Everything about Moab is absolutely epic. Epic landscapes, adventure activities, and the heat! Here are 9 essential tips for managing the heat and experiencing the best of Moab in the summer.
With landscapes straight out of an old-fashioned wild west movie, Moab is a bright red desert paradise!
Located in the state of Utah, Moab is one of the coolest destinations I’ve ever visited in the United States. Moab is truly a hub for adventure travel, with a multitude of adventurous activities and gorgeous landscapes that are bound to leave you in love with the American Southwest.
Moab contains not one, but TWO national parks. It also has one equally impressive state park and a well-established tourism industry that makes travel here easy and super fun. This city really is the whole package!
River rafting, bucket list worthy hikes, world class rock climbing, jeep tours, Moab really has something for every kind of adventure traveller.
If you are planning to visit Moab in the summer months of June – September, I have some good and not so good news for you. The good news is that Moab offers some pretty amazing experiences in the summer and this is when the landscape is at its prime. However, the heat can be a serious obstacle that you’ll need to be prepared for.
The summer months in Moab average daily temperatures of 98 degrees Fahrenheit, or 36 degrees Celsius. And thats just the AVERAGE. Temperatures are known to often reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit at times. When I visited Moab in 2018, we experienced these higher temperatures every single day. The average temperature lows overnight do not drop very drastically at all and remain at about 86 degrees.
I know what you’re thinking. That’s some crazy heat. But do not be discouraged! With the proper steps in place, you can successfully manage the heat and still have an amazing experience in Moab.
From itinerary advice to simple ways to escape the heat, here is a full guide on all the tips you should know for visiting Moab in the summer.
The Ultimate Summer Guide to Beating the Heat in Moab: 9 Essential Tips
1. Start Early to Escape Moab’s Peak Summer Heat
As the temperatures climb throughout the day, you’ll want to get out early to avoid the peak of Moab’s crazy heat. With temperatures reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (or around 40 degrees Celsius), it can become a serious challenge to simply be outside for prolonged periods of time.
This especially applies if you are hiking. Hiking in these kinds of temperatures can not only be uncomfortable, but potentially dangerous to your health.
Getting out to start your daily activities around 6 or 7 am is ideal. This will give you plenty of time to enjoy the jaw-dropping outdoor scenery before the heat becomes too unbearable. Try to avoid hiking at all in the mid day to early afternoon, unless it is a short and not very strenuous hike.
The other added benefit to getting out so early is beating the crowds. The earlier you access the hiking spots, the more you will have it to yourself. Who doesn’t love that?
2. Take Advantage of the Evening Temperatures
Similar to getting an early start, exploring Moab in the evening can be a great way to escape the heat. As the sun starts to set and the temperatures drop, this is also a good time to get in some of the outdoor activities you planned.
Moab is pretty famous for it’s spectacular sunsets and breathtaking night skies. Picture the glowing golden hour colours of a setting sun spread out over a bright red and orange desert landscape. It sounds gorgeous right? It totally is! This is a great way to get outside and enjoy the beauty of Moab, while escaping the heat.
3. Don’t Overbook Your Days
Overbooking your days when the temperatures are high can suck for multiple reasons. When creating your summer Moab itinerary, you need to keep in mind that the temperatures will inhibit your ability to enjoy as many activities in a single day as you might be used to. For example, when I visited Moab in 2018, I originally planned to do at least a couple different hikes pushing around 5 km each in a day. While under normal conditions I could have done this no problem, Moab’s summer heat literally made this unbearable. I struggled just to make it through the first 5 km hike.
In addition, if you are going to be avoiding any strenuous activities in the middle of the day, you simply won’t have as much time to get a ton of adventures done in a single day.
I would budget only 1 hike a day, unless they are super short.
4. Book Your Accommodation with Hot Summer Nights in Mind
Often with desert environments, the daily temperatures will soar and the nightly temperatures will drop down a significant amount at night. While this can be the case in Moab’s other seasons, summer nights in Moab unfortunately still average about 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are planning to spend most of your days outdoors, you may want to consider choosing accommodation with air conditioning to get some relief from the heat. When I visited Moab, I planned to camp for the entire 4 days of my trip. However, after one sleepless and sweaty night following a day of heat stroke, I decided to upgrade to an air conditioned cabin to escape the heat.
