Events & What’s Happening
One of the largest off-road 4x4 events in the world, organized by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers, drawing thousands of Jeep and off-road enthusiasts to trails around Moab for nine days ending on Easter Sunday.
💡Watch the free vendor expo and vehicle displays downtown even if you're not running the trails — kids love seeing the rigs up close.
Multi-day mountain bike festival celebrating Moab's world-famous trail network with guided rides, skills clinics, demos, and a community expo.
💡Skills clinics are offered at beginner levels and kid-friendly demo bikes are often available — a great introduction to Moab riding.
Annual juried fine arts and crafts festival held at Swanny City Park over Memorial Day weekend, featuring over 100 artists, live music, and a dedicated kids' activity area.
💡The free children's art activity tent keeps kids engaged while adults browse; the park setting is shaded and stroller-friendly.
Annual PRCA-sanctioned rodeo featuring bull riding, barrel racing, and team roping held at the Grand County Fairgrounds.
💡Arrive early to grab bleacher seating with good sightlines; younger kids love the mutton bustin' event.
Traditional county fair at the Grand County Fairgrounds featuring 4-H exhibits, livestock shows, carnival rides, live entertainment, and local food vendors.
💡The 4-H animal barn is a highlight for young children; admission is very affordable and carnival wristbands offer the best ride value.
Acclaimed chamber music festival presenting classical and world music concerts in stunning red-rock venues including an outdoor grotto concert accessible by boat on the Colorado River.
💡The grotto concert is a memorable family adventure; pack snacks and layers as temperatures drop after sunset.
Scenic road race through the red-rock canyon country just outside Moab, consistently ranked among the most beautiful race courses in the US. The 5K is ideal for older children.
💡Register kids for the 5K and cheer half-marathon finishers near the downtown finish line for a festive, free spectator experience.
Weekly story time for children ages 2–6 at the Grand County Public Library, including read-alouds, songs, and a simple craft activity led by library staff.
💡A perfect midweek break from the heat in summer or cold in winter; check the library's calendar as schedules can shift around holidays.
Weekly community trail run organized by local running club Moab Rim Runners, rotating through beginner and intermediate trails around Moab suitable for active families.
💡Older children and teens are welcome on easier route days; check the group's social page for the weekly trail selection before heading out.
Park rangers from Arches and Canyonlands National Parks offer free Junior Ranger programs and interpretive talks at the Moab Information Center and park visitor centers on weekends throughout the season.
💡Kids who complete the Junior Ranger activity booklet receive an official badge — a memorable keepsake that makes the parks feel personal.
Weekly Saturday morning market at Swanny City Park featuring local produce, artisan foods, crafts, and live music in a shaded green space along the Colorado River corridor.
💡Get there by 8:30 for the freshest produce and tamales; kids enjoy the live music and there is usually a play lawn nearby to burn energy.
Planning Your Visit
Neighborhoods & Areas
Local Tips for Families
- 💡The Arches National Park timed-entry permit window (required April–October, typically 6am–5pm entry slots) sells out weeks in advance on recreation.gov — book your specific date-and-time ticket the moment your trip is confirmed rather than on arrival.
- 💡Delicate Arch is best hiked at sunrise when temperatures are 20–30 degrees cooler than midday; the 3-mile round-trip trail starts at the Wolfe Ranch trailhead and is the only realistic way to see the arch up close, as the Lower Viewpoint sees it only as a tiny speck.
- 💡The Colorado River Scenic Byway (Highway 128 northeast of Moab) is a free, paved 44-mile drive through red canyon walls along the river that is just as visually dramatic as the national parks for toddlers too young to hike — no entry fee, no permit, and pullouts for photos every half mile.
- 💡Coyote Shuttle on Main Street runs a bike shuttle service for the Slickrock Trail and surrounding singletrack, but for families they also shuttle hikers to the Corona Arch trailhead off Highway 279 — Corona Arch is larger than Delicate Arch, sees a fraction of the crowds, and the 3-mile round-trip trail is manageable for kids age 7 and up.
- 💡City Market on South Main Street is the only full grocery store in Moab and gets crowded after 5pm; shop for picnic supplies before 9am when shelves are stocked and checkout lines are short — lunch supplies for a park day typically run $25-35 for a family of 4 versus $60+ at park concessions.
- 💡The Dead Horse Point State Park entry fee ($20/vehicle) is separate from the America the Beautiful National Parks Pass, but the overlook is arguably the single most jaw-dropping viewpoint in the entire Moab region — the 2,000-foot sheer drop to the Colorado River's Gooseneck is genuinely safe for strollers at the fenced main overlook.
- 💡Tex's Riverways and Moab Adventure Center both run calm flatwater float trips on the Colorado River through Fisher Towers section — this is the family-appropriate non-whitewater alternative to rafting and works for kids as young as 4; book the morning slot to avoid afternoon desert wind that blows upstream.
- 💡The Moab Information Center at the corner of Main and Center Streets offers free ranger talks and a current conditions board showing which park trails have water, which have flash flood warnings, and current road closures — worth a 10-minute stop on day one before committing to any itinerary.