No we haven’t gotten a dog (yet), but we had a few of them in our Moab crew. Unfortunately, while the humans enjoyed the national parks the puppers got a little left out, so I found some hikes that we could take them on so we all could get a little exercise. 

There are tons of hikes to do outside of the national parks, and quite a few of them are dog friendly. Here are the five that I did:

Dog Friendly Hikes in Moab

The Jeep Arch

Distance: 4.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Type of Trail: Lollipop

The trail goes in a sort of lollipop shape with the Jeep shaped arch sort of in the middle of the lollipop part. The beginning of the hike is a little hard to find and figure out as you have to walk through that giant metal drain pipe looking thing. Once you’re on the other side the trail isn’t super clear at first so make sure to follow the cairns. There is a good bit of scrambling when you get close to the arch, but both us humans and the dog made it up just fine. 

The Corona Arch

Distance: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Type of Trail: Out & Back

This is probably the most popular arch outside of the national park, and it’s pretty rad. You do have to cross some train tracks at the beginning so be sure to stay aware of your doggos, and there’s also a ladder to get up a steep part of the trail which can be hard for some dogs to get up. All dogs we saw there were on leash, probably because there are some steep drop offs as well as big horned sheep in the area.

Hidden Valley

Distance: 4.5-8 miles
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Type of Trail: Out & Back or Point to Point

The beginning of the trail from the Hidden Valley trailhead is pretty steep, but it flattens out once you are up top in the valley. On the upside going up that steep part makes for some awesome views of Moab and the surrounding area. If you want to do the hike as a point to point you can go from Hidden Valley trailhead to the Rim trailhead. 

Fisher Towers

Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Type of Trail: Out & Back

This trail goes through some truly spectacular landscapes and the tall red rock formations are epic! The trail itself is pretty easy, but there is yet-another spot with a ladder that can be hard for dogs. Our puppers figured out a way to go around it, and we saw another dog just jump across the part where the ladder was (you climb down the ladder and then scramble up the other side of a small crevasse). It is a ways out of town at about a 45-minute drive from downtown Moab, but the views are totally worth it!

Grandstaff

Distance: 6 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Type of Trail: Out & Back

The Grandstaff trail takes you to the Morning Glory arch which is pretty cool. The arch is barely separated from the cliff beside it giving it a very unique look. There are quite a few river/stream crossings, but in the fall when we were there the water level was never high enough to prevent hopping across. If you go in the Spring I could see it being a little trickier when the water level is higher. It seems like there are several different trails that all kind of feed into the Grandstaff trail causing us to get a little turned around at one point, but it was easy enough to get back on the right path. There was a lot of cacti close to the trail that one of the dogs had an encounter with (the cactus won), and there’s supposedly poison ivy near the water, so it might not be the best trail option if your dog likes to explore and not stay on the trail. If you’re worried you can always keep them on a leash and you should be fine.

Things to know about hiking in Moab

• Makes sure to stay on the trail! A lot of the land around Moab has cryptobiotic soil, which is a crusty layer on top made up of algae, fungi, and bacteria. It may not look like much but it sorta holds the desert ecosystem together. Every time you step off the trail it kills these organisms and it can take up to 50 years for them to grow back. If you see crusty looking soil or black crust, that is cryptobiotic soil.
• Be careful of desert plants! They are usually spiny (like cacti), and it can be painful for you and your dog if you brush up against one.
• You’re in the desert! It can get extremely hot or cold depending on the time of year, so make sure you have plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Sunscreen and hats are always a must for sun protection from those desert rays.

Hiking gear for you and you doggo!

READ MORE:
A Hipster’s Guide to Moab
The Best Places to Take Photos in Moab
A Weekend in Moab
5 Outdoor Adventures to Have in Moab
Street Art of Moab

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