Photography Brett Schreckengost ©

Written By Kathleen M Bush

Moab gets its name from a Biblical place that lay on the outskirts of the Promised Land. It was an emerald in the sand where Moses spent some time herding sheep while exiled from Egypt and is described in the Old Testament as a green, verdant valley in the middle of a vast and inhospitable desert.

Num. 21:11, “Then they set out from Oboth and camped in Iye Abarim, in the desert that faces Moab toward the sunrise.” Mormon settlers who came to Utah in the 1800s dubbed this Ute Indian and Spanish settlement on the banks of the Colorado River.

Over the years, Moab went through a few boomtown periods as prospectors came in search of gold in the 1890s, uranium in the 1950s and most recently, oil and potash. Today it is the tourist boom that attracts visitors to Moab in search of adventure, excitement and scenic beauty. It has become a Mecca for mountain bikers, hikers, river runners, and off-road enthusiasts and is the central hub of southeastern Utah’s tourist industry. Thousands travel to Moab each year to visit nearby Canyonlands and Arches national parks as well as Dead Horse Point State Park, raft the Colorado River and ride the world famous Slickrock Trail. With a tourist-friendly town center, loads of outdoor activities and a mild climate boasting 325 sunshine days a year, Moab is undoubtedly one of the America’s premier outdoor adventure destinations.

If you’re vacationing in Telluride and looking for a side trip, Moab is a great one. Ideal for two-to-three days, the drive is 132 miles. Take Colorado 145 to Colorado 90; then pick up Utah 46 to U.S. 191.

LOCAL STATISTICS:
Location: I-70 west from Grand Junction,
30 miles on 191
Population: 6,500
Average Home Price: $120,000
Average Rental: $700
Median Age: 36.9
Average Household Income: $39,100
Elevation: 4,000 Ft.
Median Temperatures: Summer: 95/58F Winter: 45/21F
Days of Sunshine per year: 325
Average Annual Snowfall: 6.1 in.
Founded: 1879
Industry: Tourism/Recreation
Grand County Population: 8,800
College: Utah State University (Extension)

Visitor's Services:
Moab Information Center
Junction of Main St. and Center St.
Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-8825/ (800) 635-6622
Email: info@discovermoab.com
Website: www.discovermoab.com

Moab Chamber of Commerce
805 North Main St. | Moab, UT 84532
(435) 259-7814
Email: info@moabchamber.com
Website: www.moabchamber.com

Attractions/Services:
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Colorado River
Dead Horse Point State Park
Slick Rock Bike Trail

MOAB, UTAH 2009 EVENTS CALENDAR

FEBRUARY  

 14TH -  Moab's Red Hot 50K and 33k - The race is predominately jeep trails starting at the Gemini Bridges trail tail and utilizing the Metal Masher, Gold Bar, Gold Spike and the Poison Spider trail systems - ending at Poison Spider trail head.  Some of the most scenic and challenging trail running in the Moab area! For more information visit www.mas50.com/redhot.  

13th –15th - Western Stars Cowboy Poetry Gathering featuring Suzy Boggus and Don Edwards- Presidents' Day weekend western celebration with cowboy poets, music, barrel racing, chili cookin' contests, square dancing, western art, vendors, workshops and lectures. For more information call 435-259-6272 or email brogers@moabcity.org.
Moab Arts and Recreation Center (100 North 111 East).

20TH  – 22nd  - USTRC Team Roping - Old Spanish Trail Arena (3641 S. Highway 191) - 435-259-6226

MARCH

7th – 8th  - Racing in the Rockies - Arches Winter Series Barrel Racing - Old Spanish Trail Arena (3641 S. Highway 191)  Sat & Sun.  Features WPRA divisional tour race (featuring professional women’s barrel racers).  Open Race, Youth (for 15 and under), Senior (for those 50 and over) and a PeeWee division (8 and under).  Spectators are always welcome and there is no admission fee.   For more information visit  www.racingintherockies.com or call 970-390-3712.

