Moving to Moab, Utah

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NOAA, USGS, and the Utah State Tax Commission. Prices move, so ask me for current numbers.

Moab is a small town on the Colorado River in the red rock country of southeast Utah. About 5,210 people live in the city, by the 2025 Census estimate. That is about 3% fewer than in 2020. The city covers about 4.8 square miles, and the Grand County offices are in Moab.

Red cliffs rise on both sides of the flat low ground of the valley. The town sits at about 4,025 feet. City Hall is at 4,052. Main Street is US-191, the only through road. It runs north over the river to I-70 at Crescent Junction, about 31 miles away. To the south it climbs through Spanish Valley.

The Arches entrance is about 5 miles north, or about 11 minutes. The Island in the Sky part of Canyonlands is about 33 miles away, or about 50 minutes. Salt Lake City is about 234 miles, or about four hours. Grand Junction, Colorado, is about 112 miles to the east. The glance box at the top shows the typical home value and the rest of the quick facts.

How the town began

A group of settlers built a fort in Spanish Valley in 1855 as the Elk Mountain Mission. It was short-lived, and the settlers left. Ranchers came back in the late 1870s, and by the 1880s there was a town with a post office. The town was platted in 1884. Grand County was created by 1890, and Moab became a town on December 30, 1902.

The city gives two stories for the name. The most accepted one traces it to a dry land in the Bible. A less accepted one traces it to a Paiute word. Either way, the name stuck after two failed tries to change it.

Uranium changed the town in the early 1950s. Moab became the center of the mining boom. The mill that processed the ore stopped work in 1984. The city fell from 5,333 people in 1980 to 3,971 in 1990. By then the movies had also found the area, and tourism grew from the 1970s on. Arches became a national park in 1971. The city now estimates that more than 3 million people visit Moab each year.

The plan for growth

The city’s General Plan was approved on July 11, 2017. Water is the limit it returns to most. The plan says Moab draws on the same underground water supply as Spanish Valley. The home checks topic has what that means for a buyer. Floods are part of the setting too. Summer storms and spring snowmelt can swell Mill Creek and Pack Creek, as the weather topic explains.

The county line is a big part of the Moab story. Spanish Valley runs south from town across the line into San Juan County. The neighborhoods topic walks it from north to south. For the street level view, Moab on The Local has guides to the town. I did the homework on Moab. In Moab, a partner agent I trust does the work on the ground.

Sources: the U.S. Census, TIGERweb, USGS elevations, the City of Moab History page and its 2017 General Plan.

Moab has a high desert climate. Summers are very hot and dry. Winters are mild in the day and cold at night. Spring and fall are the comfortable seasons. The NOAA weather station sits next to City Hall, so these numbers describe Moab itself.

Month by month

These are the normal highs and lows for each month. A normal January night drops to about 21°F. A normal July night stays near 66°F.

• JanuaryHigh 44°F, low 21°F
• FebruaryHigh 52°F, low 27°F
• MarchHigh 65°F, low 36°F
• AprilHigh 72°F, low 43°F
• MayHigh 83°F, low 51°F
• JuneHigh 94°F, low 59°F
• JulyHigh 99°F, low 66°F
• AugustHigh 96°F, low 64°F
• SeptemberHigh 88°F, low 55°F
• OctoberHigh 74°F, low 42°F
• NovemberHigh 57°F, low 30°F
• DecemberHigh 44°F, low 22°F

Source: NOAA climate normals, 1991 to 2020, Moab station (USC00425733). Months are rounded to the nearest degree. The city’s own records show a high of 114°F and a low of -20°F, with no years given.

Dry, with a late summer storm season

Rain and melted snow add up to only about 9 inches a year. June is the driest month, at about 0.35 inches. October is the wettest, at about 1 inch. July through September each bring about 0.9 inches, and most of it comes in sudden storms.

From July into September, the monsoon brings brief, violent thunderstorms. The monsoon is the wet season of the desert Southwest. The city says these storms often cause flash floods. They can flood dry stream beds and slot canyons fast, so check the forecast before any canyon outing.

Some years are drier than others. In 2026, during a drought, the city limited daytime outdoor watering. Sprinklers on city water may run only from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. The home checks topic has what a buyer should ask about water.

A long growing season

Frost dates matter if you garden. The last spring freeze usually comes around April 11. The first fall freeze comes around October 23. That leaves about 192 days between. In one year in ten, the last freeze comes as late as April 28 and the first as early as October 8.

About 117 nights a year drop to 32°F or lower, nearly all of them from November through March. The air is dry, so skin and houseplants want more water than you expect.

For the day to day side, see living with the season on The Local.

Moab gets about 9 inches of snow in a normal year. That is a small amount for Utah. It is more than St. George and far less than Price or Monticello. The Moab station is in town, so this is the snow that falls on the streets.

December is the snowiest month, with about 5 inches. January adds about 1.7, February about 1.4 and November about 1. A little falls in March and October. Snow falls in the winter months and rarely in the rest of the year.

Snow does not stay. About 5 days a year bring a tenth of an inch or more. Snow covers the ground by an inch or more on about 10 days a year. It melts fast.

The La Sal Mountains, 45 minutes to an hour from town, are the snowy place. The city says its drinking water depends on their snowmelt and rain. The ski topic has the winter side of the mountains.

Summers are the headline here. A normal July afternoon reaches about 99°F. Nights fall to only about 66°F, so the house does not cool off much overnight. June runs near 94°F, and August near 96°F.

Heat that other Utah towns call rare is normal here. In a normal year, about 108 days reach 90°F or hotter. About 38 days reach 100°F. July alone has about 18 of them, and August about 10.

Outdoor plans shift to the early morning and the evening in the hottest weeks. Many people head up into the La Sal Mountains, where it is cooler.

The home checks topic covers what to look at in a home that has to handle this much heat.

The weather station in town does not record wind. The nearest record is at Canyonlands Regional Airport, about 18 miles north on the open plateau. Over 2016 to 2025, the wind there averaged about 6.4 miles an hour.

