This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my links—at no extra cost to you. I only recommend gear we genuinely use and love as an outdoor family. Thank you for supporting Hearth & Wander and helping me continue creating resources for wonder-filled childhood adventures.

Why Moab Is the Perfect National Park Trip with Toddlers

If you’re looking for the best national park trip with little kids, Moab, Utah checks every box. With easy scenic drives, short kid-friendly hikes, epic views right from parking lots, and multiple parks within 30 minutes of town, it’s an ideal destination for families with toddlers and babies.

Moab is a very popular, family-friendly travel destination in the high desert, just over 4,000 feet in elevation, meaning:

• Summers are hot and extremely busy

• Winters are cold and significantly less busy

• The "off season" in winter, early spring, or late fall is perfection

We visited in mid-February and had 60-degree days, cool nights, and almost no crowds.

Before You Go: America the Beautiful Pass + Junior Ranger Tips

Get the America the Beautiful Pass

If you plan to visit more than one national park in a year, the America the Beautiful Pass is absolutely worth it. It covers entrance to thousands of federal lands for one year from the time of purchase, so if you don't yet have one, purchase it at the national park you plan to visit. It's just $80 per year for a family to receive access to over 2000 national parks, state parks, and other public lands.

Pro tip: Families with a 4th grader qualify for a free annual pass through the Every Kid Outdoors program. A full year of homeschooling in national parks, anyone?

Start Every Park Visit at the Visitor Center

This is key when visiting Arches, Canyonlands, or almost any national park with kids:

• Pick up the Junior Ranger book

• Stamp your National Park passport

• Ask rangers about family-friendly hikes

• Use their “1 hour / half day / full day” planning guides

Our almost 3-year-old earning her first two Junior Ranger badges was a highlight of the trip. And she put her ultra-cute, super functional toddler hiking boots to WORK.

Day 1: Best First-Day Plan for Arches National Park with Kids

Picnic at Arches Visitor Center

We packed a charcuterie lunch and picnicked outside the Visitor Center - already surrounded by stunning red rock formations. Perfect low-pressure way to start your visit. Use the time to plan your adventures.

La Sal Mountain Viewpoint (Best Scenic Overlook in Arches)

In February, the La Sal Mountains are snow-capped behind the red rock desert - one of the most stunning contrasts. An easy scenic drive stop that requires no hiking. Also a great spot for your picnic.

Balanced Rock Loop Trail (Easy Walk for Toddlers)

• Short loop trail

• Great leg-stretcher

• Stroller friendly

• Easy win with little kids

Balanced Rock is one of the most accessible and iconic features in Arches National Park. Make sure to add this stop to your travels.

The Windows Section: Best Kid-Friendly Area in Arches

If you only have half a day in Arches with kids, go to the Windows section.

We explored:

• North Window

• South Window

• The Primitive Trail

• Double Arch

  
  

The primitive trail connecting the Windows back to the parking is pure magic. We felt like outlaws traversing the wild west. It's sandy (fun for your toddler to explore), less crowded, completely doable with kids, and so completely magical. While some popular national park trails feel like you're in line for an amusement park ride, this little side trail felt like being truly emersed in the desert.

We encountered almost no one - one of the perks of visiting Arches in the off season.

Where to Stay in Moab with Kids

Moab offers everything from hotels to camping to glamping.

Family-Friendly Hotels in Moab

• Fairfield Inn & Suites (amazing outdoor pool)

• Homewood Suites (family suites with kitchens for making meals)

• Aarchway Inn (great budget option with outdoor space including a firepit and playground)

  
  

Camping & Unique Stays

• Moab KOA (RV, tent sites, cabins, family-friendly amenities)

• Devils Garden Campground (inside Arches)

• Moab Springs Ranch (adorable cabins)

• Under Canvas Moab (glamping experience)

• BLM campgrounds outside the parks

  
  

In winter or early spring, nighttime temps can be too cold for camping with toddlers, so we opted for a hotel. We picked an option with outdoor space for playing and have a campfire, so we could continue to enjoy the desert even in the evenings.

Day 2: Delicate Arch + Devils Garden with Toddlers

Hiking Delicate Arch with Kids (Is It Really That Hard?)

Distance: 3 miles round trip

Guidebooks label it “difficult”

Reality: The trail was filled with families

We carried our 1-year-old in a hiking backpack. Our almost 3-year-old hiked a good chunk of it herself with a little bribery "pink ice cream" (no judgement, we all do it) and was in good company of other tots and kids making the trek. The first half features a huge face of "slickrock," which is actually very easy to walk unless its wet. The second half near the end has been cut out of cliff so there is exposure to heights but it's a wide, easy trail.

What Makes This Trail Great for Families

• Historic Wolfe Ranch cabin near the parking lot (Cool to see where 2 kids lived with 4 adults in a cabin less than 300 square feet. Remind your kids how good they have it!)

• Ute Indian petroglyph wall just 0.3 miles in

• Steady include

• Jaw-dropping final approach

The second half of the hike is even more beautiful than the first. You're going to love this hike as a family!

Picnic NEAR Devils Garden (Best Lunch Spot in Arches)

The picnic area just before the Devils Garden Campground after the loop splits has:

• Dozens of tables

• Shade from trees

• Charcoal grills

• Open space for kids

• Bathrooms (but no water)

We brought a camp grill and made a warm lunch - ideal for a cool February day. Bring your own camp grill, single burner stove, or supplies for a charcoal grill for the perfect stop to fuel your outdoor-loving family.

Landscape Arch Trail (Stroller-Friendly Option in Arches)

Landscape Arch is one of the most family-friendly hikes in Arches National Park.