9TH - Banff Mountain Film Festival - The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour features the year's best films on mountain adventure and culture. Monday, March 9th @ 7:00 p.m. in the Grand County High School Auditorium (608 South 400 East).  

14TH - 16TH - Skinny Tire Festival - The three rides of the Skinny Tire Festival highlight Moab’s different road riding opportunities. The first day follows the mighty Colorado River corridor downstream passing by ancient puebloans petroglyphs. The next two days leave the valley and climb the beautiful canyon roads into red rock country to Dead Horse Point State Park and through Arches National Park. Channel the energy of riding through this grandeur of Moab’s canyon country by putting purpose behind your cycling. This event raises funds for cancer survivorship programs. For more information contact 435-259-2698 or visit www.SkinnyTireEvents.com.  

21ST - 34th Annual Canyonlands Half Marathon and Five Mile Run - Full details and registration information is available at www.moabhalfmarathon.org or call 435-259-4525.  

27TH -29TH -  Moab Muni Fest 2009 - “MUni” is short for Mountain Unicycling. “Fest” is short for Festival, and that’s what the Moab MUni Fest is all about. It’s a time to break the winter cabin fever and get out to the pleasant March climes of Moab; to ride and socialize with other MUni riders in the scenic red rock wonderland of Southern Utah. It’s a place to test and expand your limits, hone your skills, and learn new techniques from other riders. The entire Slickrock area is red sandstone rock, which means you’ll have traction to climb and descend angles you never thought possible. The landscape is a trials course. For non-trials riders it’s just as much fun figuring out how to avoid the obstacles. In either case there’s plenty to keep you entertained. It’s a great place to make and renew friendships within the com-MUni-ty of riders. For more info visit: www.moabmunifest.com

28th  – 29th  - Racing in the Rockies - Arches Winter Series Barrel Racing - Old Spanish Trail Arena (3641 S. Highway 191)  Sat & Sun.  Features WPRA divisional tour race (featuring professional women’s barrel racers).  Open Race, Youth (for 15 and under), Senior (for those 50 and over) and a PeeWee division (8 and under).  Spectators are always welcome and there is no admission fee.   For more information visit www.racingintherockies.com or call 970-390-3712.

28th – 29th – 24 hours of Utah Team Relay and Solo Challenge – Experience the beautiful desert landscape of Moab, Utah while testing your own personal limits.  This years race will be run on the beautiful Monitor and Merrimac trail 16 miles north of Moab.  Racers will run 6 mile laps with approximately 430’ of climbing per loop.  For more information visit www.grminiadventures.com, or contact us at:l reid_delman@geminiadventures.com, or  303-249-1112.

APRIL  

4TH -12TH  - Easter Jeep Safari - Easter Jeep Safari consists of trail rides, mostly day long trips, departing from Moab throughout this week long event. The official event is hosted by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers Inc. the local four wheel drive club of Moab. Participants provide their own four wheel drive vehicle, take care of their own food and non-alcoholic beverages for the trip. The club officially runs approximately 9 different trails every day, with "Big Saturday" culminating in the largest ever single trail ride departure happening - around 30 groups line up in down town Moab to head off in every direction for 30 different trails! Pre-registration for this event is recommended, although limited registration at the event may be possible. Visit the club's website for registration information or mail a request to Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc., PO Box 1471, Moab, UT 84532-1471. www.rr4w.com Note: This massive week-long event is one of the largest events of the year for Moab. Please make your camping/lodging reservations as early as possible!  

24TH – 26TH  April Action Car Show - Classic Car Show - Hot Rods, Trucks, Customs, Street Rods, Muscle Cars, Classics, and much more! Visit www.moab-utah.com/aprilaction/ for more information. Note: This event is one of the largest events of the year for Moab. Please make your camping/lodging reservations as early as possible! For more information call 435-259-5858.  

4/30-5/3  - Moab Photography Symposium - A 4 day gathering of photography lovers who come to learn new technical and artistic skills through discussion and workshops. For more information visit www.moabphotosym.com or contact Bruce Hucko at 435-259-4176 or bhucko@frontiernet.net.

