Moab Area Chamber of Commerce | What to See and Do in Moab

Community of Moab
The Moab area lies in the heart of the Colorado Plateau, which, because of its pristine environment and magnificent scenery, has long been thought a national treasure. The area is a geological wonder.

Moab, the only Utah community located on the Colorado River, is nestled in a valley with scenic red rock cliffs on both sides. Moab is surrounded by an extremely rugged and beautiful desert terrain. The La Sal Mountains, just 18 miles to the east, reach elevations of over 12,000 feet. Mt. Peale, at nearly 13,000 feet, is the third-highest peak in Utah. Meadows, lakes and streams abound in the pine, spruce, fir and aspen forests. The lush mountain valleys and alpine beauty provide striking contrast to the panoramic view of the deserts and canyons below. This varied topography offers excellent and practically unlimited recreational opportunities throughout the year.

Some folks are discovering that a recreation destination can also make a wonderful site for business and industry. Today's high-tech communications have made it possible for literally hundreds of companies to operate in this refreshing country environment. Moab's unique setting is guaranteed to foster creative inspiration and intellectual productivity.

The community of Moab offers a wholesome way of life with very little crime and plenty of activities for all ages, especially if you enjoy the outdoors. We are very fortunate to be surrounded by such an abundance of beauty.

Moab's trend toward arts and culture, coupled with the magnificent scenery and recreational opportunities, creates an irresistible atmosphere for retirement.

Should you decide to move to Moab, you will be WELCOME! For Additional Relocation Information & Tourist Information, please click on our Community Guide PDF File on our Home Page.

Activities
The Moab community offers over 30 motels, numerous camping areas, many bed and breakfast establishments, and apartment type lodging. There are also over 40 restaurants, camping supplies, sport outfitters, tour guides, and plenty of gift shopping available.

Arts and Entertainment
The beauty and tranquility of the area inspire creativity and the area is home to artists of all kinds. Visitors and residents alike enjoy theater productions, a variety of galleries, concerts, and arts and music festivals. Other events include vintage car shows, rodeos and horse events, volleyball and fast pitch softball tournaments, marathons, parades, archery and shooting meets, mountain bike races, the Annual Fat Tire Mountain Bike Festival, and the Annual East Jeep Safari and the annual Classic Car Show. Moab has a spectacular 18-hole golf course as well as tennis courts, bowling, a movie theater, and a water park, amusement center.

Calendar of Events - Moab

Churches
Assembly of God - 1202 S. Boulder Ave., 259-7747
Church of Christ - 456 Emma Blvd., 259-6690
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
Moab Stake 701 Locust Lane, 259-7491
1st & 2nd Wards - 475 West 400 North, 259-5566
3rd, 4th & 5th Wards - 701 Locust Lane, 259-5567
Community Church - 544 MiVida Drive, 259-7319
First Baptist Church SBC - 420 MiVida Drive, 259-7310
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church - 360 West 400 North, 259-5017
Jehovah's Witnesses - 25 West Dogwood, 259-8166
Moab Baptist Church - 356 West Kane Creek Blvd., 259-8481
River of Life Christian Fellowship - 2651 East Arroyo, 259-8308
Seventh-Day Adventist - 4581 S. Spanish Valley Dr., 259-5545
St. Francis Episcopal Church - 250 Kane Creek Blvd., 259-5831
St. Pius X Catholic Church - 122 West 400 North, 259-5211

City Parks
There are a number of public parks in and around Moab. Some of the parks may be reserved for special events. Contact the Moab Public Works Department at 435-259-7485 for information on reserving a park.

Chamber of Commerce Picnic Area 805 N. Main St.

BMX and Skate Park, is located off 500 West includes a series of ramps and jumps for expert bikers.

Bullick Crosscreeks Park, accessed off of 200 South, is over eight acres of park consisting of a natural wetlands area at the confluence of Mill Creek and Pack Creek.

Lions Park, located at Highway 191 & Highway 128, on the south side of the Colorado River, has picnic areas, historic site markers, a bike and pedestrian paths extending north to Arches and south into Moab.

Mill Creek Parkway follows over two miles of paved path along Mill Creek from Rotary Park, through town and almost to the Matheson Wetlands Preserve, allowing access to residential areas, schools parks, and downtown businesses.

