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.
Moab because of the Biblical similarities. 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: 5,100
Average Home Price: $120,000
Average Rental: $700
Median Age: 32.9
Average Household Income: $32,620
Elevation: 4,025 Ft.
Median Temperatures: Summer: 95/58F Winter: 45/21F
Days of Sunshine per year: 240
Average Annual Snowfall: 6.1 in.
Founded: 1879
Industry: Tourism/Recreation
Grand County Population: 10,000
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
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