Moab/Salt Lake City Utah tips/airfare help?

[bgenew1]

We (2 adults) want to travel in May of next year. Current plan is 3 nights in Moab and 2 nights in Salt Lake. Prefer to fly out of Greenville SC vs Atlanta. Southwest fares open next week but have never flown with them. Does anyone have any tips that can help me plan? Is it too early to book airfare?

 

[eagleone1983]

IMO Southwest sucks. Not cause there is much wrong with them I just don't like the idea of unassigned seats. I would check Delta in a month or so they recently reported they we're going to be reducing their fares.

Utah's great in May, we should still have snow on the peaks of the Wasatch Front.

 

[bgenew1]

Thanks for the reply. I don't like the idea of unassigned seats either.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

I've never had a problem with the SW seating, even with 4 of us, and even when we didn't get online right at 24 hours out to check in.

I would go in the later part of May if possible, we were caught in a bad snowstorm a few years ago in mid-May headed South from SLC to Zion NP.

Stop at Goblin Valley State Park on the drive from SLC to Moab. It's a little bit out of the way, but well worth it. What are you planning to do in SLC and Moab? I would consider 1 less night in SLC and drive from Moab on hwy 24 to see Capitol Reef NP on your way back to SLC. In that case you can stop at Goblin Valley on the way.

 

[bgenew1]

We are planning the week of May 22-27. Fly into SLC and drive to Moab. Going to Arches Park and surrounding area. Driving back to SLC on the 25th to see the city and be close to the airport to fly home on the 27th.

I wrote down your suggestions and check into them. This will be our first time in this part of the county and want to make the most of it. Is flying into SLC the best route or should we fly in somewhere else and drive to Moab and just explore the southern part of the state?

 

[5forMickey]

Just an FYI --- Moab is incredibly busy that time of year and if you are planning on staying in any of the Hotels/Lodging you might want to start booking now. Many of them fill up a year in advance.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Yes, SLC is your best bet to fly in and out for visiting Moab. I'm not sure what you want to see in SLC, but in my opinion the other areas of the state are much more scenic than anything in the city. We did try to see Little Cottonwood Canyon near SLC one day, but it was snowing and the trail heads were not well marked. And we spent 1 afternoon seeing the Utah Museum of Natural Science, which was amazing, but would not be my choice with only 5 days.

I would do :
Day 1 - fly SLC, drive to Moab (approx. 3hr. 45min), on the way into Moab stop and see Dead Horse State Park, night 1 in Moab.
Day 2 - Arches NP - you can spend all day here easily. Bring in a lunch because they don't have concessions. If you didn't see Dead Horse State Park, you could go in after Arches, night 2 in Moab.
Day 3 - Maybe drive south to see Needles Overlook, Wilson Arch, and/or go east and see Fisher Towers. You can drive into Canyonlands, but you can't really get to the good hiking trails without an off-road vehicle. Alternately you could try and arrange a single day jeep trip where they will drive you into the area. Night 3 in Moab.
Day 4 - Drive from Moab to Torrey, seeing Goblin Valley State Park and Canyonlands National Park, night 4 in Torrey.
Day 5 - Drive from Torrey to SLC (3 hours) and spend the afternoon in SLC seeing what you want. Night 5 in SLC.
Day 6 - flight home.

If you can swing 1 more day, I would keep the initial Day 1-4 the same, but then:
Day 5 - Drive from Torrey to Bryce via highway 12 through Boulder, seeing Calf Creek Falls and Bryce Canyon NP. Highway 12 is incredible scenery. Night 5 in Bryce.
Day 6 - Drive from Bryce to SLC (4 hours).
Day 7 - flight home.

I agree with the advice to book early as that is a popular time of year.

 

[5forMickey]

Not to be disagreeable, but I would plan on a 5 hour drive from SLC to Moab.....it's 2 1/2 hours from SLC to Price on a perfect travel day, and 2 1/2 from Price to Moab.

Alternately you could try and arrange a single day jeep trip

Definitely do this! You can even just do a 2 hour rock climbing jeep adventure that is wonderful!!!

 

[5forMickey]

Also, I agree that flying into SLC is probably your best bet. The other alternative if you are looking for one though, is you can fly into Denver and take a small plane and fly directly into Moab. Not sure about prices (I'm not a flyer but my son came home from Navy boot camp this route (not by my choice they don't really care what Mom thinks)) and the plane coming from Denver is really small, it seems like it held maybe 12 people but that would get you right into Moab and you could avoid the Northern part of the State that way.

 

[bgenew1]

What great information! Thank you! I have already booked in Moab at the Aarchway Inn and the Inn on the Hill Bed and Breakfast in SLC.

Has anyone done the jet boat tours in Moab?

 

[quinnc19]

You can also use Grand Junction airport in Colorado - that's what ABD does (although I rented a car so I could drive through the Rockies to Denver, which was awesome). I got a super cheap fare from there to ATL. We did a jet boat with ABD that was really fun but I don't know the name of the company. It was right in Moab, though.

 

[bgenew1]

Booked our flights! Flying out of Raleigh NC on Delta with nonstop flights for just under $600 for both of us! We will avoid the craziness of Atlanta traffic and airport and save money.