Old City Park, located south of town on Old City Park Rd. between Murphy Dr. and Spanish Valley Dr., is a 21 acre park with open green, a duck pond, a covered gazebo, trees, boulders, picnic tables, horseshoe and barbeque pits.

Rotary Park, 680 Millcreek Drive, is a shady 3 acre glen with picnic tables, shelters, grills and a children's playground. Uniquely featuring gigantic xylophones and other musical toys, the park acts interactively with its visitors. The gazebo is perfect for events and the tree deck offers a new twist on the old tree house jungle gym.

Swanny City Park, located at 181 West 400 North, is a 7 acre park with a large playground, Moab Swim Center (181 West 400 North, 259-8226), a BMX & Skate Park, covered picnic tables and gazebo, green grass and old Shade Trees. The park is named after resident Swanny Kirby, who originally owned the land which used to be a rodeo and fair grounds.

Climate
Because of its moderate climate, Moab has become a popular year-round playground. Moab has a short, mild winter and a long, moderate spring. Spring and fall are the most pleasant times of the year.

Average Annual Temperatures: Highs and Lows
January 39°F 18°F
April 79°F 41°F
July 99°F 64°F
October 74°F 41°F
Average Annual Precipitation: 9.09 inches

Clubs and Organizations
A list of community clubs and organizations is included in the free edition of Moab Happenings (435-259-8431) each month; and a weekly calendar of meetings and events is published by The Times-Independent (435-259-7525), Moab's newspaper since 1896. The list of clubs and organizations is also available from the Chamber of Commerce.

Community Centers

Grand Center - 182 N. 500 West - 435-259-6623 - The new Grand Center is a bright, beautiful facility representing the culmination of community and government efforts. It features a cafeteria, a big dining area, a large conference room, the main recreation room, a sewing area, a computer area, and an exercise room. The Grand Center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 to 4:00 and serves lunch every day except Thursday. Many social activities are offered, and the facility is available for rent. Several programs operate from the Center such as Meals On Wheels, shuttle transport services and the Active Re-Entry Program.

Moab Arts & Recreation Center - 111 E. 100 North - 435-259-6272
The MARC is dedicated to providing a wide range of programs by offering artistic, educational, cultural and recreational programs and events. Special events include Art Walk functions, concerts, dances, plays, and lectures. Regular programs and classes include yoga, music and art lessons. The MARC is a great environment for community and private gatherings, offering room rentals and booking of the entire facility.

Teen Center - 203 E. Center Street - 435-259-9991
teencenter@moab-city.org
The Moab Teen Center programs are designed to serve youth ages 12-18 in Grand County by providing educational programs and recreational activities both after school and during the summer. The Teen Center's goal is to provide a safe space where teens can study, socialize, learn new skills, get involved with their community, and have fun. Drop-in programming is offered on a daily basis. Special events and exploratory field trips are planned throughout the year. Trained, motivated staff members and volunteers facilitate programs and offer a wide range of skills and experiences to participants.

Elevation
City of Moab 4,025 ft. above sea level

Getting to Moab
Access Highways: U.S. I-70; U.S. Highway 191, Utah Scenic Byway 128

Bus Service from Green River - Greyhound, 800-231-2222, 525 E. Main Street, Green River

Railroad: AMTRAK (from Green River depot) 800-872-7245, 250 S. Broadway, Green River

Air: Great Lakes Airlines (1-800-554-5111 or 307-433-2899) offers daily scheduled service from the Moab Canyonlands Airport (located 16 miles from downtown Moab) to Denver, Colorado. Thrifty Car Rental (435-259-7317; 800-THRIFTY) provides service from the Moab Canyonlands Airport.

Additional passenger and air freight service is offered at the airport, Walker Field, located in Grand Junction, Colorado, 120 miles northeast of Moab. The airport has several major airlines and commuter services, including Skywest Airlines (Delta interconnect), United Express, and America West Airlines

Air Charter Service: Redtail Aviation - 800-872-7245
Scheduled Shuttle Service to and from Moab:
American Spirit Shuttle - 888-226-5031
Big Horn Express - 888-655-7433- Serves Green River, Monticello, Price and Salt Lake City.