Spring is the windy season. At the airport, April through June ran about 8.4 to 8.7 miles an hour. December and January were the calmest, at about 4. Town sits lower than the plateau and has cliffs on both sides, so these numbers are a guide to the season, not to one street.

Spring wind carries blowing dust and gusts. The air quality topic covers dust and smoke.

Grand County is on no EPA list of areas that fail an air standard. The EPA lists nine Utah counties: Box Elder, Cache, Davis, Duchesne, Salt Lake, Tooele, Uintah, Utah and Weber. Grand is not one of them. The list was current as of September 30, 2026.

Dust and smoke

Two things can change the air. Spring wind lifts dust off dry ground, most often from April through June. Some summer days bring smoke from wildfires in other parts of the West. Neither has a count here, so this page gives no number for either.

This page has no winter inversion data for Moab, so it makes no claim either way. An inversion is a lid of warm air that traps cold air near the ground. If winter air matters to you, visit once in a cold month before you buy.

Here is what I would do. Check the air each day, the way you check the weather. A uranium mill pile once sat by the river north of town. The home checks topic tells what happened to it.

Source: EPA Green Book for Utah, checked October 2026.

Housing is the big cost in Moab. The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value, from the U.S. Census. That number is the middle of what owners say their homes are worth. It is not a sale price, so judge any home against recent sales of similar homes.

The gap between home costs and pay is the hard part. On the state’s 2025 figures, the tax bill on a typical Grand County home ranked 8th highest of Utah’s 29 counties. Many jobs here are in hotels, restaurants and recreation. In 2025 the average weekly pay in Grand County was about $933 across all jobs, and about $678 in leisure and hospitality. Plan a budget around real Moab numbers, not what rural Utah usually costs.

Other costs are easy to name. Sales tax is 9.35%, and Utah taxes the home you live in on only 55% of its value. Summer heat adds to the power bill, because about 38 days a year reach 100°F. Moab is remote, so big shopping trips can mean a long drive.

Want a side-by-side with another town? The Utah City Finder sorts towns by budget and by the drive to work. Ask me and I will run the numbers for the places you are weighing.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 2020 to 2024), the Utah State Tax Commission, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) and NOAA. Costs change, so ask me for current numbers.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Four taxes matter most here: sales tax, state income tax, property tax and the tax on guests. The table comes first. A look at a Moab tax bill follows.

The sales tax drops once you leave the city. A store in unincorporated Grand County, including the part of Spanish Valley north of the county line, charges 7.35%. A store on the San Juan County side of the valley charges 6.35%.

What is on a Moab tax bill

A city address sits in Grand County tax area 001. Six groups charge a levy there. They are Grand County and the Grand County School District. The others are the City of Moab, the mosquito district, the cemetery district and the Moab Valley Fire Protection District. Small county assessing charges add a little more.

The school district is the biggest share of the bill, at about 54%. The city is about 21%. The 0.58% is a sum of the 2025 levies, so confirm the final number on a tax notice. The county average is about 0.52%. Addresses outside the city pay no city levy.

Moab is one of the few Utah cities that went decades with no city property tax. The city set its rate at zero in 1992. In August 2024 the City Council voted to bring one back. The money goes to a capital fund for roads, paths, bridges, sidewalks and buildings, not to salaries.

The school levy rose in 2025. For 2026 the Grand County School District proposed a 3.42% rise in the money it collects. Check your tax notice for the final 2026 rate. Property tax is billed and paid to the Grand County Treasurer, not to the city.

The primary home break

Utah taxes the home you live in on 55% of its market value. A second home or a nightly rental is taxed on all of it, so its bill runs about twice as high. If you plan to live in the home, ask the Grand County Assessor how to claim the break.

Car fees

Grand County has no emissions test. Utah charges a yearly fee based on the age of your car, and a first Utah title needs a VIN inspection. The first 90 days topic walks through the DMV steps.

Sources: the Utah State Tax Commission (2025 levies by tax area, the October 2026 sales tax table, the 2025 annual report), the City of Moab property tax page, the Utah DMV and S.B. 60 (2026). Questions about your own bill go to the county assessor.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

The glance box at the top of this page shows the latest typical home value for Moab, from the U.S. Census. It comes from what owners say their homes are worth, over five years of surveys. It is not a sale price. In a town this small, a few sales can swing any average, so price a home against recent sales of homes like it.

Moab is a town of both owners and renters. About 60% of the city’s homes are lived in by their owners, and about 40% are rented. That is a high renter share for rural Utah. Only about 2% of the homes are held for seasonal use. The city also bans nightly rentals in its home zones.

About 56% of homes are single-family houses on their own lots. About 18% are mobile homes. The rest are townhomes and apartments. The median home was built in 1979. About 17% were built in the 1950s, in the uranium boom. The 2010s are the biggest decade, at about 21%.

Confirm which side of the line the home is on

Spanish Valley runs south from the city, and the Grand and San Juan county line crosses it about 7 miles from City Hall. The Census place called Spanish Valley sits wholly in San Juan County. Its homes are newer, with a median build year of 2004. Almost all are owned, and about a quarter are seasonal. Its Census typical value runs about 1.5 times the city’s.

The part of the valley between the city and the line is unincorporated Grand County. The Census does not break it out on its own. Most new homes since 2021 went up in that unincorporated part, 314 of them in the county record, against 87 inside the city.

Each place has its own taxes, sales tax rate, services and rules. Before you offer, check the county, the tax area and the water provider for that exact lot. The county parcel map answers it in a few minutes. Homes on both sides of the line are in the Grand County School District.

Nightly rentals

Inside the city, Moab Municipal Code 17.09.700 bans renting a home for 30 days or less in the home zones and most other zones. Bed and breakfasts and guest apartments that meet the code are the exceptions. The city passed the current version as Ordinance 2024-03 in June 2024. It is a code ban, and no 2026 change is on the record.

Outside the city, Grand County ended the right to build new nightly rentals in every zone in July 2019. Since 2020, new overnight lodging goes only where the county applies an overnight accommodations overlay after a project review. A home already rented for under 30 days needs a land use permit and a business license.

