Grand: Trails, Views, and History

Grand County maintains more than 150 miles of non-motorized singletrack trails for mountain biking. When looking for a hotel in Grand, it’s worth first deciding which experiences matter most: biking, hiking, viewpoints, or cultural history each call for a different focus. A car is generally required to reach Canyonlands National Park; check the park’s current travel information before setting out.

Trails for Biking and Hiking

The Sand Flats Recreation Area has 40 miles of trails across 9,000 acres. The Slickrock Bike Trail Practice Loop is 2 miles long and offers views of petrified sand dunes, canyons, mesas, and the La Sal Mountains. The Moab Slickrock Bike Trail was the first designated National Recreation Trail in Utah.

The Porcupine Rim Trail offers a different kind of outing: it can be hiked as a 6-mile round trip with 900 feet of elevation gain to a viewpoint on the rim. When planning, the two trails differ not only in activity but also in route: one is a bike loop with views, while the other is a round-trip hike with a stated elevation gain.

Canyonlands National Park has hundreds of miles of hiking trails that pass through natural and cultural features. Grand County’s trails program, in partnership with the BLM and Forest Service, supports access routes for hiking, climbing, and canyoneering. At Utahraptor State Park, the Sovereign Trail System includes a network of approximately 50 miles of motorized singletrack and doubletrack trails.

Views and Protected Landscapes

The Island in the Sky mesa rises on steep sandstone cliffs more than 1,000 feet (304 m) above the surrounding terrain. Each viewpoint offers a different perspective on the landscape of Canyonlands National Park. The 100-mile White Rim Road loops around and below the mesa, offering expansive views of the surrounding area.

The national parks also have distinct highlights: Arches National Park has the world’s largest concentration of natural stone arches; Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah. Utahraptor State Park in Grand County protects significant paleontological resources from the Early Cretaceous, 125 million years ago.

Professional guided OHV tours are offered on the Hell’s Revenge Trail. Because providers and availability may change, it’s best to check in advance if you’re planning a tour.

Historic Routes and the History of Moab

An expedition led by U.S. Army Captain John Macomb and physician and geologist John Newberry surveyed the region crossed by the Old Spanish Trail in 1859. The Green River Gap served as an alternative route for travelers because of possible water sources. The Green River Gap Trail is a 5-mile, one-way trail open to hikers and horseback riders. Here, the route’s historical role meets a clearly described trail with a defined user group.

The Moab Museum explores the cultural and natural history of the Moab area through exhibits and programs. The Moab Museum in Moab also offers an extensive oral history archive and a research library. Another historical development has shaped Moab’s story: in 1952, Charlie Steen discovered one of the richest uranium deposits in the United States, triggering Moab’s uranium boom. Together, these topics offer insight into different facets of local history—from stories passed down over time to economic upheaval.

Discover more destinations: Moab, Wayne County, Uintah County, Davis, Sanpete County, Box Elder County, Millard County, Emery.

View the main travel overview: Utah.