Miles to Moab

Utah		Out of State
Castle Valley	22	Grand Junction CO	110
La Sal	31	Telluride CO	130
Monticello	54	Aspen CO	240
Thompson	29	Denver CO	350
Green River	50	Durango CO	160
Price	115	Flagstaff AZ	215
Salt Lake City	230	Page AZ	263
St. George	340	Phoenix AZ	470
		Santa Fe NM	400
		Las Vegas NV	450
		Los Angeles CA	725
		New York City NY	2100

County Library
257 East Center Street
Moab UT 84532
435-259-1111, Fax: 259-1380

Castle Valley Branch
Castle Valley Community Center
435-259-9998

Quick Phone Guide
Unless otherwise noted, all telephone area codes are 435

Emergency Numbers
Police, Fire, Ambulance Emergency 911
Allen Memorial Hospital 259-7191
Animal Control 259-8938
Fire Department 259-5557
Grand County Sheriff/Search & Rescue 259-8115
Highway Patrol 259-5441
Moab Police Department 259-8938
Poison Control 800-456-7707
Seekhaven Family Crisis Center 259-2229

Media
Ad-Vertiser (weekly shopper) 259-8165
Canyon Country Zephyr (bi-mo. alternative newspaper) 259-7773
KCYN 97.1 FM (country radio station) 259-1035
KZMU 90.1, 106.7 FM (Moab community radio) 259-8824
Moab Happenings (monthly visitor info. newspaper) 259-8431
Moab Broadcasting Company (local television) 259-0006
Times-Independent (weekly newspaper) 259-7525

Utilities
Bob's Sanitation (garbage) 259-6314
Frontier(new telephoneservice) 800-921-8101
Frontier(telephone) 259-5157
City of Moab (city water, sewer, garbage payments) 259-5123
Grand Water & Sewer Service Agency 259-8121
Precis Communications (cable television) 800-924-7662
Questar Gas 259-7137
Utah Power 259-5943
Motor Vehicle Information
Driver's License Division 259-3740
Motor Vehicle Division 800-368-8824
Statewide Road Conditions - (Inside Utah 5-1-1) 866-511-8824

Other
City of Moab Offices 259-5121
Grand County Clerk 259-1321
Grand County Housing Authority 259-5891
Grand County Library 259-5421
Recycling Center 259-8640
Grand Center 259-6623
Social Security Administration 800-772-1213
Southeastern Utah Health Department 259-5602
Swimming Pool 259-8226
Workforce Services (Job Service) 719-2600

Recreation
Whether it is biking, hiking, exploring, river running, canoeing, 4-wheeling, cross-country skiing, camping, horseback riding, golfing, or one of many other opportunities you are interested in, you will find it in Moab.

Click here for companies that provide recreational adventures & services.

For a free full-color brochure on all that Moab has to offer, call the Moab Area Travel Council at 435-259-1370 or 800-635-6622.

National Park Visitation: Having two national parks easy driving distance from Moab provides visitors outstanding recreational opportunities. The number of visitors to Arches National Park (4 miles from downtown Moab) from January through October, 2006 was 791,412, up 6.3% during the same period for 2005. The number of visitors to Canyonlands National Park from January through October, 2006 was 373,397, down .6% during the same period for 2005.

Moab is a wonderful base from which to explore other nearby recreational areas.

Mileages to Recreation Areas

Colorado River	2
Arches National Park - UT	4
Dead Horse Point State Park - UT	33
Canyonlands Nat'l Park (Islands in the Sky District) - UT	45
Canyonlands Nat'l Park (Needles District) - UT	68
La Sal National Forest - UT	18
Bryce Canyon National Park - UT	275
Capitol Reef National Park - UT	145
Goblin Valley National Monument - UT	82
Lake Powell (Hite Marina) - UT	162
Natural Bridges National Monument - UT	70
Zion National Park - UT	289
Monument Valley - AZ	150
Hovenweep National Monument - CO	85
Mesa Verde National Park - CO	150

Over 90 percent of Grand County is "public land" administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the State of Utah, and the National Park Service. These lands have diverse uses, including recreation, woodland products, wildlife management, livestock grazing, and mineral resources. Different recreational activities are permitted in these areas, depending on which government agency administers the land.