On the San Juan side of Spanish Valley, the county planning commission recommended in January 2024 that its Spanish Valley Residential zone allow no short-term rentals. Ask San Juan County what was adopted. Zones, overlays and the rules for older rentals all change, so check the parcel with Moab Planning, or with Grand County for a county address.

Shop by price

Shop by kind of home

Sources: U.S. Census ACS 2020 to 2024, the Grand County parcel record (October 2025), Moab Municipal Code 17.09.700 and Ordinance 2024-03, Moab Sun News (2019 and 2020) and the San Juan County Planning Commission minutes. Prices shift through the year, so ask me for the latest Moab numbers.

Moab has no set of named neighborhoods with their own pages. It reads best by area. The list below runs from the north end of town to the south, then out to the La Sal foothills and up the river. Each area says whether it is in the city, in Grand County, or in San Juan County. Elevations are rounded.

• Inside the cityMoab Springs RanchNorth end of town, west of US-191. About 4,025 feetA newer area. The county record shows homes built from 2001 to 2018.
• Inside the cityPalisadesNorthwest of downtown, along Westwood Avenue. About 3,980 feetA mix of old and new homes, built from 1956 to 2024. It sits at the lowest ground in this list.
• Inside the cityThe Moab TownsiteAround Main Street and Center Street. About 4,030 to 4,050 feetThe 1884 plat, with downtown and Main Street. It holds the oldest homes in town, mixed with shops, outfitters and lodging. The median home here was built in 1954.
• Inside the cityLionsbackEast edge, up Sand Flats Road. About 4,500 feetA subdivision of 34 lots. The county record showed no home built there as of October 2025.
• Inside the cityKane CreekWest side of town, on Kane Creek Boulevard. About 4,050 feetThe Kane Creek Condos are 47 units, built in 2022.
• Inside the cityMountainviewSouth-central, off Mountain View Drive. About 4,070 feetAn in-town area close to services. The median home here was built in 1961.
• Grand County, outside the cityMurphy Lane and Murphy FlatsJust southeast of the city line. About 4,300 feetMurphy Lane has older homes, built from 1978 to 2001. Murphy Flats is newer, built from 2019 to 2023.
• Grand County, outside the cityArroyo CrossingOff Spanish Valley Drive. About 4,400 feetA neighborhood developed by the Moab Area Community Land Trust, with homes built from 2021 to 2024. Resale prices are limited. The new construction topic has the rules.
• Grand County, outside the cityPuesta Del Sol, Sage Creek and WatchmanSpanish Valley Drive and Mesa Road. About 4,500 feetThree subdivisions in the middle of the valley. Watchman is the newest, with homes built from 2020 to 2024.
• Grand County, outside the cityWingate and Peak ViewWillow Tree Road and Johnston Place Avenue. About 4,600 feetTwo newer subdivisions, with homes built from 2020 to 2022.
• Grand County, outside the cityRim VillageSpanish Valley Drive, near Brooks Drive. About 4,600 feetThe Rim Village Town Homes are 104 townhomes built around 1999 and 2000. Rim Village Vistas is a separate set of lots built from 2005 to 2024.
• Grand County, outside the citySpanish Valley EstatesOff Beeman Road. About 4,670 feetA subdivision of 49 parcels, with homes built from 1992 to 2019. The center of the area tests in a FEMA flood zone, so look up any home here.
• San Juan CountyThe San Juan side of Spanish ValleySouth of the county line, about 7 miles from City Hall. About 4,800 feet and upHomes spread out toward Ken’s Lake, about 20 minutes away. These homes are newer and mostly owned, and about a quarter are seasonal. They are in the Grand County School District. Sales tax is lower than in town.
• San Juan CountyPack Creek RanchLa Sal foothills, on Pack Creek Road. About 6,060 feetA rural area in the foothills, about 24 minutes from City Hall. It is in San Juan County, not Grand County.
• Its own townCastle ValleyUp SR-128 along the river. About 4,680 feetAn incorporated town about 22 miles and about 40 minutes from Moab. It has rural homes and its own tax area. It is not a Moab neighborhood.

The area list is a map, not a rule. Zoning and home style change from block to block, so check each address with the city or the county. Which county a home is in decides its tax area, its water provider and its nightly rental rules.

Want the story on a certain street? Tell me what you are after. I will get it through the partner agent on the ground. My Moab guides on The Local cover the town in more detail.

Subdivision names, counts and build years come from the Grand County parcel record, current as of October 2025. Elevations come from the U.S. Geological Survey. Distances are measured from City Hall. Which school a home goes to depends on its exact address, so check with the district.

Yes, mostly in Spanish Valley. The county record shows steady building through 2024 in subdivisions such as Murphy Flats, Wingate, Peak View, Watchman and Rim Village Vistas. Inside the city, some projects are under city review, and some of them are apartments for rent. No for-sale builder is confirmed active in Moab in 2026, so this page names none.

Arroyo Crossing

Arroyo Crossing is a neighborhood of homes with a price limit. The Moab Area Community Land Trust, a nonprofit founded in 2012, is behind it. The land was donated in 2017. Phase one is 248 homes and apartments and one community building, out of a plan for 300. County records show 165 units built from 2021 to 2024.

The land trust keeps the land, and the buyer owns the house. Resale prices are limited, so the home stays within reach of the next buyer. The land trust does not publish the lease length or the resale formula, so ask it for the current terms.

Buyers must meet the land trust’s rules. Household income must be at or below 120% of the Grand County median. The local area means Grand County and the Spanish Valley part of San Juan County. At least one adult must meet one test. That adult works 30 hours a week for local businesses, or works remotely with proof. Or the adult cannot work because of a disability, or is retired after five of the last ten years working locally. You must live in the home at least nine months a year and own no other real estate.

Other ways to build

Community Rebuilds runs an owner-builder program in Moab. Its 2026 project list shows five participants. At Arroyo Crossing, single-family homes were built through a Mutual Self Help program. Community Rebuilds and the Housing Authority of Southeastern Utah ran it with the land trust.

Before you fall in love with a lot or a plan, line up these answers in order. They decide whether a build makes sense.

