Moab - Headquarters for Red Rock Fun

Seeing the red rocks and desert in their many moods according to the light. Experiencing the desert during and after a rainstorm. Coming back after a day of exploring nearby Arches and Canyonlands to a hot shower, a good dinner and a comfortable room.

Quick Tips:

Moab is very busy on the weekends, and finding a room can be difficult. Make reservations in advance, even during the off season. If possible, visit during the week – there will be fewer people to contend with in town and on the trails.

Pick up a free copy on "Moab Happenings" at a local restaurant or store. We also found a free Moab Restaurant Guide with sample menus for many of the local eateries. (Some of the ads in these publications offer discounts to diners.) This will help you decide where to eat, sleep and shop while in Moab.

Best Way To Get Around:

Since most places are located along Moab’s Main Street, it is easy to walk to a restaurant or store. The streets here are fairly pedestrian-friendly. We found that there were many people walking around after dark. For adventures outside of town you will need a car, as many of the "nearby" attractions are miles away. Not all roads are paved, so a 4-wheel drive vehicle is very useful. There are also many outfitters in town who will take you on guided tours of virtually any area you might wish to visit.

Moab is a town of motels, and has been for a long time. There are many "mom & pop" properties along the main drag, but only a few national chains have set up shop here. There are two Best Westerns in town, located nearly across the street from one another. As motels in Moab go, these are newer and on the deluxe side. Aside from the attractive fountain at the main entrance, the motel offered many features that other hotels in town did not. These included an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, a well-appointed workout room and a very nice guest laundry. The Inn is located next to the Mill Creek jogging and biking trail; many restaurants and shops are within easy walk along Main Street. The Best Western Greenwell Inn was our home for the week and made a great base for our daily adventures.

Our room was fairly standard as motels go. Where the Best Western Greenwell Inn distinguished itself was in the service and courtesy that every member of the staff showed us. Since this motel did not offer a continental breakfast, we opted for a room with a refrigerator and a microwave. At first, we were uncertain that the refrigerator was functioning properly, so we asked if we could be moved to another room. This was not possible, so the manager immediately (and personally) exchanged our refrigerator with one from another room. Furthermore, just to be sure that our perishable food would not spoil, he offered to store our food in the office refrigerator until maintenance could check the new refrigerator. Later in our stay, we asked the staff if they would accept a Federal Express overnight package on our behalf. Again, the manager made a point of attending to out needs personally. The word was successfully passed from one shift to another and our package reached us without a hitch.

When using a toll free number to make reservations in an unknown area, it can be difficult to know if you have made a good choice for your hotel. A chain motel can be impersonal and one property can be indistinguishable from another. The management and staff of the Best Western Greenwell Inn went out of their way to give us great service and personal attention during our stay. It was our good fortune to have happened upon this motel, and we would happily stay here again.

No trip to Moab would be complete without a visit to Eddie McStiff’s. Advertised as "Moab’s oldest legal brewery", this restaurant is popular with everyone from families with small children to mountain bikers to grandparents. And why not? There is something on the menu here for everyone – pizza, pasta, steaks, burgers, salmon, Mexican favorites, a special kids’ menu, and of course, 13 handcrafted microbrews.

McStiff’s was a bustling place. The atmosphere was a little noisy, but everyone was having a good time. We had a long wait in the bar while we waited for our table. We amused ourselves by keeping one eye on the televised sports and the other eye on the clientele. This was a fun place for people watching. Those less easily amused might wish to go upstairs and play pool or foosball while they enjoy their microbrew of choice. The bar also had a small dance floor, but since there was no music that night, it saw no action. The restaurant’s tables were covered with plain white paper and each has a small cup with crayons. Kids and adults alike can pass the time between ordering and eating by drawing or playing tic tac toe.

