The condo in Moab is almost completely booked for the month of April.  The only open dates are for arrival on April 21 with departure on the morning of April 24.  During the month of May the only opening is arrival on May 14 with departure on May 16.

June is also filling up quickly at the condo in Moab.  Click Here to See the Availability

The weather has really improved during the past couple of weeks.  Daytime temperatures are now regularly in the 60s but the nights are still cool in the 30s and 40s.  Even though it doesn’t feel extremely warm yet make sure to wear plenty of sunblock. 

When visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Parks you’ll generally be between 5000 feet and 7000 feet in elevation.  With the Sun getting higher in the sky every day and the thinner atmosphere at these altitudes you can get sunburned in as little as 15 minutes.

The colors in the red rock scenery are exceptionally beautiful this time of year.  If you can catch sunrise or sunset the lower angle of the sun will make for truly exceptional photographs.  As we get closer to summertime and the sun moves up higher in the sky photos tend to wash out during the middle of the day.  You can still take great pictures with that beautiful clear blue sky in the background.  But the colors in the red rocks are not quite as vivid compared to when you have that lower angle of the sun earlier in the season.

There are many different ways to get to the condo in Moab.  While most people drive and bring their mountain bikes and other recreational assets, the Moab Airport is very convenient.  Planes connect directly to Salt Lake City and sometimes Denver or Phoenix.  Rental cars are generally available at the little airport.  While flying might seem expensive it can save a lot of travel time if you’re coming from California or other places on the West Coast.  And we all know time is money…

Visitors to the condo in Moab will want to be prepared for changeable weather this time of year.  Even though the days are getting longer and warmer there is still the potential for snow at the higher elevations in Canyonlands and Arches National Parks.  Moab itself is situated at a lower elevation and generally stays warmer.  We anticipate daytime highs in the 60s to low 70s with nighttime strapping into the 40s.

As the snow melts and the surrounding mountains it helps to increase the flows in all of the creeks and rivers.  Springtime is beautiful and the water can appear very refreshing on a warm day.  But be careful as creeks and rivers tend to be rather chilly this time of year.  Also, moving water can be stronger and swifter than it appears.  Never swim alone and use caution when crossing any body of water.

Wildflowers will start to appear over the next several weeks.  You won’t see endless meadows blooming like in the Sierras.  But scattered about especially in North facing or more shaded areas you will encounter the occasional profusion of color.  This fragile display of nature’s beauty is most prominent during the next couple of months before the summertime heat takes hold.

This is a wonderful time of year to go mountain biking.  The condo in Moab has an oversized two-car garage with plenty of room to store your bikes and all of your other gear.  The long pleasant days with moderate temperatures make for excellent writing conditions.  This year we are providing complementary water bottles to all of our guests at the condo in Moab.  Be sure to take one with you whenever you head out the door.

Don’t forget to use the discount card on the key ring when you go shopping at the City Market.  You’ll enjoy great savings throughout store!  If you don’t feel like cooking dinner in less than 5 minutes you can get to the Moab Brewery for tasty meals and delicious draft beer.

It’s a great time of year to be at the condo in Moab!  Temperatures will be warming up into the 60s with sunny skies for the week ahead.  The snow has melted off and the trails are readily accessible in Arches National Park.  You may still find some patches of snow here and there in Canyonlands National Park due to its higher elevation.

Be careful when driving in Canyonlands.  There are a few shaded spots on the north facing aspects of the road that can ice up overnight if temperatures should drop below freezing.  One of the things to remember about the month of March is that the weather can vary dramatically in this part of the world.  While we don’t usually get much snow this time of year it can still be pretty chilly first thing in the morning.

Regardless of the time of year that you visit the condo in Moab it’s always good to bring clothing that you can wear in layers.  Temperatures can vary by as much as 50° in the course of a single day.