1. Which county and which waterCheck whether the lot is in the city, in Grand County or in San Juan County. A new home on Grand County water needs a will-serve letter from the water agency.
2. Septic or sewerAsk if the lot connects to a sewer line or needs a septic system.
3. Wells and water rightsFor a new well, ask the Utah Division of Water Rights what the lot allows.
4. Nightly rental rulesIf rental income is part of your plan, check the zone first.
5. Flood and soilLook up the FEMA map and the state hazard layers for the exact lot.

Builders often cover the buyer agent fee, and your agent puts that in writing before you sign. Buying new works differently from buying a resale home, so read how it works before you tour.

Sources: the Grand County parcel record (October 2025), the Moab Area Community Land Trust pages, Community Rebuilds, the City of Moab Affordable Housing page and 2026 city agendas, checked October 2026. Plans change, so ask me for the latest status.

Every town has its own list of things to check. None of these should scare you off. They are the questions I would ask about any home in Moab. A map or a test can answer each one for a single address, so check them one home at a time.

Water is the limit

The city’s 2017 General Plan treats water as the limit on growth. Moab and Spanish Valley draw on the same underground water. The plan warns that holding water rights is not the same as having water to use. In 2026, during a drought, the city limited daytime outdoor watering. Sprinklers on city water may run only from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. For a new well, ask the Utah Division of Water Rights.

A buyer who wants a lawn or a garden should read the current watering rules. Also ask who pays for the pipe from the main to the house. In the city, the owner pays to maintain and repair it, and a sewer scope before closing is wise. On the Grand County side of Spanish Valley, a new home needs a will-serve letter from the water agency. The agency started the 2026 irrigation season from Ken’s Lake at a 50% limit, so ask about irrigation shares too.

The uranium pile north of town

For decades a pile of uranium mill waste sat by the river just north of town. The U.S. Department of Energy hauled it by rail to a disposal cell at Crescent Junction, about 30 miles north. The work began in 2009. The pile itself is gone. Soil cleanup under and around it continues, and DOE expects it to run to about mid-2027.

Nightly rentals and the line

The nightly rental rules differ by zone and county, as the housing market topic explains. Check the parcel with Moab Planning, or with Grand County for a county address, before you count on rental income.

Ask me about any of these on a home you like, and I will tell you what the record shows. Your agent on the ground can set up the radon test and the inspection.

More on inspections

This is general information, not legal, engineering, or insurance advice. Sources: the Utah Geological Survey, FEMA, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department of Energy, the City of Moab and its 2017 General Plan. Have a licensed inspector look at any home before you buy.

Sort out the financing before you start the search. The best first step is to get pre-approved. That means a lender checks your finances and tells you how much you can borrow. It shows what you can spend, and it makes your offer stronger.

In Moab, few homes are alike. A 1950s house in town, a mobile home, a new townhome in Spanish Valley and a land trust home each get a different look from a lender. With so few sales, the appraisal matters more. An appraisal is the lender’s check on what a home is worth. A land trust home is one where you own the house but not the land, so ask early how a lender handles it.

Buying a lot or a home still to be built adds a timeline. Plans can take months to clear review, so line up your loan timeline with the build schedule. Talk to a lender before you sign a build contract, not after.

One loan type may fit here. USDA loans are for rural homes. The USDA map does not rule out Moab or Spanish Valley, because it shows both outside its ineligible area. The program’s other rules decide the rest, so ask a lender whether you qualify. Conventional, FHA and VA loans are the others to look at.

How my dual role works. I am licensed in both real estate and lending. On any one purchase I take one role. Every role is disclosed, and you are always free to choose your own agent and your own lender. In Moab, a partner agent I trust does the work on the ground. The full explanation is on How I Work. This section is general information, not financial, legal, or tax advice.

Tourism is the biggest employer in Grand County by far. In September 2025 the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 2,954 of the county’s 7,118 jobs in lodging, restaurants and recreation. That is about 4 in 10. Many more jobs depend on visitors in other ways.

The job count swings with the seasons. County jobs ran about 5,600 in January 2025 and about 7,600 in June. The jobless rate follows the same swing. It was 9.9% in January 2026 and 2.8% in May.

Big employers include Moab Regional Hospital, City Market, Fairfield Inn Moab, the National Park Service and Portage Environmental. The state lists employers in size bands, so this is not a ranking. The hospital is the only employer in the 250 to 499 band. The other four sit in the 100 to 249 band. Portage is the contractor on the uranium tailings cleanup north of town, which the home checks topic explains.

The Bureau of Land Management, Grand County, the sheriff, Grand County High School, Helen M. Knight School, Red Cliffs Lodge and Intrepid Potash sit in the 50 to 99 band. Intrepid names Moab as one of its three production sites. Hotels and restaurants fill many of the other places on the list.

Pay is a trade-off, and the cost of living topic has the average weekly wages for 2025.

How people get to work

The average trip to work in Moab is about 12 minutes (Census, 2020 to 2024). About 69 workers in 100 get to work in under 10 minutes. About 65 in 100 drive alone, and 13 carpool. About 9 in 100 bike, 4 walk, and 8 work from home. The Census shows no measurable transit commuting. About 96 in 100 Moab workers work inside Grand County. The sample is small, so treat these as a guide.

The San Juan County part of Spanish Valley looks different. The Census shows an average trip of about 23 minutes there, and about 63 in 100 workers drive to a job in Grand County. That sample is very small.

Remote work depends on the address, because internet service changes from one street to the next. The internet topic shows what the state map reports. My guide for remote workers in Utah lists what to ask before you move.

Sources: BLS county jobs and wages (2025), BLS local unemployment (August 2026 release), the Utah Department of Workforce Services employer list (September 2026), Census ACS 2020 to 2024, and Intrepid Potash. Commute numbers count Moab residents, wherever the job is.

Yes. Moab Regional Hospital is at 450 Williams Way, about 4 minutes from City Hall, and the phone is 435-719-3500. It is a not-for-profit critical access hospital with 17 beds. That is a federal label for a small rural hospital. The emergency room is staffed every hour of every day, and the state lists the hospital as a Level IV trauma center.