Many of these public areas may be reached with a standard automobile. Paved roads provide access to much of the "front country." Trailheads, visitor centers, overlooks and other sights are generally easily accessible.

Off-highway Vehicles (OHV) - Any OHV being operated or transported on public lands, roads or trails in the state of Utah must display a current OHV registration sticker. Dual sport off-highway motorcycles may be registered as street legal vehicles if they possess the proper safety equipment, have passed a state safety inspection, and carry the proper insurance, or they may be registered as off-highway vehicles. For registration, contact the Grand County Assessors Office: 125 E. Center Street, Moab UT 84532; 435-259-1327.

Non-resident OHV operators are required to purchase ($30) a Non-resident OHV Permit for each ATV, OHM and snowmobile they bring into the state. In Moab these may be obtained from the following vendors:

Maverick Country Stores: 435 N. Main Street, 435-259-8718; 985 S. Hwy 191, 435-259-0775 & Utah State Parks.

The following states offer reciprocity, meaning there is a mutual agreement between states not to charge non resident fees:

ATV/Motorbike	Snowmobile
California	Alaska
Colorado	California
Connecticut	Delaware
Delaware	Illinois
Idaho	Indiana
Indiana	Michigan
Kansas	Nebraska
Michigan	North Dakota
Minnesota	Ohio
North Dakota	Oregon
Ohio	Pennsylvania
Oregon	Rhode Island
Pennsylvania	South Dakota
Texas	Texas
Vermont	Washington
Washington

OHV Safety: Utah law requires all riders 17 and younger to wear a DOT approved motorcycle/ATV helmet with a locking chin strap while riding and it is recommended that everyone wear a helmet. Operators eight through fifteen must possess an OHV education certificate issued by Utah State Parks. Operators 16 and older must have a valid driver license or an OHV education certificate. No one under eight may operate an OHV on public lands. ATV's are made to be ridden on dirt and gravel roads, not asphalt.

Where to Ride: Registered OHVs may only be operated on public lands, roads and trails that are signed or designated open to OHV use. Trailers are needed to transport OHVs to these designated areas. Congressionally designated wilderness areas are off limits to all mechanized travel. ATV riding is not allowed within Arches or Canyonlands National Park.

For more information on regulations and designated areas for OHV riding contact:

OHV Education Office, Utah State Parks & Recreation:
(800) 648-7433; http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/ohv

USDOI Bureau of Land Management Moab Field Office:
435-259-2100; http://www.blm.gov/utah/moab

Manti-LaSal National Forest - Moab Ranger District - 435-259-7155

Utilities

Questar Gas, 259-7137
Questar gas prices are the lowest in the lower 48 states. No other gas utility gets half its supply from its own reserves.

Rocky Mountain Power

Business and Economic Development
The Moab Area Economic Development Committee has adopted the following Economic Development Goals:

Executive Summary: Economic Development Goals

Goal 1. We will work with entrepreneurs and small businesses to increase long-term employment opportunities. We will pursue providing more business counseling and education, easier access to capital, and more employee training programs. We will also work to provide new and expanding businesses with incentives, improved physical infrastructure and streamlined rules and regulations to permit businesses to grow.

Goal 2. We will work with businesses on the facilitation of infrastructure needed to grow through the development of public projects, health care, airport service, adequate housing, and transportation planning.

Goal 3. We will support the development of natural resources and the protection of resources important to the ongoing health of tourist businesses. This includes working with energy exploration companies to provide employee training resources.

Goal 4. We will work to protect and enhance the scenic assets and quality community life of Grand County. This includes community clean-up campaigns, downtown improvements and efforts to promote the preservation of agricultural land use.

Goal 5. We will work to help local residents develop new job skills and career opportunities, which in turn will attract business investment.

Goal 6. We will work to improve local higher education, both to provide educational options for local residents and to develop destination-oriented higher education programs.

Goal 7. We will work to enhance tourism-related economic development, including efforts to expand convention and conference activities and film and video projects.

Goal 8. We will work to expand and promote cultural and recreational activities.

