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Author: Nancy_Rynes, Contributing Editor
| Lodging:
Motels, camping, cabins, and vacation rentals are fairly easy to reserve in the off-season. Off-season is considered summer and late fall through early spring. Late spring (April, May) and early fall (September, October) are the prime seasons for travel to Moab and lodging may be difficult to locate. A great starting point is MoabUtah.com When to go: Fall through spring (late September through May) is the most bearable temperature (for me) in this part of Utah. Nights can be cold, but daytime temperatures can be very pleasant if it’s sunny. Unpredicted snowstorms or rainstorms are not uncommon though. Be advised that during wet weather, many dirt roads can be impassible due to thick, sticky mud. Summer can be unbelievably hot. It is not unusual for temperatures to exceed 115 degrees F in the summer. The sun is very intense here so use sunscreen liberally, or dress in long-sleeved, light-colored clothing. Any time of the year, make sure to carry and drink plenty of water. This is a true desert and humidity is often well below 10%. You can dehydrate rapidly, even during the winter. |
| Other Areas to see:
Arches and Canyonlands National Parks – these are both close to Moab and offer some stunning landscapes. Red rocks, canyons, huge rock arches, soaring cliffs are just the start! Morrison Cliffs – approximately 11 miles north of Moab on Hwy 191. Take the Dalton Wells or Willow Springs turnoffs. Beautiful red and green cliffs with side canyons and washes. La Sal Mountains – To the southeast of Moab, accessible in the summer only. Jeep roads and trails take you through wet meadows, valleys, and even up to the alpine. Colorado and Green Rivers – Drive, hike, canoe, or raft along either of these two rivers if you’re tired of seeing just the desert. |
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| Sego Canyon ancient rock art panel. Age unknown but estimated at over 2,000 years old, possibly as old as 4,000 years. Located approximately 35 miles north of Moab. The figure with the snake arms is approximately 6 ft (2 meters) tall from heat to "feet."
Please note that all photos, paintings, and text in this article are copyright Nancy Rynes, 2003, and may not be used without permission. |
| Caution:
A word of caution about the unique soils in the Moab area: the soils are known as “cryptobiotic.” They are a symbiotic association of plants, fungi, bacteria, and mosses. These soils are easy to spot – they appear darker and raised 1-2 inches in little tower-like structures. If you visit Moab, please travel on established roads or trails, or walk on rocks or in the bottoms of dry washes. Walking on Cryptobiotic soil will destroy it for hundreds of years, and the plants in this region need the cryptobiotic soils to survive. See MoabUtah.com for more information. |
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| B i o g r a p h y | |
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Nancy is an artist specializing in plein air and studio landscapes. She also works as a writer for various software firms in the Denver area. |
| Nancy lives on the high plains in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and finds inspiration in the \"everyday\" landscapes of the area. She enjoys painting those quiet scenes that most people pass by on the way to work...old ranches, farms, small streams and ponds to name a few. She also enjoys painting other areas of the west from the red rock of the Utah and Arizona deserts to the alpine of the Rocky Mountains. But it\'s the quiet, often-overlooked scenes that keep drawing her back. | |
| E-Mail: nancy@mtngoatstudios.com Web Site: http://www.mtngoatstudios.com | |
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