We have been traveling the world with our kids since they were infants. It has not always been easy to balance sleep schedules, potty routines, and short attention spans with our urge to see as much as possible in a few vacation days. But every now and then, a trip like this makes the early chaos feel completely worth it.
S (Husband) and I happened to have work trips to Salt Lake City and its suburbs around the same time. After some coordination, we managed to align our schedules for the same week. We took turns working on Thursday and Friday while the other handled the kids. That gave us the weekend to drive down to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. On Friday evening, we drove three and a half hours from Orem to Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab. The kids had spent the morning in the hotel pool and were happily tired, so they napped through most of the drive. The landscape changed steadily as we drove. White and gray mountains slowly gave way to deep red rock as we approached Moab.
We reached Dead Horse Point State Park around sunset. A massive rock formation near the entrance made our car look tiny. Across the road was Moab Giants Dinosaur Park, which looked interesting but was already closed. The overlook at Dead Horse offers sweeping views into Canyonlands National Park, where red cliffs frame a valley carved by the Colorado River. The gooseneck bend of the river is a popular photo spot for good reason. We arrived just in time for sunset and were able to take in the colors as they shifted across the canyon.
The kids were thrilled to be out of the car and busy collecting rocks. The trails are marked by small cairns, and they spent time carefully adding stones to existing piles. We never quite figured out how the park got its name, but the view alone made the stop worthwhile.
By then it was dark and we were ready for dinner. Our hotel had provided a restaurant guide, and we chose a Mexican place in Moab called El Chorro Loco. The food was excellent and the service was quick. The next day we tried lunch at Sweet Cravings Bistro and picked up Thai takeout from Arches Thai. All were simple, satisfying meals after long hours outdoors.
The next morning, we headed to Arches National Park. The park has one of the highest concentrations of natural sandstone arches in the world. Formed by water and erosion, these arches are constantly changing. The National Park Service booklet explained the geology in detail, and my daughter spent time reading through it. The main scenic drive is about 30 miles. Most of the iconic arches are clustered toward the end of the route, though the beginning has dramatic formations of its own. The red spires in the Park Avenue section are striking. Balancing Rock invites a photo. The Courthouse Towers sparked a family debate about which animals we could see in the rock shapes. I thought one looked like an elephant.
We hiked to several arches, including Double O Arch, Landscape Arch, Skyline Arch, Tunnel Arch, and Pine Tree Arch. Double O Arch spans about 148 feet and rises roughly 104 feet. It is a short hike to reach it. The kids had a great time scrambling up and sliding down. Many of the arches require short hikes, some under a mile and others more strenuous. We planned to stick to the easy trails but ended up walking close to five miles over the course of the day. The kids, including my 3-year-old son, handled it without complaints. This is when the travel became worth it. Pine Tree Arch was my favorite. The trail to it is covered in fine sand, and the kids immediately lay down to make sand angels. Standing beneath the arch, we felt surrounded by sweeping curves of rock that seemed to wrap around us. The most famous formation in the park is Delicate Arch. We did not hike all the way up to it since the kids had already walked several miles. T (my son) asked to be carried a few times and was quick to check whether my arms hurt. If I said yes, he would insist on walking again.
We left the park after dark. The sky was clear and full of stars. S claimed he could see planets. I was skeptical until we downloaded an app and identified Mars, Venus, and Jupiter. It was one of those rare nights when all three were visible.
The next morning, S wanted to catch sunrise at Canyonlands National Park, so we left at 6 a.m. for the 50-minute drive. We were not the only ones with that idea. After a short hike to Mesa Arch, we joined a small crowd waiting for the light. Despite the early start, the kids kept up, with a stroller assist for T when needed. Watching the first rays of sunlight illuminate the dark valley was worth the effort. The rock formations shifted from shadow to color within minutes.
We rewarded the kids with more pool time later that morning. We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Moab, which has separate pools for adults and children, small waterfalls, a splash area, and two hot tubs, all set against a backdrop of red rock cliffs. It was a perfect place to relax before heading home. We flew back that afternoon and reached home around midnight. On the flight, a pilot from Southwest Airlines invited the kids to take a photo inside the cockpit. Honestly, I was more excited than the kids were. It was a fitting end to a short but memorable trip.