Moab To Grand Canyon Road Trip Itinerary

Moab is the adventure capitol of the West, and conveniently located within driving distance to many of the best things to see in the American Southwest. After living in my campervan for several years, and sending a lot of time in Utah and Arizona, I’ve found some great hidden gems along the route from Moab to Grand Canyon National Park, and I’m sharing them in this Utah to Arizona road trip itinerary.

In this article:

• Best things to do in Moab
• Must-see stops from Moab to Grand Canyon
• Recommended 5 day road trip itinerary

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The Route From Moab To Grand Canyon National Park

The distance from Moab to Grand Canyon takes 4 hours and 45 minutes to drive straight through (303 miles), and can technically be done in a day… but what’s the fun in that?

There are tons of incredible stops along the route from Moab to Grand Canyon National Park, and a few detours you won’t want to miss!

Use this map to plan your Moab Utah to Grand Canyon National Park road trip itinerary! I’ve labeled items by day (noted by color) activity type (noted by icon).

5 Day Moab To Grand Canyon Itinerary Overview

I think 5 days is an ideal amount of time for a road trip from Moab to Grand Canyon National Park.

It allows you to spend a two full days in and around Moab, exploring Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, two full days driving from Moab to Grand Canyon (stopping at Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon) and one day in Grand Canyon.

Day 1: Moab, Arches National Park & Dead Horse Point State Park

A road trip from Moab to Grand Canyon would not be complete without spending one day in Arches National Park. As a relatively smaller National Park, it’s possible to see the highlights in Arches in a few hours.

Arches is a very popular National Park, and can get extremely busy later in the day, so I recommend arriving early to avoid crowded parking lots and to enjoy the best hikes in Arches National Park without hordes of people.

Stop by Delicate Arch first (before it gets busy), before heading all the way into the park towards Devils Garden.

TIP: Double Arch and Windows Loop share the same trailhead parking so it’s best to do both of these trails at the same time.

In the evening, head over to Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset. This is one of the best sunsets in the southwest I’ve ever seen.

From Dead Horse Point you can watch the sun set across the canyon with the Colorado River snaking below. Across the river is Canyonlands – where you’ll be headed on day two of this Moab to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary!

Other Things To Do In Moab

Want a quick sampling of the best things to see near Moab? This half day 4WD tour from Moab takes you to places in Arches most visitors don’t see – Tower Arch, Marching Men and Eye of the Whale. They’ll even point out fossilized dinosaur tracks!

Whitewater rafting is one of the most fun things to do in Moab Utah. The Colorado River is a great place to raft some rapids. If you have more time, even if you’ve never done it before, I highly recommend booking a half-day whitewater rafting tour on the Colorado River.

Moab is nicknamed the adventure capital, so even if whitewater rafting isn’t your thing there are plenty of other adrenaline pumping activities like ziplining or canyoneering.

Day 2: Canyonlands National Park, Goosenecks State Park & Monument Valley

On your way out of Moab, stop by Canyonlands for a few hours. The best things to do in Canyonlands National Park are located in Island In The Sky district and are easily accessible from Moab.

On your way into Canyonlands National Park, stop at the Island In The Sky visitors center to talk to a ranger, pickup a free park map and get your National Parks Passport stamped.

From there drive south on Grand View Point Road, the scenic road that connects you with the best Canyonlands hikes and viewpoints.

I recommend a quick stop at Mesa Arch. It’s a short 0.7 mile loop with an incredible view of the canyon framed by a massive arch.

Take a quick detour over to Green River Overlook, along Upheaval Dome Road, before you continue south on the scenic drive.

Green River Overlook is another short trail from the parking lot. From the viewpoint you can see where the river has cut through the plateau. It’s one of the last views of the Green River before it merges with the Colorado River and heads south from Moab to Grand Canyon.

Finally, head all the way to the southern end of Grand View Point Road. It dead ends at (you guessed it!) Grand View Point Overlook. There’s a small parking lot here so you may have to circle a few times before a spot opens up, but it’s worth it!

There’s a relatively easy hike along the plateau with stunning views of the canyon carved deeply along the rim. Grand View Point Trail is mostly flat and under 2 miles, but there is no shade so pack plenty of water.

The trail is marked with cairns (stacks of rocks), as there are no trees to post trail markers on.

I thought the cairns were easy to follow, and chances are good you won’t be hiking alone and can follow the crowd. It’s also pretty hard to get lost considering the trail follows the narrow plateau ridge line, and with no trees you can see quite a distance.

Canyonlands to Gooseneck State Park is just under 3 hours, along highway 191 and 163. Gooseneck State Park is relatively small, but definitely worth stopping by in order to see the deep switchbacks eroded into the canyon by the San Juan River over 300 million years.

There’s not much hiking required at this stop, and the entrance fee is only $5 per vehicle.

From the parking lot you can walk along the rim and see the river winding back and forth. The distance it covers is only 1.5 miles long, but due to the 180° turns the water flows for over 6 miles.

Finally, head back to RT-163 and south to Monument Valley. This part of the road between Moab to Grand Canyon has some of the most famous scenes – like Forrest Gump Point, from the movie!

Day 3: Monument Valley To Page, Arizona

In the morning, head out to complete the Monument Valley Scenic Loop (also called Tribal Valley Loop in Monument Valley). This is a 17-mile one-way loop, and it takes 2-3 hours to complete.

It also requires a high clearance vehicle, preferably a 4×4 vehicle, as it is unpaved. If you don’t have a high clearance vehicle you can join a guided tour instead.