 MAY    

4/30-5/3 Moab Photography Symposium
Continues - See Above  

May 13-16th - 3rd Annual UTV Rally

The Moab UTV Rally is the largest UTV and Side x Side event in the United States. It consists of daily organized trail rides, organized poker run, evening events such as barrel racing, tug of war, pole bending, balance beam, and drag races to FREE demo rides from Yamaha, Polaris, Kawasaki, Arctic Cat, Kymco, Honda, Tomcar, and Ruesch at the Red Rock Raceway. The event is headquartered at the Old Spanish Trail Arena at 3641 S. Hwy 191 on the south end of town where all the best UTV and Side x Side companies will be on display. It’s highly recommended you pre-register for this event as there’s only a limited number of trail rides and people allowed per trail. For more information visit www.utvrally.com or email Chris@utvrally.com.

23RD – 24TH - Moab Arts Festival - Swanny City Park (400 North 100 West) - For more information visit www.moabartsfestival.org  

28th – 31st -  5th Annual Desert Rocks - Four days and four nights of music, camping, and outdoor adventure in the majestic red rock canyon of Kane Creek, 8 miles West of Moab. The festival will include an eclectic mix of funk, rock, reggae, folk, and bluegrass music playing through sunrise.  For more info check out www.desertrocks.org.

JUNE

4th – 5th - Canyonlands PRCA Rodeo - Old Spanish Trail Arena (3641 S. Highway 191) - Includes bull riders, barrel races, team roping, individual roping, saddle bronc, bare back, mutton bustin', clowns, and more. Vendors welcome! Fee.

JULY  

4TH - Independence Day Celebration – Swanney City Park, Fireworks at dusk.

SEPTEMBER

3rd – 19th - Moab Music Festival
Music from around the world amidst the spectacular red rock canyonlands of Moab, Utah. Each year musicians and music lovers alike, from across the country and around the world, travel to the Moab Music Festival to perform and to listen to musical masterpieces, old and new, set among some of nature's most spectacular landscape masterpieces... the red rock canyonlands. For more information visit www.moabmusicfest.org or call 435-259-7003

5th – 7th - Labor Day Red Rock 4 Wheelers Campout
Organized by the Red Rock 4-Wheelers - Overnight trips with backcountry camping, with additional day-trips on each of the three days. The club will organize the event and provide the guides, you bring all your other needs. Early trail reservations are recommended since the number of vehicles allowed on each trip is limited. Spaces will be filled on a first-postmarked-first-serve priority system - there is no email, phone, or online registration. Final registration will be held on the morning that the trails leave. Visit the club's website for further information or mail a request to Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc., PO Box 1471, Moab, UT 84532-1471.

18TH – 21ST Annual Tribal Sands Belly Dance. - Desert Veils invites you to their fifth annual Tribal Sands Belly Dance & Drum Festival.  Tribal sands is a gathering of belly dancers and drummers from all over the US and Canada, in order to celebrate the world of belly dance. The festival begins on Friday with workshops, desert dancing, and eating!  Saturday will include more workshops, as well as performances by many outstanding belly dancers from throughout North America.

19th - Moab Century Tour - The Moab Century Tour encompasses an inspiring variety of landscape to awaken the cycling spirit. From the depths of the red rock canyons of Moab, riders begin to glimpse at the towering mountains above. This spectacular route rises from the sculptured canyons of the mighty Colorado River up into the La Sal Mountains, and then descends back into the canyons leaving you speechlessly in awe of the grand scale of this magical place. Channel the energy of riding through this grandeur of Moab’s canyon country by putting purpose behind your cycling. By focusing proceeds of the Tour with cancer survivorship programs each participant becomes a powerful force against cancer. For more information contact 435-259-2698 or visit www.skinnytireevents.com.  

23RD – 27TH  Skydive Moab Festival - Skydivers from all across the world will be jumping from 3 - 20+ passenger airplanes and free falling for over 1 minute above Moab's most amazing landscape. Come see over 300+ skydivers jump and make over 3000 jumps in just 4 days. They'll reach speeds well over 150 mph. For more info visit www.skydivemoab.com, send an email to info@skydivemoab.com, or call 435-259-JUMP.

