Moab Adventure for Women: Hike, Raft, and Ride in Southeast Utah

The Trip

Join a long tradition of women in the wilderness as we celebrate 40 years of women’s trips. Connect with nature, find camaraderie and trust in yourself as you enjoy 8 days exploring Utah's red rock wonderland with other adventurous women. Hike through stunning geologic formations of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and more. Cool off rafting, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding on the Green and Colorado Rivers. Horseback ride through “purple” sage while taking in dramatic vistas. At day’s end we retreat to our cozy lodgings to enjoy creative healthy cuisine, share good cheer, and learn about the region - its history and conservation. Imagine, summer camp for grown-ups, only with better food and no tents! Your leaders for this year’s Moab Multi-Sport Adventure for Women were active leaders for some of the very first Sierra Club women’s trips nearly 40 years ago! 

With two national parks, one state park, and miles of trails nearby, the hikers in our group are in heaven! Arches and Canyonlands are filled with geological eye candy - giant sandstone formations and stunning trails. A highlight of our time together, the iconic Delicate Arch, standing 65 feet tall, never fails to inspire! The many views from trails within Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky district afford a different perspective on this spectacular mesa and its sheer cliffs! A stop at Dead Horse Point State Park provides a look at the ecology of the high desert while admiring the gooseneck of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below the trail. We also explore some of the area’s lesser known, off the beaten path trails, with petroglyphs, towering spires, graceful arches, and cool canyon waters.

Two days of the week we spend rafting sections of the Colorado and Green rivers. First, we paddle the Colorado to get a taste of easy rapids and “river time”. Later in the week, we try out the larger rapids of the Green River and visit the John Wesley Powell River History Museum. Museum exhibits provide information about Powell’s 19th century exploration of the Colorado River, the history of river running, and the area’s Native Americans, paleontology, and geology. One morning we change the pace and take to horseback. In the company of experienced wranglers, we see the sagebrush landscape from the perspective of early natives and settlers, atop a gentle horse or mule.

With views of Moab’s red cliffs, our cozy lodgings on the outskirts of town serve as home base for the week. Single room options are very limited, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Everyone takes turns with kitchen duties, to prepare and clean-up after meals. Breakfasts and dinners are usually at our lodgings, but we may take breakfast “on the road” to catch an early sunrise and we may enjoy one or two local restaurants for dinner. Lunch is either at a picnic area between hikes or at a beach along the river. 

This is the perfect trip for all women seeking adventure; moms and grown daughters, college friends who haven’t vacationed together for years, or a week out with the new friends you’ll meet! Regardless of whether you come alone or with a friend or family member, you’ll feel like a kid again! Each activity is optional, and many have components with varying degrees of difficulty. For instance, when we’re on the river, you’ll have a choice to either kick back on the oar boat or try out a stand-up paddleboard or inflatable kayak. 

Sierra Club respects and recognizes that many of the river canyons, BLM and state lands, as well as national parks where we operate are the ancestral homes of many indigenous communities. Moab and the surrounding Colorado Plateau have been and continue to be the traditional territory of the Ancestral Pueblo peoples, the Fremont culture, various bands of the Ute and Paiute, and the Dine’, or Navajo Nation.

Day 1: If flying in, a pickup from the Moab airport can be arranged for the afternoon. We meet at our Moab lodgings in early evening, giving ample time to settle in, get acquainted, and enjoy our first meal together. 

Day 2: We start our week off with an early morning trek to Arches National Park where we hike to Delicate Arch as well as other arches and geological oddities. During our time here, we share the history of the park, read excerpts from Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, and discuss the challenges facing the National Park Service.

Day 3: River time! Today we raft the Colorado River through Castle Valley. The scenery and geology are distracting, so it’s a good thing the rapids are easy. Everyone can take a turn either kayaking and stand-up paddleboard as desired. Depending on the weather, some of us may go for a swim. Lunch will be picnic-style on a beach. Time permitting, we might enjoy a late afternoon hike before heading back to our lodgings. 

Day 4: We have an early bird start for today’s destinations, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. As we explore the trails of these two parks, we learn more about the Colorado Plateau, its water issues and mining history. 