Since McStiff’s was only a short walk down Main Street from our motel, we ate here twice. On our first visit, we dined on house specialties, the Stiff’s Hummus Plate, dinner salads and pasta. The hummus and salad were originals, unlike what we have had at home. The hummus was on the thick side, and light on the lemon, garlic and tahini. The dinner salads were topped with crunchy wheatberries (as opposed to croutons) and the house miso dressing. The dressing was an interesting blend of miso, cider vinegar, honey and soy, and it gave the salad a distinctly oriental flavor.

Looking around, it seemed as though we have missed the boat by not ordering a pizza. McStiff’s has been voted among the "top 100 Independent Pizzerias in the U.S." and waitresses were delivering them to every table but ours. We vowed to try one on our next visit to see what all the fuss was about.

There are almost as many pizza toppings as there are microbrews. Of course, there are the standard Italian sausage and pepperoni, but perhaps you would prefer green chiles or jalapeno peppers. You can choose from 6 "loaded" specialty pizzas (4-11 toppings) or build your own. We chose to top ours with fresh garlic, onions, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms. Even our server agreed that this would be a great pizza. We were not disappointed. The pizza was delicious and made more than a meal for two hungry hikers. Should we ever return to Moab and McStiff’s, we will pass up everything else and head straight for the pizza!

For a souvenir of your visit, McStiff’s has a retail store with T-shirts, hats, water bottles, etc. You can also get the miso dressing and the microbrews to go.

On a night when we had a hankering for something Mexican, we headed for Rio Colorado. This was one of the few places we visited that was not located on Main Street. It took a little work, but we still found it was within an easy walk of our motel.

The food here is tasty and reasonably priced. Almost everything on the menu has a Southwestern flair. Of course, there are the usual nachos, chili, taco salad, fajitas, quesidillas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas and tamales. However, Rio Bravo is no Chi Chi’s and ventures beyond the standard with such offerings as Margarita Chicken (chicken breast simmered with lime and flamed with "cactus juice") and Mahi Mahi Del Playa (charbroiled mahi mahi filet served with a tropical salsa of mangoes, chiles, jicama, lime and cilantro). There are also some interesting vegetarian dishes such as the Vegetarian Sunbelt (mushroom caps, artichoke hearts and baby corn topped with toasted pumpkin seeds and melted cheese) and the Sunbelt Stirfry (mixed vegetables seasoned with Rio’s special spices and topped with melted cheese). If you have never had a Navajo Taco (using fry bread instead of a tortilla), this is an opportunity to try one. For those who prefer blander fare, there are hamburgers, grilled chicken and New York strip steaks.

Rio Colorado has live dance bands every Friday and Saturday night. The ads say "Come Prepared to Dance". Since we went on a weeknight, we did not get the full "Club Rio" experience. However, from our seats in the dining room we could see that this restaurant had one of the bigger dance floors in town. We were happy to enjoy a quiet dinner, but this is undoubtedly a hopping place on the weekends!

Buck’s Grill House sits just north of downtown Moab. This restaurant is a little more expensive than most in town, but it is well worth it. While out on the trail, we heard that Buck’s had the best steaks in Moab. While we did not give them a try, we had to agree that this was the best dinner we had during our week’s stay.

This place is always busy, so be prepared for a little wait before you eat. Dining is available indoors or out. The porch/patio overlooks the parking lot, but is pleasant enough on a warm evening. Inside, the whitewashed walls are decorated with cowboy art, most of which is for sale. The furnishings are plain – dark wood tables and simple chairs.

The main menu here falls into three categories: Southwestern, Grilled Steaks and Buck’s Specials. Each of these has a gourmet twist. The Southwestern selections included Pesole, a traditional Mexican pork and hominy stew, Duck Tamales and Buffalo Chorizo (Sausage) Tacos. The variety of steaks is matched by the possible "styles". You can have them with topped with black onion gravy, smothered with soy sauce glazed mushrooms or rubbed with spices and BBQ butter. We both found Buck’s Specials to be the most appealing. The Roasted Pork Prime Rib came with a wonderful apricot chiptole sauce and garlic mashed potatoes. Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Linguini satisfied a hankering for great pasta. Another standout was the Smoked Chicken Quesidilla served with caramelized onions and goat cheese. We found this in the "Starters" section, and split a single order. Those wishing for something on the lighter side might want to order these as a main course.

