Top 3 Kid-Friendly Hikes in Moab, Utah (plus 3 Kid-Friendly Activities to sign up for)
- Jennifer Evans
- Dec 14, 2024
- 5 min read
Moab, Utah is any adventurer's dream destination.
This town is nestled in the vibrant red rocky surfaces between the Colorado River and the La Sal Mountain range.
Moab offers endless outdoor activities including hiking, biking, white water rafting, canyoneering, back roading, and rock climbing - just to name a few.
Moab is also just outside of two stunning National Parks - Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
Both of these parks have endless hiking that ranges from short and kid-friendly hikes to overnight backpacking opportunities.
After spending time in both Arches and Canyonlands, here are the top three kid-friendly hikes near Moab that are worth exploring together as a family:
SAND DUNE ARCH
After conquering a long and challenging hike at Arches National Park called Delicate Arch, Sand Dune Arch was the perfect short hike to allow our two-year-old to guide the way on his own two feet instead of being in our HIKING BACKPACK BABY CARRIER.
According to AllTrails, Sand Dune Arch is:
Distance: 0.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 124ft
Estimated Time: 13 minutes
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Trail Type: Out and Back
I honestly don’t agree with the “moderate” rating, as it was an incredibly easy and simple trail. The trail starts out with a paved sidewalk that takes you to the sandy slot canyon.
Once you get on the sand, there are a few areas where you’re able to hike between the two walls of the slot canyon. While these were still very easy to maneuver, these could be the explanation behind the “moderate” rating, as it isn’t just a flat and paved surface the entire time.
They were a little too steep for our two-year-old’s little legs, but he was still able to try it on his own.
After you complete the “hilly” parts, it’s back to flat sand that you get to hike to until you reach the arch.
Our son had such a fun time in this and kept calling it his “sandbox.”
Arches National Park is known to not provide much shade, but the Sand Dune Arch hike is an exception to this rule.
Once you make it to the actual Arch, there’s plenty of room for kids to run around and climb. According to AllTrails, many people report large crowds during the peak season but we visited in December and only saw a few other people on the trail.
During the off-season, the sidewalk portion can get icy so be prepared.
But between our son walking on the sidewalk, climbing on the rocks, and playing in the sand, this was the perfect hike to slow down our day and let our son hang out and play on his own terms - and it made for the perfect break for Mom and Dad, too!
DOUBLE ARCH
Double Arch is one of my personal favorite views in all of Arches National Park (as it's the first photo in this article)!
According to AllTrails, Double Arch is:
Distance: 0.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 95ft
Estimated Time: 16 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Trail Type: Out and Back
Its name is self-explanatory, as two arches connect with each other at the same point.
You have to look for this trail carefully because the same parking lot can also lead you to the Windows Trail (which is also gorgeous, but not as exciting in my opinion).
This trail also begins with a fairly flat beginning and we were able to let our son lead the way on this one as well.
PRO TIP: There was at least one bridge to look out for in particular that has drop-offs over a drainage ditch that you should be aware of if you’re allowing young children to explore on their own.
Once you get off the actual trail, you’ll approach the arches and you have endless areas to climb!
Now climbing in this area isn’t easy and if you are doing it with kids, make sure to keep a close eye on them.
If you’re ambitious enough, you can climb as high as you can which leads to some incredible photo opportunities.
But even if you don’t climb around at all, the views from Double Arch or some of the best in the entire park!
MESA ARCH
Moving on to Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Arch tops my list for the hike that gave me the best “pleasant surprise.”
According to AllTrails, Mesa Arch is:
Distance: 0.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 88ft
Estimated Time: 17 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Trail Type: Loop Trail
Due to the distance, lack of elevation gain, and the views I saw from the parking lot, I really wasn’t expecting much from this trail. But if you have done any research on national parks, you know that Mesa Arch is one of the most popular hikes in Canyonlands and I was curious to find out why.
This hike is supposed to be best at sunrise, but I’m sure most parents would agree that waking up a two-year-old before sunrise wouldn’t be the best idea
This trail starts on a very easy and flat surface for quite some time. We carried our son in our HIKING BACKPACK because we didn’t know what to expect but after hiking this, we know he definitely could have walked on his own.
After the flat surface, you have maybe 10-20 feet of uneven rocky surface but it’s downhill and still very easy to maneuver even with a toddler on your back.
After that, you zig-zag a little bit where you eventually make it to Mesa Arch where the views are breathtaking.
You can see the entire canyon from underneath the arch and that moment made me so happy we decided to do this hike.
PRO TIP: When you approach the actual arch, there are VERY steep drop offs so you MUST watch your children carefully.
With that being said, there is a lot of room for your kids to run around and play safely. You just need to make sure they stay away from the arch itself.
Seeing this view definitely made me understand why this hike is so commonly talked about and I’m really happy we did it.
After you leave the arch and start your way back to the parking lot, you reach another area that’s a little rocky and you also reach a few downward stairs.
After that, you eventually make it back to the similar easy and flat surface from the beginning until you make it back to the parking lot.
Another pleasant surprise from this hike was seeing a little snow. We went in the first week of December and there wasn’t any snow on the actual trail, just a little bit randomly scattered on the sides of the trail.
CONCLUSION
Moab is one of the most gorgeous and landscape-diverse places in the country. From mountains and desert to sand and trees, you will not be disappointed.
No matter what age of travelers you are going with, there are endless possibilities of what to do and what to see.
If you want to explore Moab more than hiking (which is highly recommended), check out these three kid-friendly experiences offered on Viator.
While the first one has an age limit of 3 years old, the other two do not have an age limit at all and will give you priceless memories that you don't want to miss.
If Moab isn't on your bucket list, I recommend adding it to the top as it will surpass any expectations and all the hype I'm giving it!
Safe travels!
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