Moab and Arches National Parks Hiking Weekend

Your day begins at 7:00am at our Rendezvous Hotel located in Salt Lake City, UT. Be sure to eat a hearty breakfast before meeting up with the group. You’ll be greeted by your Explorer Chick Guides in the morning with an official orientation to follow. We’ll then hop into our Explorer Chick Private Transport for our 4 hour transfer to Moab and the surrounding National Parks.

We won’t waste any time today as throw on our daypacks and hit the trails in Arches National Park. You’ll wander your way between red sandstone walls and up massive rock formations seeking out the some of the 2,000 arches in Arches National Park. You’ll look up in awe at the longest arch in the United States, stand under picture perfect arches eroded through time by wind, and soak in your first taste of the Utah Desert Sun.

We’ll unpack at our Explorer Chick House for the next 4 days with views of the rocky mesas and red desert right out our windows.

Distance: 5 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,069’
Time: 3 – 3.5 hours

Accommodation: Explorer Chick House
Meals: L-D

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll lace up our hiking boots and begin our weekend of Moab hikes by exploring one of Explorer Chick’s favorite trails in Canyonlands National Park. (Hint: You won’t find it listed as a “best” online!) We’ll navigate portions of desert slick rock where the trail is only marked by scattered cairns. We’ll hike among towering sandstone pillars that jut straight out of the ground. We’ll squeeze through a labyrinth of narrow slot canyons to view desert landscapes that seem to belong on a different planet. We’ll bask in the sun while eating our trail lunch with panoramic views. Along the trail keep your eyes peeled for hidden caves, lizards, pre-historic fossils, and your desert glamour shot.

On the way back to our Explorer Chick House, we’ll make a stop at one of the best preserved petroglyph sites in Utah. Hundreds of petroglyphs puzzle historians as they attempt to decipher stories from centuries ago.

Distance: 11.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,935′
Time: 6-7 hours

Accommodation: Explorer Chick House
Meals: B-L-D

We’ll have an extra early morning today, but it’ll be worth it as you view the sunrise from the edge of Dead Horse Point State Park. Munch on your breakfast and sip your coffee as the sun paints her colors across the sky.

After an unforgettable sunrise, we’ll head over to Canyonlands National Park to tackle the steepest trail in the park. We’ll descend over 1,500 feet in 2.7 miles to the canyon plateau below where we’ll be greeted by the best lunch spot in the park. Chances are, we’ll be the only ones around.

A challenging hike back to the canyon rim will take us up the switchbacks along the cliffside working those calves and earning our dinner! After a triumphant finish, we’ll hop back in our van and stop at the best vista viewpoints that the park has to offer. Sweaty, dirty, glamour shots are the best proof of a day well-spent!

Hiking Distance: 4.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,548′
Time: 4-5 hours

Accommodation: Explorer Chick House
Meals: B-L-D

We’re saving the most iconic hike for last – Delicate Arch. This picturesque formation has graced Utah license plates since 1996, the Olympic Relay Torch passed under it in 2002, and now you will have the opportunity to stand under the prominent Delicate Arch to snap your glamor shot.

After our final hike, we’ll pack up and say goodbye to the desert as we drive the 4 hours back to Salt Lake City. The memories and red desert dirt on your hiking boots will stay with you for months after you return home.

Plan evening flight departures after 8pm.

Hiking Distance: 2.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 600′
Time: 2 hours

Meals: B-L

Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, availability, or other unforeseen incidents.

Explorer Chick is an approved and permitted Commercial Operator for Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.