The Ultimate Road Trip from Denver to Moab

Are you looking to learn more about a road trip from Denver to Moab?

One of the most breathtaking trips we have ever been on was our road trip from Denver to Moab!

We did the road trip over a long weekend, spending 72 hours camping, exploring two different National Parks, and taking in the drastically different views from the greenery that lines the Colorado Rockies to the red arches and rock formations that surround Arches National Park.

Continue reading down below to discover why a road trip from Denver to Moab is a must for any national park lover and outdoor enthusiast.

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Before diving into the ultimate road trip from Denver to Moab, Utah. We wanted to answer some common questions to help you on your trip!

How Many Miles is it From Denver to Moab?

It is roughly 350 miles from Denver to Moab. The journey takes about 6 hours, but is well worth it.

Is the Drive From Denver to Moab Scenic?

YES! As you are navigating down the highway through the immaculate Rocky Mountains, you are able to see the greenery change into red rock formations as you get closer to the state of Utah.

Additionally, there are countless pull offs and sites to see along the way including the jaw dropping Colorado National Monument along with Palisade’s endless romantic wineries.

A winding road inside the Colorado National Monument.

Looking down on a winding road from the top of the Colorado National Monument.

Day One: Where Should I Stop Between Denver and Moab?

We began our road trip Friday as soon as we got off work. We loaded up all of our things and headed West out of Denver. The drive is breathtaking as you head towards Grand Junction because you pass right through the Rocky Mountains and pass many of the famous ski resorts including Breckenridge and Vail.

Personally, we only stopped every once in a while to use the restroom or grab some coffee because we have visited these mountain towns many times during the winter!

However, you could definitely make a pit stop to see one of these gorgeous towns and spend the night or just grab a bite to eat on your way.

Hotels in Breckenridge and Vail:

If you do decide to stay in Breckenridge for the night we highly recommend that you check out the BlueSky Breckenridge. You cannot beat their condos and vacation rentals right on the mountain.

Additionally, if you would like to stay in Vail for the night we recommend that you check out The Four Seasons for a more luxurious stay or the Tivoli Lodge for a modern ski hotel.

The Ultimate Road Trip from Denver to Moab: (Night One) Camping at Colorado National Monument

Our main goal on Friday was to get to Grand Junction before sunset so that we could set up our camping spot. The drive took about four hours and thirty minutes from Denver to Grand Junction and it wasn’t bad at all.

A sign as you enter the Colorado National Monument.

Sam and Clover overlooking the Colorado National Monument.

Once we arrived in Grand Junction, we made our way to the Colorado National Monument where we camped in the Saddlehorn campground for the night.

The campground has reservable sites and first-come-first-serve sites. We were lucky enough to find a FCFS site Friday night as all of the reservable sites were taken. All sites are $22 that you pay either online if reserving or at the entrance in an envelope for the FCFS sites.

We typically prefer a free campsite but knowing that we wanted to see the Colorado National Monument, we couldn’t pass up the convenience of being able to wake up and walk to the most beautiful view of the Monument.

To our surprise when we showed up, the amenities of this campground were definitely worth the $22. The amenities included clean bathrooms with multiple stalls and sinks, running drinking water at multiple locations, and picnic tables at each campsite.

Although the spots are pretty close together, we thought the rest of the benefits outweighed that and it is a great location when it comes to exploring Colorado’s National Monument.

Pro Tip: If you’re going to visit any more National Parks beyond these throughout the year, buy the annual America The Beautiful pass.

You can get it online, at REI, or most park entrances. It is $80 total, is good for 365 days from purchase, and gets you entrance into more than 2,000 federal recreation sites! The entrance to both of these parks is $25 alone, so you can see how quickly that will add up if you’re visiting multiple parks throughout the year.

One of the National Park Services signs.

A landscape view of the Colorado National Monument.

Hotel Options in Grand Junction:

If you would rather spend the night in a hotel in Grand Junction, we totally understand! Some hotel options that we would recommend are the Home2 Suites by Hilton Grand Junction Northwest and the Residence Inn by Marriott Grand Junction.

Denver to Moab Road Trip Day Two: Grand Junction to Moab

The next morning we woke up and packed up our things. We hopped in the car and drove around the monument. We stopped at several pull offs to take pictures and to take in the early morning scenery.

In addition, there are countless hikes that you can do in and around the area. However, we brought our pup, Clover, along with us (pets are not allowed on trails in National Parks, only on paved roads or parking lots and some designated campgrounds) so we just took in the scenery from our car or took turns walking around while the other waited with Clover.

Clover with red rock formations in the background.

Camping in Moab, Utah:

From there, we headed towards Moab. The drive from Grand Junction to Moab was incredible as you watched the greenery from Colorado turn into Utah’s red rock formations.

We were constantly in awe of how immaculate the scenery was around us. When we arrived in Moab, we made our way to our dispersed campsite.

On Dyrt the site is called the Sovereign Lands and you turn onto Dalton WI off of US Highway 191. Unfortunately, this site was not free either. You have to pay $15 at a kiosk, but again we thought the location and amount of sites was worth it.

The sites are about 20 minutes to downtown Moab and 15 minutes to Arches National Park and we wanted to limit our driving after the last day and a half.

For these sites we’d recommend a vehicle with at least a little bit of clearance as it is a dirt/sand road throughout the area. There are an incredible amount of sites to choose from.

We showed up on a Saturday afternoon of a holiday weekend and still had options to decide between, without even exploring all of the different roads you could go down.

We really loved the campsites here because all of the spots had rock made firepits and were very spread out.

We spent most of Saturday evening hanging around the campsite and taking in the infamous red rocks surrounding our favorite tent for desert camping.

Hotels in Moab:

If you would prefer to stay in a hotel in Moab we highly recommend that you check out the La Quinta Inn by Wyndham Moab.

Some of the red rock formations at Arches National Park.

Day Three: Visiting Arches National Park

On Sunday we woke up and headed to Arches National Park. It’s important to note that you need a timed entry ticket to get into Arches. You can book these tickets online ahead of time and you can pick what time works best for you. The timed entry gives you an hour of when you can enter.

Make sure that you show up right when your time starts because the line to get in can still be pretty lengthy! The park ranger’s will hand you a map of Arches which we found extremely helpful.

We loved that it pointed out some of the top spots to see, along with various restrooms and picnic areas. We spent several hours exploring and driving around Arches. These were some of the prettiest and most unique views either of us had ever seen.

Sam discovering different paths at Arches National Park.

One of the many arches at Arches National Park.

After we wrapped up our time at the national park, we headed back towards Grand Junction where we booked a hotel room. We had always heard such great things about the small town and we both were ready to have showers and go out to a restaurant to eat.

If you’re a fan of Guy Fieri and DDD like us, check out Feisty Pint for some good food and a beer or Il Bistro Italiano for something more upscale.

Day Four: Moab Back to Denver

On Monday we woke up and headed back towards Denver but we had an exciting stop planned! We stopped in Palisade, Colorado’s wine country, for some wine with lunch.

The town is so quaint and absolutely stunning with its rolling rows of vines and mountains off in the distance. It was a stunning and delicious stop, we can’t wait to plan another trip to Colorado’s wine country! Afterwards, we continued our drive back to Denver.

The vineyard rows in Palisade, Colorado.

Abby walking through the various vineyard rows.

Ultimately, it was a jam packed weekend full of endless things to do and see. We highly recommend anyone visiting Denver or living in the area to head to Moab for a weekend and experience the views and fun. Our road trip from Denver to Moab was truly incredible and we recommend it to anyone living in Colorado and would like a change of scenery!