I would highly recommend booking accommodation with air conditioning if your budget allows.
5. If You Are Camping, Look for Heat-Relieving Amenities
If you are pretty intent on camping or need to based on your budget, there are still ways to make camping more doable in the summer.
Try to find campgrounds that offer amenities to make your stay more comfortable in the heat. For example, there are some campgrounds in Moab that have swimming pools for their visitors. Even having amenities like showers, where you can take a cold shower to relieve some of the heat can make a big difference.
6. Plan for Activities that Beat the Heat
There are a huge list of activities in Moab that are amazing for getting out of the heat while still enjoying all that Moab has to offer. Breaking up the amount of time you are exposed to the heat with these activities can be safer and make your trip way more enjoyable overall.
A great activity that I did in Moab to get out of the heat was river rafting, offered by the Moab Adventure Center. Floating down the river with stunning red cliffs all around us was both an exciting experience and a great way to cool down and feel refreshed.
Aside from providing a great opportunity to escape the heat, the rafting tour was super fun! The tour guides played games with us in the boat and we had competitions with other groups. The entire experience was super enjoyable and a great adventure.
Read more about the best activities to escape the summer heat in Moab.
Related Post: 7 Ultimate Activities to Beat the Heat in Moab this Summer
Book Your Adventure | https://www.moabadventurecenter.com/
7. Be Pro-Active to Avoid Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is a real and serious risk when visiting Moab in the summer months. It is very important to be proactive to mitigate these risks and protect your health. Plus nothing sucks more than being sick on an adventure trip!
You can do this by:
- Drinking a ton of water – the visitors centre at Arches National Park has a station to fill your water for free
- Taking frequent breaks when hiking and partaking in other strenuous outdoor activities
- Taking time to cool down each day – find a swimming pool, buy freezies or get some ice cream
I suffered from some pretty bad heat stroke on my first full day in Moab. This was because I was not taking these steps seriously. I did not drink nearly enough water, I was pushing myself too hard physically, and I was hiking around mid-day. Don’t make the mistakes I did and miss out on all the fun Moab has to offer.
8. Wear the Proper Clothing
Hot temperatures do not always equate to simply wearing less clothing. When the heat and UV rays get particularly high, there are specific articles of clothing you can wear to protect yourself against the heat.
I found it super helpful to wear loose fitting, thin material clothing that covered most of my skin.
Wearing big hats with a brim that covers your face are important to bring and wear as well. Ones that have the brim around the entire hat and cover the back of your neck are even more ideal.
I’m a big fan of Tilley hats. These hats are great for both men and women and provide excellent sun protection with great air flow as well for those hotter temperatures. They also sport badass adventurer vibes!
In addition to proper clothing and hats, sunglasses are another must when visiting bright red desert landscapes.
9. Sunscreen Sunscreen Sunscreen!
I feel like a nagging mother reminding you to wear sunscreen when you go outside. However, it needs to be said.
If you are the type who can usually bypass the sunscreen and be fine, this is likely not going to be one of those times.
The summer heat and UV rays are intense. It won’t take much to get totally fried to a crisp in the burning Moab sun. It would absolutely suck if this happened on the first day of your trip, leaving you sore and overheated for the rest of your time there. So do yourself a favour and wear some sunscreen.
Final Thoughts on How to Mitigate the Heat in Moab This Summer
Moab is an amazing destination filled with activities to please every type of adventure traveller! From stunning national parks to fun water activities, Moab has it all. Unfortunately, this also includes some epic heat.
With the right steps and proper preparation, Moab can be an amazing summer destination. Follow these 9 tips I have laid out for you and you will be a ton more prepared to face the heat and come out of your trip with nothing short of amazing memories.
If you have anything to add, I’d love for you to comment your thoughts down below.
Happy adventuring!
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