Sand Flats Recreation Area

How to Get There

From Moab (2 mi): Drive east on Mill Creek Drive from downtown Moab, continue onto Sand Flats Road, then follow the road uphill to the recreation area entrance station and trail network.

Overview

The Sand Flats Recreation Area east of Moab is one of Utah’s premier outdoor adventure destinations, renowned for its sweeping slickrock landscapes and legendary trail systems. Covering roughly 9,000 acres at the edge of the Colorado Plateau, the area features a maze of sandstone domes, bowls, fins, and canyons framed by distant views of the La Sal Mountains and the red cliffs surrounding Moab. The recreation area is internationally famous for the Slickrock Bike Trail, a pioneering mountain biking route that helped establish Moab as a global cycling capital. Jeep trails such as Hell’s Revenge and Fins and Things also draw off-road enthusiasts seeking technical desert terrain and dramatic scenery.

Beyond its adrenaline-filled trails, Sand Flats offers expansive desert solitude, scenic camping, and unforgettable sunrise and sunset views across the sandstone landscape. The terrain shifts constantly between smooth slickrock expanses and narrow sandy washes dotted with juniper trees and desert vegetation. Visitors can explore by foot, bicycle, off-road vehicle, or simply enjoy the panoramic overlooks stretching toward Arches National Park and the Colorado River corridor. During spring and fall, cooler temperatures and changing desert light create ideal conditions for experiencing one of the most iconic outdoor recreation areas in the American Southwest.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for the Sand Flats Recreation Area, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.