Trauma levels run from I, the most complete, to V. Services the hospital lists include family medicine, general and orthopedic surgery, obstetrics, cancer care and infusion, imaging, mental health, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, urology, dermatology and eye care.

If you or a family member has ongoing specialty needs, count the drive to a larger city before you move. Plan trips for specialist visits the way you would plan any long drive. The drive times topic lists the time to each town.

On military orders? My military PCS guide covers VA loans and timing the move.

Sources: the hospital’s site (checked October 2026), the Utah Bureau of EMS trauma list (2025), and a road route table (October 2026). Hours and phone numbers change, so check before you go.

Grand County School District serves Moab. The district office is at 264 South 400 East, and the phone is 435-259-5317. The district runs three schools from kindergarten to grade 12, plus a preschool. All of them are in Moab. The state counted 1,376 students in the three schools on October 1, 2025.

Student counts come from the Utah State Board of Education, October 1, 2025. The 34 preschoolers are not part of the 1,376.

The district also reaches past the city. Homes on the San Juan County side of Spanish Valley are in the Grand County School District. So are homes in Castle Valley. The state counts 1,458 public school students in the county in all, 82 more than the district’s own count.

Spanish Valley crosses a county line, so confirm the district for the exact address with the district office. I do not rate schools. The links below go to the district and to independent sites.

Ratings and boundaries come from independent third parties and the district, not from me.

Moab has one campus, Utah State University’s Moab center at 1850 South Aggie Boulevard. It is part of USU’s statewide system. The campus page cites more than 90 degree and certificate programs, graduate degrees included, and 18 technical education programs. Many are statewide offerings. Ask USU Moab which ones are taught in person, because that list changes.

USU’s main campus is far to the north, in Logan. Ask USU Moab which programs you can finish here and which need time on another campus.

Sources: USU’s statewide campus pages, checked October 2026.

US-191 is Main Street in Moab, and it is the only through road. There is no interstate in town. It crosses the Colorado River bridge on the north side and runs south through Spanish Valley to Monticello. To the north, it meets I-70 at Crescent Junction, about 30 miles away.

Most daily trips are short. The average trip to work is about 12 minutes. Traffic is a season problem, not an all-year one. Arches is busiest from March through October, and big events like Easter Jeep Safari add to it. In fall 2020 UDOT counted 20% to 80% more vehicles on US-191 through Moab than the year before. Backups ran just over 8 miles from the north into town.

UDOT has since worked on that road. A project to widen about two miles of US-191 in north Moab, from the river south, was scheduled to finish in 2021. It was set to add two lanes each way, a center turn lane, a sidewalk and a path. Before a long drive in busy season, check UDOT for work on the road.

The city and Grand County are also writing a transportation safety plan. It looks first at three roads: Mill Creek Drive, Spanish Valley Drive and Spanish Trail Road. Three side roads lead out of town to the parks and the river. SR-128 runs up the river, SR-313 climbs to Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky, and SR-279 follows the Potash Road.

From City Hall

• Moab Regional Hospital~4 min
• Slickrock Trailhead~10 min
• Arches entrance~11 min
• Ken's Lake~20 min
• Canyonlands Regional Airport~24 min
• Island in the Sky~49 min

Sources: UDOT project coverage (2020), the Moab city site, the Census, and a road route table. Drive times are map estimates in normal traffic.

Yes, a little. Moab Area Transit is run by the City of Moab, and it is fare-free. Its vans take on-demand rides all year. In the busy season they run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. In the slow season they run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. You book a ride in the MAT app or at 833-628-3733. Riders under 13 need an adult.

A fixed Downtown Route runs only in the busy season. It stops along Main Street, and it runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. The city sets the season dates each year, so check its page before you plan around a ride.

Do not plan on the van for every errand. The Census shows no measurable transit commuting in Moab, and bikes carry more workers than buses do. Plan on a car, and treat the van as a help for short trips in town.

Sources: the Moab Area Transit page (checked October 2026), the Census, and Amtrak. Hours and seasons change, so check before you ride.

Yes, a small one. Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) is run by Grand County. It sits about 18 miles northwest of town, about 24 minutes away. It has airline service under a four-year federal contract for small-town air service. SkyWest flies United Express to Denver and Delta Connection to Salt Lake City, with 50-seat jets.

Airline routes and schedules change, so check United and Delta before you plan a trip. News reports describe the Salt Lake City flights as seasonal. For more flight choices, Grand Junction Regional Airport in Colorado is about 1 hour 50 minutes away. Salt Lake City International is about 4 hours 15 minutes away by road.

• Canyonlands Regional (CNY)~18 mi · ~24 min
• Grand Junction, CO (GJT)~114 mi · ~1 hr 50 min
• Salt Lake City (SLC)~241 mi · ~4 hr 15 min

Sources: Grand County, Moab Sun News (June 2026), The Points Guy (July 2026) and a road route table. Check the airlines for the schedule. Drive times are map estimates.

Moab sits in a valley with few roads in or out. Spanish Valley runs south toward the Grand and San Juan county line, which is about 7 miles from City Hall. The river road runs northeast to Castle Valley. Everything else takes a longer drive, so plan on a car.

Castle Valley

~22 mi · ~39 min

Green River

~52 mi · ~56 min

Monticello

~54 mi · ~59 min

Grand Junction, CO

~112 mi · ~1 hr 50 min

Price

~115 mi · ~2 hr

Salt Lake City

~234 mi · ~4 hr

Here are more drives people ask about, all from City Hall. The national parks have their own times in the national parks topic.

These are map estimates in normal conditions, not official figures. Snow or a closed road can add time, and busy-season traffic slows US-191.

Want any other pair of towns? Look up any Utah drive between 138 towns. The nearby topic says what each place is like.

Who you call depends on the address. Inside the city, the City of Moab runs water and sewer. South of the city line, in Spanish Valley on the Grand County side, Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency does. Ask which one serves the home before you close.

Gas lines do not reach every home, and some outlying homes use propane. The San Juan County side of Spanish Valley can use a San Juan district or a private well and septic tank. Confirm each provider for the exact address.