Goal 9. We will work to better inform local elected officials, local businesses, and local residents of economic development activities, trends, and opportunities, and we will present for approval to Grand County and Moab City an annual work plan.

5 year plan draft approved August 2005.pdf

Small Business Development Center (U.S. Small Business Administration)

The SBA has management assistance centers where personal consulting services and skill based training are provided to owners and managers of small businesses and prospective entrepreneurs. Consulting services are available at no charge and training is available at low cost. A representative from the Blanding Business Development Center, Buddy Redd, comes to Utah State University in Moab every Tuesday to work with businesses.

Contact: Buddy Redd
College of Eastern Utah
639 W. 100 S., Blanding UT 84511
435-678-2201; Fax: 435-678-2220;

Demographics

Population, Education Level, Income & Labor Force

Moab Population 4,825
Castle Valley 354
La Sal approx 400
Thompson Springs 52
Grand County Population 8,826 (2005), 2.5% increase over 2004

2000 Census		Population by Race
Under 18	26.9%	White	92.6%
65 Years & Over	12.5%	Black	0.2%
Median Age	36.9	American Indian	3.9%
Persons per Household	2.44	Asian	0.2%
Persons per Family	3.06	Pacific Islanders	0.1%
Female-Headed Families	10.7%	Other	3.0%
High School Graduates	82.5%	Hispanic/All Races	5.6%
College Graduates	22.9%

Income		Labor Force
Median Family Income	$39,095	Female Participation	64.2%
Per Capita Income (2003)	$20,634	Male Participation	73.5%
Average Monthly Wage (2005)	$ 1,964	Self Employed	12.9%
Median Earnings
Male, full-time, year-rnd	$31,000
Female, full-time, yr-rnd	$21,769

2004 and 2005 Preliminary 6 month Jan - June Averages

	2005 Preliminary	2004
Civilian Labor Force	4,332	4,632
Employed	3,950	4,623
Unemployed	382	399
Percent of Labor Force	8.8	8.6
Total Nonagricultural Jobs	4,212	4,033
Goods Production	412	354
Mining	87	77
Construction	269	227
Manufacturing	57	50
Service Production	3,799	3,678
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities	790	777
Wholesale Trade	66	65
Retail Trade	634	621
Transportation & Warehousing	63	64
Utilities	28	28
Information	45	46
Financial Activities	202	166
Finance & Insurance	70	60
Real Estate & Renting & Leasing	132	107
Professional & Business Services	203	186
Education & Health Services	308	247
Leisure & Hospitality	1,342	1,388
Other	69	71
Government	842	849

Education
Grand County School District

Moab Community School - Charter School

Private Schools
DayStar Seventh Day Adventist Academy, located in Castle Valley, enrolls 50 students in grades 9 through 12.

Utah State University: 435-259-7432; Fax: 435-259-8423
Email: samuels@est.usu.edu
125 West 200 South, Moab, UT 84532
The Moab branch of Utah State University, a four-year university, offers opportunities to complete Associate, Bachelor, and Master degrees. Out-of-state extension students pay in-state resident tuition while attending USU in Moab. Founded in 1888, Utah State University is fully accredited and is one of the leading institutions in the United States for its off campus programs. Rated "One of America's Best Buys" by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc., USU offers economical job training and career preparation. The USU College of Education is ranked 39th in the nation by US News and World Report. Continuing Education enrolls over 11,000 students through the USU outreach system to most counties in Utah. USU offers Associate degrees in: Pre-Business, Pre-Computer Science, Pre-Liberal Arts, Pre-Psychology, Pre-Family, Consumer and Human Development, Pre-Elementary Education, Pre-Engineering, Pre-History, and Pre-Health Science. USU has the following Bachelor degrees: Business Administration, Computer Science, Elementary Education (requiring some classes in Blanding), Interdisciplinary Degree (where one can consolidate one's college credit into a Bachelor's degree) and Psychology. Master Degrees include Business Information Systems, Computer Science, Educational Technology (Instruction Tech Emphasis) and Elementary Education. USU-Moab offers face-to-face, satellite, internet, on-line, and time-enhanced learning courses.

