J, Dawg at Arches National Park

This is the third time I’ve visited Moab, UT.  It’s a spectacular place with some of the most dramatic scenery in the US.  On my prior visits, I’ve been to all the nearby National Parks (Arches, Canyonlands), marveled at the views from Dead Horse State Park, ridden some of the white rim in Canyonlands, and rafted up the Colorado River.  I’ve also biked some of the best mountain bike trails and done some scenic hikes.

This time, our stop was just to resupply on our way back to Colorado.  Moab has some great scenery, good restaurants, a nice grocery, and I figured it would be a good layover spot.

But, the key highlight of this visit was the heat.  Man – was it hot in Moab!  Daytime temps were well over 100 each of the two days we were here.  By 9:30 am, it was 93 and it didn’t fall below 90 until 10:00 pm.  And the humidity only hit 5%!

Walking outside was like walking into an oven.  It hurt to just to breathe the hot dry air and the dry air gave me a slight constant head ache.  Maybe it was my brain’s way of telling me to get out of here as soon as possible.  The A/C in my RV (where I spent most of my time) got a work out and, thankfully,, it performed flawlessly.

The heat limited our outside activities.  In fact, it limited most activities.  We got the shopping and laundry done and little else.  Here’s the little that we did.

I visited my favorite Mexican restaurant (Fiesta Mexicana) and slowly savored a huge ice-cold Margarita and some enchiladas in air-conditioned comfort.  In my book, good food is a good substitute for good outside activity and Fiesta Mexicana serves some of the best Mexican food.

J. Dawg enjoying lunch at Fiesta Mexicana

We drove thru Arches National Park with the AC blasting.  It was my third visit to Arches and I’ve done all the hikes and scenic points in prior visits.  This time, we went just to do a scenic air-conditioned drive and it was free with my Annual Pass.  I got out of the RV just twice, but got some good photo’s and shot some dashcam footage.

Moab has a nice Aquatic Center that has indoor and outdoor pools.  Non-residents can use the facilities for $7 per day  ($5 for us 55+ folks).  We were going to spend an afternoon cooling off at the pool, but it was very crowded with lots of kids and the pool deck was super hot.  Getting roasted or boiled wasn’t appealing. Sitting in my RV with the AC running, sipping a cool drink, and watching the US Open Golf Tournament was a better alternative.

We stayed in the northern end of Moab up in Spanish Valley at OK RV Park.  It’s an OK place to stay.  With the heat, I wanted electricity to run the AC.  It has full hook ups, laundry, wifi, cable TV, and some pretty good shaded sites.  The bathrooms could use some work.  But for $35 per night, I think it’s the best value in Moab commercial campgrounds.

J. Dawgs RV tucked into a shady spot at the OK RV Park

After two days, I couldn’t wait to leave and head back to the cool temps of Colorado.  My nose and throat needed a break from all the dry air.  It wasn’t much of a visit but it served its purpose.  And I made a mental note – avoid Moab in the summer.

We took the scenic drive out of Moab – Route 128 along the Colorado River.  What a spectacular drive.  It’s a 45 miles winding route along the river through mostly BLM land.  It’s a rafters and kayakers paradise.  Here’s a video I shot on the drive.  I made another mental note,  When I return to Moab, go in the fall and camp along the river.  There are several really nice BLM camping spots along the river.

Although we got roasted and parched, we made the best of the situation and survived our short stay in Moab.