Should you Encounter a Rainy Day in Moab Utah? Make the Most of It!

Rainy Days During a Moab Vacation? You should be so Lucky!

Hopefully, a rain coat or umbrella was included when packing for this vacation. Rain gear enables getting out and about anyway. If not local shops will have these items for purchase to equip forging ahead with plans outdoor. Need some ideas for that rare rainy day?

Rainy days

• Gravel Pits Bowling Alley - opens at 2 PM. Located at 1078 E Mill Creek Dr.
• Museums – Film Museum at Red Cliffs Lodge mile post 14 along Hwy 128, Museum of Moab on Center Street, Moab Giants at the corner of Hwy 191 and Hwy 313.
• Drive to find waterfalls along the River (Hwy 128) and Potash (Hwy 279) Roads.
• Early dinner at lunch prices. Opt for sandwiches to take on the trail for an evening hike, when rain is mid-day and clears. Eat your hot meal mid-day and be sheltered from rain.
• Wineries – Spanish Valley Vineyard and Castle Creek Winery provide tastings.
• SPA – Spa Moab (79 N Main St.), Bella Sol Spa (550 N Main St.), and Sorrel River Ranch & Spa (Milepost 16 Hwy 128)
• Catch up with free WIFI – Moab Information Center, Moab Library, Coffee Roasters, Red Rock Bakery, Moab Laundry Express (471 S. Main St. #6), The Blu Pig Restaurant, Eddie McStiff's Restaurant, Eklectica Café, Canyonlands Copy Center (375 S. Main St.), your hotel.
• Moab Aquatic Center – Open Swim essentially starts 1:30 PM daily. Has an indoor pool. Non-resident admission is $4 - $7 or family of six for $20, as of 2016.
• Canyon Country Discovery Center – Science, Technology, Enngineering and Marth interactive exhibits for children and adults. At 1117 N Main St. Monticello, a 1 hour 5 minute drive from Moab, 53 miles south on Hwy 191.

Where to go? What to do?

Staying inside could be just the relaxation needed on an otherwise hectic vacation schedule, but know staying inside is NOT required on a rainy day in Moab. Find a book at the Moab Information Center, Back of Beyond Books or a thrift store like Wabi Sabi on East 100 South or The Remnant Vintage Thrift at 350 N 500 West, if reading has appeal for a rainy day. Authors that have stories situated in and around Moab are Rich Curtain, Shannon Baker, Chinle Miller and, of course, Edward Abbey.

Driving in the rain compromises conditions, pedestrians may not be visible, roadways could be slippery, drive with caution. If hiking, stay out of canyons with steep walls. Those may be subject to flash flooding and have limited high ground to climb to be out of reach of a flash flood. Bring a means of containing those muddy shoes afterwards, if keeping the vehicle floors tidy is important. The Matheson Wetlands has a bridge over a creek to watch the water rush past. One trail is partial dirt and very muddy. Another has a partial boardwalk to a covered observation hut. Watch what creatures are doing in the rain or bring along a travel board game to play in the shelter. Or try the paved Mill Creek Pathway which winds through town from 100 West and 100 South out beyond 400 East.

Head over to the Gravel Pit Lanes for bowling, billards, foos ball, air hockey and the arcade. It opens 2 p.m. daily. Food and drink is available. Or after 1:30 the open swim starts at the Moab Aquatic Center (there is an indoor pool) for more rambunctious activity than the arcade.

In Arches National Park steer clear of Delicate Arch road on a rainy day. A wash often strands visitors by flooding across the pavement beyond the trail head parking lot. Use this webcam to see the Arches National Park entrance in real time. http://discovermoab.com/arches_national_park_webcam.htm

Catch an indoor break on the way in or out of Canyonlands at the Hwy 313 turn off from Hwy 191. The Moab Giants has a 3-D movie theater, 5D Aquarium theater, interactive Dinosaur Museum, gift shop and restaurant. When the weather lightens trod the path at least to Sevenmile Canyon Wash to walk among life size dinosaur replicas. Keep your distance away from the wash, if lucky, to watch it in flood. This is rare yet phenomenal.

The Film Museum is located in the main lodge of Red Cliffs Lodge, milepost 14 along Hwy 128. Watch for waterfalls during the drive to visit this museum. Out on a covered River Deck, a BBQ buffet lunch is served daily from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM. Or after lunch in town wander up to 118 E Center Street to enjoy exhibits about geology, paleontology, archaeology, pioneers, mining and specialty exhibits.

This webpage, http://discovermoab.com/climate.htm, helps with weather forecasts for the Moab region. Paying attention to the forecast will be most important as advance reservations are often essential for appointments. Still, call on the local Spas to even make a last minute appointment. Bella Sol Spa features Brazillian Waxing and Facials. Spa Moab provides that plus massage, acupuncture, special treatments for feet and men. Sorrel River Ranch & Spa offers body treatments, massage, herbal soaks, yoga and meditation.

Recently TripAdvisor displayed a little poll: what do you do at the trailhead on a raining day? The vote results were: 22% would wait it out in the car; 58% put on rain gear and went; 20% chose to go back to town. Above are possibilities to make an informed decision should it rain in Moab. There are choices. Being out and about there could be waterfalls, rainbows and phenomenal vistas.

www.discovermoab.com