Monument Valley Scenic Loop is open 7 am – 7 pm during the summer, and 8 am – 5 pm during the winter. There’s a fee of $8 per person to enter the tribal park.

You will also need a free permit for the loop road – these are handed out first-come, first-serve and help maintain a maximum of 25 vehicles on the road at a time.

The drive from Monument Valley to Grand Canyon is just under 2.5 hours. However, if you can spare an extra day I recommend a detour to Page, Arizona. This will add a little over an hour to your total drive time (3.5 hours).

After completing the Monument Valley Scenic Loop, drive 2 hours to Page, Arizona and explore Antelope Canyon before catching sunset at Horseshoe Bend.

Antelope Canyon requires a guided-tour in order to access. There are actually 3 different locations where you can explore (I was surprised to learn it’s not just one location, but rather a series of slot canyons).

The best sunset view in Page, Arizona is at Horseshoe Bend. There’s a $10 entrance fee per vehicle and it can get somewhat crowded for sunset so I recommend arriving at least 45-minutes early.

There’s a short 1.5 mile roundtrip hike from the parking area to the viewpoint where you can watch the sun lower over a stunning view of the Colorado River below.

Day 4: Page To Grand Canyon South Rim

The drive from Page to Grand Canyon is just under 3 hours, but there are several fun stops along this route so I recommend planning half a day for this section of your Moab to Grand Canyon road trip.

Before you head out of Page, stop by New Wave for a short hike. New Wave is similar to the famous Wave (near Kanab, Utah), but it doesn’t have a permit lottery so it’s much more accessible.

The trail is a 1.9 mile loop that takes less than an hour. It’s completely exposed so be sure to bring water with you. I recommend at least 2 liters per person.

About 20-minutes south on your way from Page to Grand Canyon you’ll drive through Antelope Pass Vista.

This is where RT-89 climbs up the high desert plateau, from the top you can see sweeping views of the desert valley below. The red rocks are dramatic and stunning from this pull-off.

From here it’s a straight shot down RT-89 towards RT-64 that’ll take you into Grand Canyon. I recommend a small detour along RT-160 to Navajo Moenave to see some of the most preserved dinosaur tracks and tail drags in North America.

The site is about 5-minutes off RT-89 and free to access.

You have the option to take a guided tour (donation based) from a Navajo native who can provide interesting information, like how the tracks were discovered and facts about the Jurassic period.

Continue towards Grand Canyon, and make a pitstop at Cameron Trading Post for lunch.

Originally, the trading post was established in 1916 as a place for Navajo and Hopi tribes to trade their goods. Today, it’s a popular restaurant, gift shop and hotel.

Cameron Trading Post is famous for their Navajo Tacos, and their green chili.

Just past Cameron Trading Post, you’ll turn onto RT-64 and follow it into Grand Canyon.

Since you’ll be entering Grand Canyon National Park from the east entrance (Desert View), you’ll follow Desert View Drive – a 23 mile scenic route along the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

Desert View Drive is a must-see while visiting the Grand Canyon. There are no shuttles along this part of the south rim, and since you’re already driving it I recommend stopping at the viewpoints along the way into Grand Canyon Village.

Desert View Drive leads right into Grand Canyon Village where you’ll find lots of restaurant options for dinner: Harvey House Cafe (American cuisine), The Fountain (takeout), Arizona Steakhouse (traditional steakhouse) or El Tovar (fine dining).

After dinner, walk along Rim Trail for sunset in Grand Canyon National Park. Rim Trail is paved, flat, and totals 12.8 miles along the canyon rim, but you can walk it in sections and use the free shuttle back.

Day 5: Grand Canyon National Park

I recommend getting an early start and hiking down into the canyon. There’s really no substitute for the views farther into the canyon, even though you’ll still see some stunning views along the rim.

There are two trails from Grand Canyon Village that head below the rim:

• Bright Angel (15.8 miles)
• South Kaibab (14.3 miles)

South Kaibab is a shorter trail, but it’s steeper. Both trails have about the same amount of elevation change, so hiking Bright Angel (even though it’s longer) will have a more gradual descent.

If this is your first hike into the canyon I recommend Bright Angel. Not only is it easier on your knees, but it also offers more shade.

You don’t have to hike the entire trail. Bright Angel trail has a resthouse 1.5 miles and 3 miles down, and around 4.5 miles down you’ll find Havasupai Gardens. There is usually water at these locations (but always check with a ranger ahead of time, because occasionally there is no water.)

Also keep in mind that the canyon rim tends to be 10-20°F colder than inside the canyon, so as you hike down the temperatures will rise. Layers are really helpful for hiking below the rim.

In the afternoon, rent a bicycle from bikegrandcanyon.com. Prices for traditional bicycles start at $30 for 2 hours and increase to $55 for 24 hours. E-bikes are $75 for a half day and $95 for the full day. I recommend making advanced reservations because they frequently sell out.

You can bike along Hermit Road, a 7.8 mile route along the rim. There are several fantastic overlooks along this route, and I recommend timing sunset from Hopi Point.

Hopi Point has the best views of the canyon sunset because it protrudes farthest into the canyon with the widest panoramic views.

Spend your final evening enjoying dinner in Grand Canyon Village before wrapping up your road trip!

From Grand Canyon, the easiest airport for a return flight is from Las Vegas. From Grand Canyon to Las Vegas is about 4 hours and is mostly highway driving.

Flagstaff is another airport, and a bit closer, but tends to be more expensive with fewer flight options. It’s just under an hour and a half drive from Grand Canyon south rim to Flagstaff.