• Easy, mostly flat trail

• Stroller-friendly until the final 0.1 mile

• One small staircase near the end

  
  

Add it to your itinerary to see this iconic sight. But the real adventure begins beyond it.

Devils Garden Primitive Trail with Kids

From Landscape Arch viewpoint, we took the primitive trail, which would be counter-clockwise if you're looking at the map.

Highlights:

• Slickrock fin climb

• Partition Arch

• Navajo Arch (our favorite)

Some sections require scrambling and teamwork. With two adults, passing littles up and down slickrock sections is completely manageable. With preparation, we believe even the full 7+ mile Devils Garden loop is possible with adventurous families. Put it on your bucket list!

Where to Eat in Moab with Kids

After a full hiking day, Moab has plenty of fun restaurant options:

• The Spoke

• Zax

• Spitfire BBQ

• Sunset Grill

• Cactus Jacks

There is also a full grocery store and general store in Moab for everything you need on your adventures and to keep your family fueled. Make sure to pack plenty of snacks!

Day 3: Canyonlands National Park with Kids (Island in the Sky District)

Canyonlands is massive and far less crowded than many western parks. We explored the Island in the Sky district - just 30 minutes from Moab.

Mesa Arch (Short & Iconic)

Short loop hike. Do it first and take the trail counter-clockwise to view interpretive signs about desert plants (great Junior Ranger tie-in) first before you travel the rest of the trail and park so you know what you're looking at. Although this arch is iconic at sunrise, it's beautiful (and more quiet) any time of time.

Grand View Point Trail (Best Easy Rim Hike in Canyonlands)

• 2 miles round trip

• Stunning canyon views

• No railings (but trail stays comfortably set back)

You can see White Rim Road below - an epic future 4x4 adventure for another trip to Canyonlands.

Aztec Butte Trail (ANCIENT STRUCTURES + Slickrock Climb)

Aztec Butte has two spurs.

Left spur:

• Easier

• Leads to a Native American granary

Right spur:

• Short but steep slickrock climb

• Requires real scrambling

• Ends with mesa-top views and historic dwelling

  
  

Rugged and unforgettable. This actually felt like one of the more challenging hikes we did, despite its shorter length, but it was definitely worth the climb...even with about 50 pounds of backpack, kiddo, and snacks on my back. (Even the 1 year old was loving this part of his ride!)

Neck Viewpoint

Quick stop, massive scale. A great viewpoint for seeing the height and depth of this stunning scenery. A must-see before leaving the park.

Other Family-Friendly Stops in Canyonlands

Add these to your list if you have more time:

• Whale Rock

• Green River Overlook

• Upheaval Dome

• White Rim Road (4x4)

• The Maze district off-roading

• Rivers district rafting adventures

  
  

Canyonlands rivals the Grand Canyon - without the crowds.

Day 4: Flexible Plans When Traveling with Toddlers

We considered:

• Driving 1.5–2 hours to the Needles district

• Doing a short 2-mile hike outside the parks

But after nearly 15 miles in 2.5 days, our littles were done. And that’s okay.

When traveling with kids:

• Make a plan

• Stay flexible

• Leave room for next time

So instead, we had a slow morning, finished our daughter's Jr Ranger badge at Arches, then hit the road for home with a stop from DQ blizzards to congratulate ourselves for all the miles trekked.

Junior Ranger Programs (Don’t Skip This)

This was our first time completing the Jr Ranger programs in a national park. Our daughter is almost 3 and it was the perfect introductory age. She was so engaged with her book and doing various activities to complete it and it was the perfect springboard of ideas to know what to do with our toddler in a national park. We brought the book and some crayons along on each hike, stopping at some point throughout each adventure to complete a page or two. It was the perfect bonus activity and even the adults found it fun!

We returned to the Visitor Center at both Arches and Canyonlands before closing so our daughter could earn her official Junior Ranger badge.

Our chatty toddler proudly explained what she had learned (mixing up Arches and Canyonlands a little) and showed the park rangers (who went ga-ga over her cause she's so dang cute and tiny) how she had drawn pictures of rock formations, learned about wildlife and plants, taken iconic hikes, learned about local history, and built a connection to the land she explored.

One ranger even had her stand like an arch and pinky promise to continue exploring, loving, and protect wild lands and national parks as an official Jr Ranger. Now she even has the iconic wooden badges to prove it.

Core memory unlocked.

Exploring Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in February (Why Off-Season Is Ideal)

Pros:

• 60-degree hiking weather

• Almost no crowds

• Empty parking lots

• Affordable accommodations

• Quiet trails

Cons:

• Cold nights

• Limited campground comfort

• Some weather unpredictability

  
  

If you can travel off-season, Moab in winter or early spring is incredible for families. Just make sure to pack plenty of layers! We loved this cozy fleece from Amazon for both of our kiddos.

Final Thoughts: Is Moab Worth It with Little Kids?

Absolutely.

Moab offers:

• Short hikes with big payoffs

• Scenic drives

• Epic red rock landscapes

• Easy access between parks

• Easy access to multiple national parks

• Junior Ranger programs

• Adventure scaled to your comfort level

Whether you stay 4 days or longer, exploring Arches and Canyonlands national parks is the perfect family-friendly adventure. You don’t have to see everything in one trip, but you can accomplish a lot of stunning hikes, iconic features, and amazing family memories in a short amount of time. Plan to come back often if you can and keep a running family bucket list of things you'd like to do next time or do again on a return trip. Check out my Planning Mini Adventures blog post to plan these short and sweet trips so you can keep exploring again and again, not just once a year.

But no matter where you wander, add Moab, UTAH to your list. Your outdoor loving family is going to love this place just like ours did!

Red rocks. Blue skies. Snow-capped peaks in the distance. And two little hikers who now know they can climb big things.