The Chef, Tim Buckingham, is a native of Moab who traveled to California for culinary school and later returned to his hometown to offer "quality food in an enjoyable atmosphere". One visit and you will know that he has succeeded on both fronts.

Along Moab’s Main Street there are many places to shop. Most sell T shirts, jewelry and other inexpensive souvenirs of a visit to the southwest. The Hogan Trading Company offers the serious shopper something more. This is a place to find the quality creations of local craftspeople. If you are looking for a distinctive momento of your visit to Moab, this is a great place to look.

The shop is located directly across the street from the Best Western Greenwell Inn. What first caught my eye was the display of kinetic sculptures lined up along the sidewalk outside the store. Each day as we left our hotel, we would see these fanciful windmills twirling in the breeze. By their very nature, they made me want to see what more was inside.

The doors opened upon spacious rooms of southwestern style art of every kind. Of course, there were cases of Native American jewelry. The pieces we found here were amongst the finest that we had seen anywhere in our travels. Elsewhere we found furniture, lamps, rugs, metal wall hangings, sculptures large and small, fountains, kachinas and prints. We spent a long time here, browsing and delighting in the various works. There were no T-shirts for sale here!

Since we had some specific purchases in mind, we asked a staff member for some suggestions. After only a brief conversation, it was clear that our helper was not only very knowledgeable about each piece she had in the store (as well as the artist who created it), she was proud of the crafts she had for sale. With her aid, we found a leather rattle that we knew would make a great gift for a young girl in Europe who wanted something from the U.S. that was authentically Native American.

While it would be possible to spend several hundred dollars here on just one large purchase, all of our selections fell into the category of small treasures. The folks at home were pleased with the enameled bookmark topped with a fetish bear, petroglyph refrigerator magnets and inexpensive silver jewelry. As for me, it was not until Christmas that I received my reminder of a trip to Moab. A pair of beautiful silver earrings in the shape of fetish bears inlaid with local minerals (carefully selected when I was not looking) appeared under the tree. I am complimented on them often and I am always pleased to have the opportunity to tell others of my wonderful trip to Moab.

Moab’s main grocery store and pharmacy is City Market. We visited it almost daily, and we found it to be the town’s crossroads. It seemed that almost everyone who lives in or passes through Moab ends up at City Market at some point. Here we saw companions from the day’s hikes, mountain bikers, park rangers and local residents.

The popularity of this store was understandable, as it is the biggest grocery store in town and is open from early morning to late at night. We originally came here for the breakfast and trail basics, but we found much more. First, there was the salad bar. It was more extensive than those many grocery stores at home -standard vegetable offerings were rounded out by freshly prepared pasta salads, tabboule and sliced fresh strawberries. It would be easy to find a complete lunch or dinner here, and it appeared to us as though several people were doing just that. There were also many items that were clearly just for tourists. Postcards, souvenir mugs and an excellent pocket trail guide found their way into our shopping basket.

The management and staff here were very friendly and helpful. One cashier offered us a temporary grocery card that gave us discounts on our purchases. No problem that the card normally expired the week before our visit, we were granted an extension on the spot. In another instance, I had a close encounter with the store manager when I discovered that I had purchased some yogurt that was beyond its freshness date. The manager not only gave me a refund on the carton I returned, he insisted on giving me cash back for a carton I had purchased but discarded. I cringed the next day when I returned to the customer service counter to buy a stamp for a post card. He not only remembered me as the "yogurt lady" from the day before, he was exceptionally nice about the incident, thanking me for bringing the situation to his attention.