 OCTOBER  

 18th - The Other Half Marathon - The Other Half is a 13.1 mile running event that begins at Dewey Bridge on Highway 128 and winds through some of the most stunning scenery in the country to its finish at the Sorrel River Ranch. For more information call 435-259-4525 or visit www.moabhalfmarathon.org.  

8th – 10th  - Annual Gem & Mineral Show – 50TH Annual Points & Pebbles Gem & Mineral Show.  Old Spanish Trail Arena (3641 S. Highway 191).

10th – 11th   Suzuki 24 Hours of Moab Mountain Bike Race - Annual Team Relay-Style Mountain Bike Race held in the Behind the Rocks Area  - An extremely popular 24 hour mountain bike race set in a spectacular red rock desert.  Sections of this course follow an old jeep trail while others contain some wild downhill segments.  The course contains 1,100 feet of climb per lap and some challenging sandy sections. For more information visit www.grannygear.com or call 304-259-5533.

29th- 31st – Moab Canyons Endurance Race - Horse endurance rides 25 mile and 50 mile rides both days.  Through the dramatic canyon walls towering overhead to the canyon ridge with an incredible view of the wind sculpted crevasses below.  Visit www.moabendurance.com or call 435-259-6162 for more information.

31st - Annual Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival - The whole family will enjoy watching sling-shots, catapults, trebuchets, and air-cannons launching pumpkins across the sky. Visit www.youthgardenproject.org or call 435-259-2326 for more information

NOVEMBER  

1st – 5th  Moab Folk Camp - Join us for five days of hands-on workshops with nationally recognized instructors in a variety of courses ranging from songwriting and vocal performance to beginning and advanced guitar, harmonica and more.
 
6th – 8th Moab Folk Music Festival - An exciting gathering of accomplished artists from the national, regional and local contemporary folk music community. The Moab Folk Music Festival brings some of the finest singer/songwriter musicians in the country. For additional information visit www.moabfolkfestival.com or call 435-260-2488.   

13th- 14th -  Bighorn Sheep Festival - A chance to view desert bighorn sheep in sunny southeastern Utah awaits as the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) hosts its annual Moab Bighorn Sheep Festival. The event is free, and people of all ages are invited to attend. Sheep watchers are encouraged to bring binoculars or a spotting scope along with snacks, beverages and a camera. DWR biologists will guide participants to locations where bighorns have been recently observed. The biologists will have extra spotting scopes and binoculars for people to use. They'll also have several large four-wheel drive vehicles for those who don't have the type of vehicle needed to reach the areas where the sheep are. The festival begins on Friday evening in the Moab Information Center (7:00pm), located at the corner of Center and Main. DWR will present a program on bighorn sheep ecology and their life history. The following morning (8:00 am) participants will gather again at the Moab Information Center where they will split into groups and go in search of bighorn sheep. A DWR wildlife biologist will guide each caravan of vehicles. All of the parties will be in radio contact with each other, so everyone can be advised as soon as sheep are spotted. Those who drive their own vehicle can leave the group at any time. For those who ride with DWR biologists, the field trips generally finish by noon or early afternoon. For more information call 435-613-3700.

DECEMBER  

4th - Christmas Tree Lighting - County Courthouse (125 E Center) @ 5:30pm  

5th - Electric Light Parade - Kick off the holiday season with Moab's annual Electric Light Parade. Year after year this spectacular display of lighted floats and holiday costumes grows and attracts more and more spectators. The entire family will enjoy this amazing collection of lighted floats as they travel along Main Street in downtown Moab. For more information call 435-259-7814.  

5TH - Winter Sun 10K Run - The Annual Winter Sun 10k road race is a fun filled small town run that takes place in early December when the air in Moab is crisp and the skies are blue and sunny. For more information visit www.moabhalfmarathon.org or call 435-259-4525

For more information contact the Moab Area Travel Council at 800-635-6622.
An Updated Calendar is available throughout the year at www.discovermoab.com