, and just general beauty (but no, you can’t get to the other districts from here - there are some major rivers and wilderness in the way).

The majority of visitors are going to come via 191 north and I-70. If you’re coming from the north or the west, you have to stop at Ray’s or Tacos La Pasadita in Green River. Ray’s slings great burgers and is a super historical spot for whitewater rafting. Tacos La Pasadita makes the best tacos and burritos in Utah.

If you’re coming from Colorado, definitely consider taking Hwy 128 into town. It’s generally regarded as one of the most beautiful drives in the country. I got pretty desensitized driving that road every day to work (it get’s so dangerous in the winter!) but I look back and my photos and I’m just amazed that I used to see that every day.

There are no gas stations between Grand Junction and Hwy 128, so be sure to fill up in GJ. You’ll pass a black eyesore of a building at Sorrel River Ranch called JJ’s Mercantile, and just keep on driving. Save your appetite for Quesadilla Mobilla!

But be careful and be conscientious of other drivers - if the tourists going 20mph don’t take you out, the irritated locals going 60mph might. Watch out for bikers too - this road is so, so dangerous to bike on but people do it anyways. A lot of people bike the La Sal Loop Road, so keep an eye out for cyclists once you pass Castle Valley.