Police and fire

The Moab Police Department has 19 sworn officers, plus code enforcement and an animal shelter. Calls for police or animal control go to the dispatch line at 435-259-8115, which is also the sheriff’s office. In an emergency, call 911. The Grand County Sheriff also runs Search and Rescue.

Fire and rescue come from Moab Valley Fire Protection District, headquartered at 45 South 100 East. The phone is 435-259-5557. The district has served the valley since 1957, and it is volunteer-based, with more than 30 volunteers. It has its own tax levy, and that levy appears on city and valley tax bills. The taxes topic lists the districts on a bill.

For general information only. This is not tax or financial advice. Tax rates and home prices change. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

The state broadband map reports a wide list at City Hall. Fiber comes from E Fiber, which is Emery Telcom’s fiber brand. Fiber reaches a home with a thin glass cable, and it is the fastest kind. The map also reports cable from EXSTREAM and DSL from Frontier. DSL is internet over phone lines, and it is slower than fiber.

Fixed wireless comes from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and River Canyon Wireless. Satellite comes from Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat. The Mountain View and Mill Creek area shows the same list. In Spanish Valley, on both sides of the county line, the points checked showed the same list. The map reports no providers at two points in the far south end of the valley.

Castle Valley shows E Fiber, Frontier DSL, River Canyon Wireless and satellite, with no cable. I list who reports service, not speeds or prices. A report for one spot is not a promise for a given house. For cell service, look at each carrier’s own coverage map for the address.

Sources: the Utah broadband layer (data from October 2026) and Emery Telcom’s site. Cell coverage comes from each carrier.

Moving day is only the start. Here is a short list for your first 90 days in Moab, in a sensible order. The county offices, the vehicle office and the library are all in Moab. The driver license office is open two days a week.

1. Turn on the utilitiesCall the City Treasurer at 435-259-5123 for city water and sewer, or the agency at 435-259-8121 in Spanish Valley. Then set up Rocky Mountain Power and Enbridge Gas Utah. Enroll for trash with Canyonlands Solid Waste Authority at 435-259-6314.
2. Ask about the primary home tax rateA home you live in is taxed on a part of its value, and a second home is taxed on all of it. Ask the Grand County Assessor, at 435-259-1327, how to claim the rate for your home. A home you rent by the night does not qualify. The taxes topic has the numbers.
3. Register your carUtah gives you 60 days after you set up a permanent home. The Grand County motor vehicle office is in the Assessor’s Office at 125 East Center Street. The phone is 435-259-1330. It is open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on Friday. A car new to Utah needs a quick VIN check. Grand County has no emissions test.
4. Get your Utah driver licenseThe Moab office is at 1165 South Highway 191, Suite 8. It is listed as open Wednesday and Thursday only. Check the state site before you go. The nearest office open all week is in Price, about 2 hours away.
5. Get a library cardThe Grand County Public Library is at 257 East Center Street. A resident card is free with a photo ID and proof of address. Homes on the San Juan County side of Spanish Valley also get a free card.
6. Sign up for county alertsSign up at grandcountyalerts.org for emergency notices. Call 811 before you dig a garden or a fence line.
7. Register to voteRegister online at vote.utah.gov. The Grand County clerk’s office can help at 435-259-1321.
8. Sign up the kids for schoolAsk the Grand County School District office which school serves the address. The schools topic has the details.

Rules and office hours change. Check each office before you go.

Moab has three grocers. City Market, on South Main, is the largest. The Village Market is an independent store farther south on Main. Moonflower Community Cooperative sits a block east of Main. Walker Drug & General Store adds a pharmacy and a full floor of general goods. Dave’s Corner Market, at 401 South Mill Creek Drive, is a convenience store with espresso.

Hardware is in town. Ace Hardware, run by Turner Lumber of Moab, is at 237 North 100 West. The listing shows weekday hours only, so call before a weekend project. Ye Ol’ Geezer Meat Shop is a butcher on South Highway 191.

Outdoor gear is the town’s big specialty. GearHeads Outdoor Store, at 471 South Main, is open seven days. Moab Gear Trader, at 300 South Main, sells new and used gear. Bike shops include Poison Spider Bicycles on North Main and Chile Pepper Bike Shop. Back of Beyond Books, at 83 North Main, is the independent bookstore.

Times are map estimates in normal traffic. Hours change, so check before you go.

Moab has no Walmart, Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s. For those, people drive to Grand Junction, about 1 hour 50 minutes away. Price has a Walmart and a Smith’s, about 2 hours away, so it is no closer than Grand Junction. Groceries, fuel and services can cost more here than in metro Utah, because the town is remote.

In season, the Arts & Ag Market sells local produce on Friday evenings. The events topic has the dates. The restaurants topic lists the places to eat.

Sources: each store’s own pages, the federal pharmacy registry, the Shelby Report (April 2026), and a road route table (October 2026).

Moab is known for what is outside the door. Two national parks, a state park, the Colorado River and several trail systems sit within a short drive. This topic covers the trails, the river and the parks in town. The national parks topic covers the entry rules.

Mountain biking

The Slickrock Bike Trail is a 10.5 mile loop in the Sand Flats Recreation Area. It was laid out in 1969 for motorcycles. The trailhead is 3.6 miles and about 10 minutes from City Hall. Grand County runs Sand Flats, and the gate fees pay for it. For 2026 the posted fees are $10 for a week pass per vehicle and $5 a person by bicycle or motorcycle. An annual pass costs $35, and it is not good for camping. A campsite is $20 a vehicle for up to five people. National park and state park passes are not valid there, except the federal Access pass.

Klondike Bluffs is a BLM trail system about 17 miles from Moab, and there is no fee to ride. The Whole Enchilada starts near 11,200 feet at Burro Pass in the La Sals and drops to the Colorado. Dead Horse Point has the Intrepid Trail System. Bikes are allowed there on the park roads and the Intrepid trails only.

Four-wheel trails

Hell’s Revenge and Fins and Things are inside Sand Flats. Poison Spider runs off the Potash Road, SR-279. The Red Rock 4-Wheelers club runs trail events, and the events topic tells the story of the biggest one.