Day 5: Today we drive north to Green River, the Watermelon Capital of the World. Here we visit the John Wesley Powell River History Museum and relive the exciting journeys of this early explorer. Not too far from the museum, we’ll put in on the Green River and run 8 miles of fun Class II+ rapids through Gray Canyon. We may even glimpse a bighorn sheep along the shoreline or a raptor soaring overhead as we float the river.

Day 6: After a hearty breakfast we head out for horseback riding either in the Castle Valley or up in the cool La Sal Mountains as determined by our wranglers. After everyone gets their horse or mule, we’ll ride out into sagebrush country. Following our ride, we can either take an afternoon hike, explore the shops in Moab, or both, depending on the desires of the group.

Day 7: Back out to the trail today to search out traces of native Americans, tracks of dinosaur, as well as more arches or towers. In the evening we spend time sharing favorite moments from the week and celebrating our time together.

Day 8: In the morning we pack up before our final breakfast together and fond farewells. Transportation to the Moab airport will be provided. 

Our hiking, rafting, and horseback riding activities are easy to moderate, but good physical conditioning will allow you to enjoy yourself and all activities even more!

This itinerary may be modified, depending on the weather, inclination and abilities of the group, availability of a guest speaker, and local conditions, etc. 

Getting There

The trip is based in Moab, Utah. We will provide transportation from the airport in Moab to and from our lodgings as needed and to all daily activities on the trip.

By air: Canyonlands Regional Airport is about 20 minutes north of Moab. Daily flights from Salt Lake City are just an hour in duration, nonstop. Delta, United, and Skywest service Moab from Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Denver.

By car: Moab is located 105 miles from Grand Junction, 233 miles from Salt Lake City, 353 miles from Denver, and 467 miles from Phoenix.

Please wait to make any non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

The cozy room configurations of our lodgings are ideal for friends who are sharing in the adventure. The availability of single rooms is very limited and are on a first-come, first-serve basis at an additional cost. All bathrooms are shared. We try to accommodate dietary restrictions as much as possible, but the kitchen space is limited, and surfaces and utensils are used to prepare all food types. Please let the leader know of any restrictions, aversions, or allergies. Meals will generally include breakfast and dinner at our lodgings, with lunch and snacks fixed "to go" each day. Participants will assist with cooking and kitchen clean up on a rotating basis.

Trip Difficulty

The hiking, rafting, kayaking, and horseback riding activities are easy to moderate. On our hiking days, we leave the house very early to enjoy sunrise in Arches and Canyonlands, and you should expect to hike 6-9 miles each of these days. Although there will be at least one afternoon in town, most of the time on the trip we will be actively exploring Moab and the surrounding redrock country. If you prefer hours of downtime every afternoon, this trip may not be the right fit for you. Each person needs to be in good health so we can all enjoy our hikes, paddling time, and riding. Participants are encouraged to walk, hike, and exercise in preparation for the trip.

The Green and Colorado rafting trips are professionally guided whitewater trips and include rapids up to Class III. Separate liability waivers are required for the rafting trips and horseback riding.

Equipment and Clothing

No special equipment is required for this trip. All gear for the horseback riding and river trips, including personal flotation devices (PFDs), will be provided. September weather can be unpredictable. Most likely we will experience warm days and chilly nights. Good hiking shoes, layered clothing, and good rain gear are essential. A list of appropriate clothing and personal gear will be sent to all participants after acceptance on the trip.

References

Books:

• Abbey, Edward, Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness.
• McCourt, Tom, The Moab Story: From Cowpokes to Bike Spokes.
• Roberts, David, The Lost World of the Old Ones: Discoveries in the Ancient Southwest.
• Stegner, Wallace, Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West.
• Zwinger, Ann, Run, River, Run: A Naturalist’s Journey Down One of the Great Rivers of the West.

Conservation

The Colorado Plateau and SE Utah face many conservation challenges in the 21st century. During our trip, the leaders facilitate discussions on various topics pertinent to the region which may include the legacy of mining, management of public lands, industrial tourism, water shortages on the Plateau, the Colorado River Compact, ORV impacts, oil and gas development, and efforts to protect Utah’s remaining wilderness. 

Time spent on the Colorado Plateau brings awareness of forces greater than ourselves. The joy of exploring wild places will hopefully inspire advocacy for public land protection in the West. Participants will learn about America’s Red Rock Wilderness Act and how they can fight for wild land and biodiversity protection by Congress.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.