Moab To Grand Canyon Road Trip Itinerary

5 Day Moab To Grand Canyon Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Spend one day in Arches National Park before catching sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab
Day 2: Check out Canyonlands National Park on your way out of Moab. Stop at Goosenecks State Park on your way to Monument Valley
Day 3: Drive Monument Valley Scenic Loop then head to Page, AZ and catch sunset at Horseshoe bend
Day 4: Explore Antelope Canyon before driving from Page AZ to Grand Canyon
Day 5: Spend one day in Grand Canyon National Park

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.

Pro 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!

Where To Stay In Moab

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!

Where To Stay Near Monument Valley

Just after you turn back on RT-163 you’ll enter Mexican Hat before crossing into Navajo Nation. This area is fairly remote with limited lodging or restaurant options.

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.

Best Places To Stay Near Page Arizona

Page is a smaller city, but it offers a lot of options for restaurants, hotels and a few vacation rentals.

If you chose to stay in central downtown you’ll be within walking distance to restaurants, bars and shops.

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 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 trail 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.

The viewpoints along this route, in the order you’ll pass them:

• Desert View Watchtower – a stone tower with panoramic views of the Grand Canyon and Colorado River below.
• Navajo Point – the highest overlook along the south rim with an elevation of 7,461 feet.
• Lipan Point – stunning views of the Colorado River and colorful rock layers, as well as a popular trailhead for backpacking Tanner Trail (one of the hardest backpacking routes I’ve done!)
• Tusayan Museum & Ruin – remains of a small village that have been partially excavated.
• Moran Point – more stunning views, named for the famous artist whose paintings promoted the establishment of the national park – Thomas Moran.
• Grandview Point – my favorite viewpoint along the entire scenic drive, also the trailhead for Grandview Trail which takes you into the canyon.

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. 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.

Where To Stay In Grand Canyon National Park

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 into the canyon:

• 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, it also offers more shade and has more frequent water refill stations.

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 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.

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.

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 its positioned the 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! The easiest location to fly out of from Grand Canyon is Las Vegas, but Flagstaff is also nearby (although a bit more expensive for flights).