The river

The Colorado River passes just north of town, at Lions Park, about 7 minutes from City Hall. The most common float is called the Daily. It covers about 13 miles from Hittle Bottom to Take-Out Beach, both off SR-128. American Whitewater rates the Cisco to Moab stretch Class I to III. Westwater Canyon needs a permit, which you book on Recreation.gov. Cataract Canyon is a multi-day trip that needs a National Park Service river permit.

Times are map estimates in summer, with no traffic. Westwater is about 80 miles away by road.

Parks in town

The city lists 35 acres of developed parks and 12 acres of open space.

• ParkSwanny City Park100 to 200 West, 300 to 400 NorthHas a skate park, and it hosts the Arts & Ag Market.
• ParkOld City ParkOld City Park Road at Murphy LaneIts pond has held roundtail chub since 2021, a fish found only in the Colorado River system.
• ParkRotary Park680 Mill Creek DriveA music-themed playground.
• ParkLions ParkOn the river at SR-128 and US-191A riverbank park, about 7 minutes from City Hall.
• TrailMill Creek TrailAlong the Mill Creek ParkwayRuns past Bullick Cross Creeks Park.
• Dog parkBark Park100 East, 300 SouthAn off-leash dog park.
• LakeKen’s LakeSpanish Valley, about 20 minutesA BLM recreation spot south of town.

Sources: the City of Moab, Grand County, the BLM, American Whitewater and a road route table (October 2026). Drive times are map estimates.

Arches National Park is the closest. Its entrance is about 5 miles north of town, about 11 minutes from City Hall. Canyonlands has two districts within reach, and Dead Horse Point State Park sits beside Island in the Sky. This topic gives the entry rules as the parks post them, and the times to each one.

Arches

In 2026 Arches is not using timed entry. The park says visitors may enter at any time during operating hours, and the rule has changed from year to year. Check the park’s site before you go. The park may divert cars from the entrances when it is too crowded. It is normally open all day and all night, all year. The park advises coming before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m., and it is busiest from March through October.

A private vehicle pays $30 for seven days. A motorcycle pays $25, and a person on foot or bike pays $15. Youth 15 and under are free. An annual pass for $55 covers Arches, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges and Hovenweep. The America the Beautiful pass costs $80 for U.S. residents. Devils Garden Campground costs $25 a night and needs a reservation. Fiery Furnace hikes also need one. A ranger-led hike costs $16 a person, and a self-guided permit costs $10. Children under 5 are not allowed on either.

Canyonlands

Island in the Sky is about 33 miles from town, about 50 minutes by road. The park posts a shorter time, so allow extra time. Canyonlands does not use timed entry. The White Rim Road needs a day-use permit, and the park issues 50 vehicle permits and 50 bike permits a day. Of the vehicle permits, 25 are handed out in person on the day. Online permits open at 8 a.m. Mountain time the day before. The Potash Road and the Shafer Trail need no permit.

Overnight backcountry permits open four months before each season, at 8 a.m. Mountain time. The fee is $36 to reserve plus $5 a person a night. Demand for White Rim overnight permits often passes the supply in spring and fall. The Needles district is about 74 miles from town, about an hour and a half each way. The park lists it as 40 miles south on US-191, then 35 miles west.

Dead Horse Point

Dead Horse Point State Park is about 45 to 50 minutes from town, on the same highway as Island in the Sky. It is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. all year. Day use is $20 a vehicle for up to eight people, and it is good until the park closes that night. The point stands 2,000 feet above the river, and its neck is only 30 yards wide. The park says gas, food and medical care are in Moab.

Times are map estimates in summer, with no traffic. The Dead Horse Point time is an estimate from the Island in the Sky run.

Sources: the National Park Service (Arches and Canyonlands pages from 2025 and 2026), Utah State Parks, and a road route table. Check each park’s own site for the current rule.

No ski area is in Grand County. The nearest lift-served skiing is Powderhorn Mountain Resort in Colorado. It is about 150 miles away, a drive of about 2.5 hours on I-70. Telluride, Colorado, is a long half-day drive. Plan ski trips as an overnight, not a day.

The La Sal Mountains rise southeast of town, and they are a place to cool off in summer and to ski the backcountry in winter. The high trailheads are about 25 to 30 road miles from town, 45 minutes to an hour. Warner Lake Campground sits at about 9,400 feet, with 19 sites, a group site for up to 50 people and one small cabin that sleeps four. Sites are first-come in early to mid June, then reservable through the end of September. The lake has rainbow trout, and a Utah fishing license is required.

Geyser Pass Trailhead is about 28 miles from Moab. The Forest Service says mountain bikers and hikers use it heavily in summer and fall. In winter, backcountry skiers use the same mountains. The Utah Avalanche Center has a Moab forecast. It starts posting once conditions warrant, and the hotline is 888-999-4019. Check it before you leave the road.

Sources: the Forest Service (2026), the Utah Avalanche Center, and a road route table (October 2026). Drive times are map estimates.

Yes, one. Moab Golf Club is in Spanish Valley, about 13 minutes from City Hall. It has 18 holes and plays to par 72. The club phone is 435-259-6488. The course is listed on GolfNow, and the club has no live website of its own.

No other course is named here. Ask me if golf matters to you, and I will map the drive to the nearest others before you commit.

Sources: GolfNow and a road route table. Courses set their own seasons, so call before you drive.

Main Street, which is US-191, holds most of the places to eat. Many are small, and many cut their hours or close in winter. The groceries and shopping topic has the stores. Here are the places to eat.