Don’t forget the sunblock when you step out the door at the condo in Moab!  In this part of the world there is not a lot of natural shade and out on the trails the trees can be few and far between.  Even though it might not seem like you’re up at altitude it’s likely that you are going to be between 4500 and 6500 vertical feet in elevation when visiting both national parks.  Also, the surrounding mountains go up to over 11,000 feet. Anyone traveling in the backcountry needs to be prepared for gyrations in the weather.

If you are planning to visit Arches National Park please be aware that the best time to arrive at the entrance station is before 9 AM or after 4 PM.  The access road in and out of the park is essentially one lane in each direction although you will find a fair number of turnouts.  However, traffic entering the park can back up for quite a distance and you could wait for an hour or more.

At the condo in Moab Spring is right around the corner.  The days are getting longer and now that we are turning the clocks forward one hour it’ll be nice to have daylight during the evening hours.  Photographers really appreciate the low angle of the sun this time of year.   The colors in the red rock scenery are at their most brilliant right around sunrise and shortly before sunset.

Visitors to Arches National Park will find that some of the best opportunities for picture taking occur after 5 PM.  The way that this particular park is situated it catches the late afternoon sun lighting up many of the rock formations just before it drops below the horizon.  A couple of places that are worth the wait include the Fiery Furnace and Delicate Arch.  Both of these formations are situated in a way that the colors are most extraordinary under the setting sun.

It’s a short drive of about 15 minutes from Arches to the condo in Moab.  Once you enter the park you go up a few switchbacks before leveling out and the dramatic scenery begins.  Initially you’ll just see a lot of interesting rock formations.  However, once you go past the parking turn-out for Park Avenue and the Courthouse you’ll start to see the beautiful natural arch formations.

One of the great things about Arches National Park is that you have lots of turnouts and easily accessible parking close to the road.  There are a number of short hikes that you can do to get up close to many of the individual arches.  Picture taking without getting other people in your photos can be a bit of a challenge unless you arrive very early or stay until dark.    Since it’s a quick ride back to the condo in Moab after you leave Arches we recommend staying as late as possible to enjoy the last rays of sunlight.

During the busy season some of the smaller parking lots fill up quickly.  No worries, many people just hop out of their car for a quick view and a couple of pictures before heading on to the next stop.  However, it’s very important that you do not stop in the middle of the main park road or block the entrance to any turnouts or parking areas. 

If one of the viewpoints you wish to visit has every parking space filled just continue onto the next one and visit the places you miss on the way back.  The main road through Arches National Park goes in and out so it’s easy to stop and see anything that you bypassed initially.

Things are looking good at condo in Moab and the first visitors of the season will be arriving soon.  Springtime is extremely popular for visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.  The sun is still at a relatively low angle in the sky which makes for spectacular colors in the red rock scenery.  Air temperatures are moderate and conducive to hiking, mountain biking and all types of outdoor activities.

There are just a handful of open dates in April.  Availability at the condo in Moab is slightly better in May and June although both months are booking quickly.  If you don’t mind the warmer temperatures in the summertime both national parks tend to be less crowded in July and August.  Visitors coming that time of year need to be prepared and  bring lots of water, sunscreen and pace themselves when hiking or mountain biking.

As we begin the month of March virtually all of the shops and restaurants in Moab are back in full swing.  Many local business owners shut down for a couple of months in the wintertime and take a breather before the onslaught of Spring time visitors.  This little town of approximately 5000 year-round residents sees 2 million visitors during the course of the year.  When you figure that the vast majority of those visitors come during the busiest 30 weeks it means roughly 60,000 people passing through town each week.

It’s a good idea to make dinner reservations from March through June and again from September through October.  Some of the most popular restaurants can get fully booked up.  City Market is best avoided between 4 PM and 7 PM if at all possible.  We recommend doing your grocery shopping early in the morning; before 8:30 AM is best.  You’ll find a discount card for City Market at the condo in Moab attached to one set of keys.  Make sure to bring it with you and enjoy substantial savings at the store.