Moab Hidden Gems: Secret Spots the Guidebooks Miss
The parks, neighborhoods, and attractions that locals love and tourists rarely find in Moab
Fisher Towers: Hiking/Geology in Highway 128
While everyone flocks to Arches and Canyonlands, the Fisher Towers trail 20 miles northeast of Moab along the Colorado River offers some of the most dramatic desert scenery in the Southwest with a fraction of the visitors. The towering Cutler sandstone spires — the tallest reaching 900 feet — look like melting red skyscrapers against the blue sky. The 4.4-mile round-trip trail winds between and beneath the towers, with views of the surrounding canyons and the La Sal Mountains.
Pro Tip
Go in the late afternoon when the setting sun turns the towers deep red. The trail has some exposure — bring more water than you think you need.
Corona Arch Trail: Hiking in Highway 279
Corona Arch is one of the largest freestanding arches in the Moab area and is not inside a national park, which means no entrance fee and fewer crowds. The 3-mile round-trip hike includes a short section with cables and a ladder for assistance, adding a sense of adventure. The arch itself is massive — 140 feet wide and 105 feet tall — and the view through it frames the Colorado River canyon below.
Pro Tip
Go in the morning for the best light and fewer people. The cable-assisted section is easy but adds excitement. Free and no reservation needed.
Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks: Paleontological in Highway 279
Along Potash Road (Highway 279) south of Moab, an unmarked pullout leads to a set of actual dinosaur tracks preserved in the sandstone. The three-toed tracks are from a dilophosaurus that walked this area 200 million years ago. The tracks are on open rock faces and are free to visit — there's no visitor center or gift shop, just ancient footprints in ancient stone.
Pro Tip
The tracks are at mile marker 6 on Potash Road — look for a small 'Dinosaur Tracks' sign. Bring a guidebook or download information beforehand, as there's no interpretation on site.
Dead Horse Point at Night: Stargazing in Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park — a stunning overlook 2,000 feet above the Colorado River — is famous for its daytime views, but it's also one of the best stargazing locations in the western United States. The park is designated a Dark Sky Park, and on moonless nights the Milky Way arcs overhead with a clarity that's becoming increasingly rare. The combination of the star-filled sky above and the canyon darkness below is awe-inspiring.
Pro Tip
Check the moon phase before planning a stargazing visit — moonless nights are essential. Bring layers, as high desert nights get cold even in summer.
Professor Valley: Scenic in Highway 128
The stretch of Highway 128 along the Colorado River northeast of Moab — known as the River Road — passes through Professor Valley, a landscape of towering red buttes, cottonwood-lined riverbanks, and mesa formations that have appeared in countless films. Fisher Towers, Castle Valley, and the Priest and Nuns formations create a panorama that's among the most photogenic in the American West.
Pro Tip
Drive the road in the late afternoon for the best light on the red rock formations. Pullouts are frequent — stop often and photograph freely.
Finding Your Own Hidden Gems in Moab
The hidden gems listed above are starting points, but the real secret to discovering Moab is to develop the traveler's instinct for places that feel real. When a neighborhood has more locals than tourists, when a park bench faces a view that nobody seems to photograph, when a small museum charges $5 and has no line — those are the signals. Moab rewards the curious traveler who wanders without a rigid itinerary, who asks baristas and bartenders where they spend their days off, who takes the local bus instead of the tourist shuttle. The best hidden gems aren't hidden because they're obscure — they're hidden because they can't be captured in an Instagram post or a TripAdvisor rating. They're experiences that unfold slowly and reveal themselves to people who show up with time, curiosity, and a willingness to get a little lost. That's when Moab shows you its real face, and it's always more interesting than the postcard version.
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