Six places to know

• Burger standMilt’s Stop & Eat356 Millcreek Dr, about 3 minutesOpen since September 1954. Beef, bison and veggie burgers, plus shakes and malts. Daily from 11 a.m., closing between 7 and 9 p.m. by season.
• BrewpubMoab Brewery686 S MainFounded in 1996. A brewery, distillery and kitchen, open daily from 11 a.m.
• BreakfastLove Muffin Cafe139 N MainHouse muffins, breakfast burritos, bowls and espresso. Open Friday to Tuesday, 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• PubThe Trailhead Public House & Eatery11 E 100 NOpened in 2020 in a building dated 1886. The menu changes by season, and there are no reservations.
• BarbecueSpitfire Smokehouse BBQ + Taps2 S 100 WDine-in, a full bar, takeout and catering. The restaurant is open daily, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• MediterraneanSultan Mediterranean Grill574 N MainMediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

These are places confirmed open in 2026. This is not a ranking, and no one paid to be listed. Hours change and small places come and go, so check before you drive.

Coffee and treats

Moab Coffee Roasters, at 90 North Main, roasts organic beans on site and serves espresso, gelato and pastries. Elsie’s Old World Delights, at Main and Center, opened in May 2026 with beignets, croque monsieurs and gelato. The Crown and Canyon seafood truck sits beside it. Meli’s Cone and Cup, at 170 East 100 South, held its grand opening in July 2026 with gelato, sorbet and shakes. Moonflower’s Datura Deli serves breakfast and lunch daily.

More kinds of food

Other places by kind: Antica Forma and Canyon Pizza Co. for pizza, Sultan above for Mediterranean, Thai Bella for Thai, and 98 Center for Vietnamese-style fusion. Sabaku Sushi serves sushi. Blu Pig BBQ is a second barbecue place. Sunset Grill and Desert Bistro serve dinner. Gloria’s Corner Cafe and Bonjour Bakery Cafe serve breakfast and lunch. The Alley Sports Pub and Grill, at 1078 Mill Creek Drive, has a weekly taco contest on Tuesdays. Moab Winery in Spanish Valley makes local wine.

Thai Bella has posted a winter closure in past years, and others do the same. Call ahead from late fall through early spring.

Sources: each place’s own site, Moab Sun News, and the Moab Times (2026). Hours change, so check before you go.

In town, the list is short and mostly outdoors. The city runs the pools, gyms and fields. Two places sit just outside town. Film has a long history in this area, which the overview tells.

• RecreationMoab Recreation and Aquatic CenterNear Swanny City Park, about 3 minutesCity-run pools, a fitness center and group fitness. The outdoor pools close for the season, so check the schedule.
• GymCenter Street Gym203 E Center StPickleball, volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer.
• FieldsHistoric ball fieldsCenter Street at 100 NorthCity leagues play football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball.
• TrackBMX track500 West at Williams WayA city BMX track. The city also runs BMX racing, swimming and skiing programs.
• DinosaursMoab GiantsUS-191 at SR-313, about 16 minutes northA dinosaur park with life-size models, an outdoor trail, 3D and 5D shows and a cafe. Closed on Wednesdays, and also on Tuesdays in November.
• ArenaOld Spanish Trail Arena3641 S Highway 191, about 5 miles southIndoor and outdoor arenas, 162 covered stalls, two softball fields, two soccer fields and a covered pavilion.

Grand County runs the arena. The arts topic covers the museum and the stages, and the events topic covers the festivals.

Sources: the City of Moab, Grand County and Moab Giants. Details change, so check before you go. Times are map estimates.

Moab has a small but real arts scene. The city runs Moab Arts, which holds classes, places public art and hosts an artist residency. The Moab Museum sits on Center Street. Star Hall is the town’s small concert hall. The big festivals are in the events topic.

Sources: the Moab Museum, Moab Arts, and the festival sites. Hours and exhibits change, so check before you go.

Easter Jeep Safari is Moab’s best-known event. The Red Rock 4-Wheelers club runs organized trail days. It always starts on the Saturday a week before Easter and runs through Easter Sunday. The first one was in 1967. The 2026 safari ran March 28 to April 5 and was the 60th. A trail day costs $75 a vehicle, and registration opens in January. The club also runs a Labor Day Campout Safari, limited to 150 vehicles.

The Moab Music Festival was founded in 1992. It runs about two weeks, with about 20 concerts. Venues include a grotto on the Colorado River reached by jet boat, Star Hall and local ranches. It usually runs from late August into mid September. The festival also holds a Winterlude in February and a Holiday Concert in December.

The Moab Folk Festival usually fills the first full weekend of November. Friday and Saturday nights are in Star Hall, and days are at the Moab City Ballpark. The city’s Red Rock Arts Festival is usually in late September. The older Moab Arts Festival is taking a break in 2026.

Racing fills the shoulder seasons. The Skinny Tire Festival for road cyclists runs in March and September. Mad Moose Events runs the Arches Marathon, the Canyonlands Ultra and the Dead Horse Ultra, plus several spring and winter races. The Moab Trail Marathon is usually the same weekend as the Folk Festival.

• JanuaryThe Arches Ultra, late in the month.
• FebruaryThe Music Festival Winterlude. Moab’s Red Hot trail race, late in the month.
• MarchThe Skinny Tire Festival in mid month. The Canyonlands Half Marathon on the third Saturday. Easter Jeep Safari when Easter is early.
• AprilEaster Jeep Safari when Easter is later. Spring trail races, including Behind the Rocks, the Amasa Trail Race and the Thelma and Louise Half.
• MayThe Arts & Ag Market starts, usually on the second Friday evening of the month.
• JuneThe Arts & Ag Market.
• JulyThe Arts & Ag Market.
• AugustThe Music Festival can start at the end of the month.
• SeptemberThe Labor Day Campout Safari. The Music Festival. The fall Skinny Tire Festival. The Red Rock Arts Festival in late September.
• OctoberThe Arches Marathon and the Canyonlands Ultra. The last Arts & Ag Market.
• NovemberThe Folk Festival and the Trail Marathon. The Dead Horse Ultra in mid month.
• DecemberThe Music Festival Holiday Concert.

These are the usual months. Dates move each year, so check each event’s own site before you plan a trip.

Moab is remote, but it sits among large areas of public land. A few towns lie within about an hour, and the larger cities are a half day or more away. These are the drives people make most.

Snow, summer storms and heavy park traffic can add time to any of these drives. The drive times topic lists more. For the national parks, see the national parks topic.

Drive times are map estimates from Moab City Hall with no traffic.