The Moab desert hides lots of canyons carved deep into the sandstone. Something about these beautiful, narrow earthen corridors has enticed and challenged wilderness adventurers since the late 1800s.
With Moab Cliffs & Canyons, you too can explore these narrow twisting canyons and discover their secrets. Our canyoneering guided tours will take you to some narrow passages, weaving through giant dome-like rock features and riparian environments that create unexpected oases in the desert.
These fascinating outdoor adventures will have you hiking, down-climbing, rappelling, scrambling over rock passages and occasionally wading or swimming through water-filled potholes.
Canyoneering Adventures near Moab
As Moab’s oldest climbing and canyoneering guide service, we focus on helping our clients navigate the vast, extraordinary Utah desert landscape. Our Moab canyon trips are always scenic, memorable and deeply satisfying. They are perfect for groups, individuals or families looking for a fun and exciting way to spend a few hours or days.
We run ½ Day, ¾ Day, Full Day or Multi-Day guided trips through some of the most incredible water-curved landscapes on the planet. No canyoneering experience is necessary for most trips. Our professional guides will take care to plot routes that suit your fitness and ability levels while packing maximum punch for the amount of time you have. We will provide food, water and transportation from our office to the route and back again as well as all of the technical gear you’ll need for canyoneering, so you can relax and enjoy your trip.
During the trips, our knowledgeable guides will fill you in on the rich history and geology of the area as well as educate you on canyon safety, courtesy and ethics to make you a responsible canyoneer.
Guided Canyoneering Trip Options
These trips take place in different canyons depending on the type of trip, season and weather conditions.
- Half-day Canyoneering Trips – suitable for beginners and those looking for short trips, our ½ day guided tours last for approximately 4-5 hours in the morning or afternoon so you can make it back in time for meals. You can choose between exploring Ephedra’s Grotto and going for a bit of wading in the Chamisa Canyon.
- ¾ Day Canyoneering Trips – these run for 6-7 hours and require stamina plus a bit of rope work. Expect to combine hiking, rappels, scrambling and short wades as you select a trip to either Hypatia or Little Sinbad Canyons.
- Full Day Canyoneering Trips – these are ideal for those who don’t mind physical exertion and being outdoors for the better part of the day. The trip’s duration is roughly 8-10 hours filled with stemming, scrambling, hiking and multiple rappels as you navigate canyons in Cedar Mesa or the Hanksville/ North Wash areas.
- Multi-Day Canyoneering Trips – designed for those with a thirst for canyon exploration, our multi-day trips last 2-3 days and combine excursions to the Hanksville/ North Wash and Cedar Mesa areas.
Most Popular Canyoneering Trip Options
3/4 Day Trip – Granary Canyon
Our ¾ day canyoneering routes require physical exertion and stamina. These trips are a lot of fun for people who enjoy being active outside for a good part of the day, getting a full-body workout and pushing their own limits either physically or mentally.
Upper Granary Canyon is closed for Big Horn Sheep Lambing Season from April 1st through August 15th
It is here where the Cane Creek Anticline brushes up against the Kings Bottom Syncline to create a roiling sea of polished, ancient rock. Details of the geological processes at work are punctuated throughout the day (rock talk!) since the views beg to be discussed and interpreted.
This stunning view will be our steady backdrop as we negotiate the beautiful canyons and corridors of Granary Canyon. Named for the occasional ancient storage bins used by Moab’s early inhabitants, the Ancestral Puebloans (formerly known as the Anasazi). These small, well-hidden rock structures were the first prototypes of the building technique (using local mortar) that gave rise to the more famous cliff palaces located elsewhere in the Four Corners area.
One challenge of the canyon (and there will be many!) will be to locate the granaries, arches and the occasional natural bridge that this impressive canyon harbors.
Onto the other challenges! You’ll experience 4 miles of moderate hiking with an occasional short, easy section of down climbing – often attached to a rope for extra security.
Then there are the rappels! With a mix of easy and challenging rappels you’ll have the chance to try out some “advanced” rope techniques. The rappels drop you into some incredibly beautiful and unique formations – the work of water and gravity creating artworks of stone.
Trip Overview
- Duration: 6-7 hours
- Drive from Moab: 45 minutes
- Max guide-to-client ratio: 1:6
- Season: spring, fall
- Hiking length: 4 miles moderate off-trail hiking
- Technical: Many rappels of varying length, hiking, downclimbing, occasional water
1/2 Day Beginning Canyoneering Trip – Bow and Arrow – Spectacular Dry Canyon
Perfect for the beginner or the busy vacationer. Lasting approximately 4-5 hours, our 1/2 Day Trips can be scheduled in the morning or afternoon, are close to town and get you back by meal time.
Private or Chartered Guide
$45 / person added to your cost ensures that no one else will join your party, providing your group with more time for discussion and one-on-one instruction from our professional guides who specialize in the safest climbing/canyoneering techniques as well as the local natural history, geology, flora, and fauna.
Group discount of 10% available for eight or more.
Bow and Arrow starts with a visit to the ancient dwellers of the Colorado Plateau. Ancient petroglyphs panels, dinosaur tracks, and giant arch are just a few of the features you’ll encounter on your way to the high point of this fun and challenging loop. Suitable for kids over 8 years old this canyon has a gentle uphill approach for the first mile before we surmount the last short steep pinch where our canyons’ majesty is abruptly revealed below us. With 4 rappels up to 110’ you’ll get a nice amount of rope experience to enable you to be a credible canyoneer & able to move up to some of our other more challenging canyons. Total hiking length is near 2 miles.
Trip Overview
- Duration: 4 – 5 hours
- Drive from Moab: 10 minutes
- Max. guide to client ratio: 1:7
- Season: all year, weather permitting
- Technical: 2 miles hiking, 4 rappels
For more information about guided canyoneering tours near Moab, contact Moab Cliffs & Canyons today.