The folks at City Market made me feel like I was a valued customer, even though I was just passing through. Even though City Market is the "big dog" as far as Moab’s grocery stores go, the staff here behaved as though they had to earn my business. I left Moab wishing that I could be treated like this at my grocery store at home!

Even if you think you know exactly what you want to do when you visit Moab, a visit to the Moab Information Center is a good idea. Here you will find brochures on nearly every hotel, restaurant and outfitter in town. There are also free special interest brochures guiding you rock art, hiking trails and movie locations. If you want to know how to find dinosaur tracks, ancient petroglyphs or the spot where Thelma and Louise drove off the cliff, this is the place to ask.

The staff here is very knowledgeable about activities at all the nearby parks, including Arches, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. We spent some time talking to the folks behind the counter and picked up great tips for places to visit outside of Moab. The maps and directions we received here helped us make the most of our day trip to Natural Bridges National Monument and our return drive to Salt Lake City.

Natural Bridges National Monument is 120 miles from Moab, making it a long, but very rewarding, day trip. Along the way we travelled a portion of the "Trail of the Ancients", an area considered to be the "archaeological heartland of America". Other attractions in this area are Edge of the Cedars State Park, the cliff dwellings at Butler Wash and the drive through the Valley of the Gods.

The Monument itself consists of three natural bridges – Sipapu, Kachina and Owachomo. The bridges are connected by a 9-mile one-way loop road. None of them is visible from the road, so those wishing to view them have two choices: hike down from each parking area to the bridge overlook or hike an 8.6-mile loop along an unmaintained trail. The long hike takes 6-8 hours to complete. We arrived midmorning, decided to make a day of it, and took the long route.

The loop hike can begin from any parking area. Every guidebook we had recommended starting at Sipapu. However, when we got to the Visitor Center, the ranger there told us that the easiest route was to park at the Owachomo parking area and make the 3-mile hike across the mesa first. By doing this, we could make the easiest climb out of the canyon and then be right at our car. Following this course turned out to be the best decision of the day. This loop hike is rewarding, but a bit tiring. We were very happy to call it a day after viewing the last bridge!

The hike across the mesa through pinyon pine forest and along slickrock was not very difficult. The fun began when we reached the Sipapu Bridge parking area. From here, the trail descended (with the aid of a staircase and ladders) 500 feet to the canyon floor. About halfway down the trail there was a large ledge which afforded the best view of this bridge. In Hopi mythology, Sipapu is the entryway through which all souls must enter and exit the spirit world. After Rainbow Bridge, this is the second largest natural bridge in the world.

We followed the river 2.3 miles through White Canyon to the massive Kachina Bridge. We did not take time to visit the Horse Collar Ruin, however we did linger over the handprints decorating the canyon walls. Kachina Bridge takes its name from the petroglyphs found nearby, which are reminiscent of Hopi kachina dolls.

This is an easy area to become lost in, and despite the warnings and directives from the park ranger and our trail guides, we took a wrong turn. We ended up at the base of the "Knickpoint" (a pouroff into the canyon) and had to retrace our steps back to the bridge. Once we got back on the trail, we ascended to the canyon rim and crossed from White Canyon into Armstrong Canyon. The 3.0 mile stretch from Kachina Bridge to Owachomo Bridge is not as well travelled as the section between Sipapu and Kachina. Although wildlife encounters are said to be more frequent here, our hike was uneventful.

The final bridge, Owachomo, is named for the rocks at the eastern side of the bridge (Owachomo means rock mound in Hopi). This is the oldest, smallest and most delicate of the three bridges. After viewing its massive neighbors, Owachomo appears to be in danger of collapsing at any time. The trail passes directly under the bridge, following the course that water once did. Unlike Sipapu and Kachina, Owachomo stands out against the desert landscape. The overlook provides an excellent view, making it the most memorable of the three bridges. From here it was only a short hike to the parking area and our car. It was a long drive back to Moab, but this hike was worth every minute!