Employment

Utah Department of Workforce Services

Grand County's Largest Employers
Allen Memorial Hospital
Grand County
Grand County School District
National Park Service
Quinstar
Bureau of Land Management
City Market, Inc.
Moab Brewery
City of Moab
State of Utah
Zax Wood Fired Pizza
Grand County Non-Agricultural Employment

Government

City of Moab

Grand County

CountyTravel Council

Taxes
Utah State Tax Commission - 210 North 1950 West
Salt Lake City UT 84134
801-297-2200; 800-662-4335

Corporate Tax - Corporations with a tax liability of $3,000 or more in the current tax year, or with a tax liability of $3,000 or more in the previous tax year, must make make estimated tax payments. Contact Taxpayer Services 801-297-7705.

Sales & Use Tax - The combined Utah and City of Moab tax is 7.75 percent on retail sales, 8.75 percent on restaurant food and beverage sales, 12.25 percent on overnight accommodations, and 10.75 percent on car rentals. Purchases of certain equipment by manufacturing companies may be exempt. Also exempt are purchases of approved water and air pollution equipment. At the end of June, 2006, collection of sales tax for Grand County increased 13% and 11% for the City of Moab compared to the same time frame in 2005. Transient room tax collections (rent of rooms in hotels, motels, inns, trailer courts, campgrounds, and similar accomodations for stays of less than 30 consecutive days) were up 12 percent for the City of Moab at the end of June, 2006 compared to the same time frame in 2005.

Property Tax - The Grand County Assessors Office, located in the County Courthouse, 125 E. Center Street, determines market value every five years, or when the property is sold. A primary residence is taxed at 45% of market value in Grand County and San Juan County. A second home, or nightly rental is taxed at 100% of market value, unless the renter is a primary resident. Mobile homes not on a foundation are considered personal property, and will be assessed as such. Property taxes are due November 30th of each year; when a property is purchased, the title company will pro-rate the amount due, with the buyer only paying the portion of taxes starting after their closing date.

Health Care

Allen Memorial Hospital - 719 West 4th North - Moab UT 84532
435-259-7191 Administrator: Roy Barraclough

For more than 50 years, AMH has served the Moab community. Currently AMH has 14 Board Certified physicians here in Moab and 6 specialists who visit from urban medical facilities on a regular basis. The existing facility has 2 birthing suites, 14 long-term care beds and a full compliment of wellness services and medical treatment options. AMH, currently housed in an older building, is planning a new facility, the Moab Regional Medical Center. The medical staff offers the following services:

Anesthesiology ( Pain Management, Acupuncture)
Cardio-Pulmonary Services
Emergency and Critical Care Services
Family Practice
General Surgery
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Opthalmology
Orthopedic Surgery
Podiatry Consult/Services
Radiology and Pathology

Health Department of Southeastern Utah
471 S. Main Street, Moab UT 84532; 435-259-5602 or 435-259-8448

Mental Health
Four Corners Mental Health
198 E. Center Street, Moab UT 84532; 435-259-6131

Motor Vehicles

Drivers License Division - 1165 S. Hwy 191, Ste. 8, Moab UT 84532; 435-259-3740

Motor Vehicle Registration - Grand County Assessors Office
125 E. Center Street, Moab UT 84532; 435-259-1327

Real Estate and Housing
The average price of homes and condos continues to increase. The third quarter 2006 average price of homes was $181,653, and $268,392 for condos, increases over third quarter 2005 average sales prices for homes by 16.32% and for condos by 18.56%. Total home sales in Grand and San Juan Counties in 2005 were 206, an increase of 24% over 2004. The average sale price for 2005 was $160,041 for a home, (an increase of 13.65% over 2004), and $210,841 for a condominium, (an increase of 10.47% over 2004). New construction consists mostly of custom homes and townhouses, but there are some older homes available in city neighborhoods. Several developments have been proposed in the surrounding area, supplementing existing projects. Because commercial real estate is scarce in downtown Moab, most development is occurring on the outskirts of town.

With a strong real estate market and the ever increasing interest in Southeastern Utah, Moab should continue to see appreciation in prices in the fourth quarter of 2006 and beyond. Real estate rental and purchasing information is available through any of the real estate companies listed in this directory. Information on rent-subsidized housing for low-income, senior, or disabled persons is available from the Grand County Housing Authority, 259-5891.