The high desert is mile upon mile of uninhabited, inhospitable land. So, first things first, we have to stock up on provisions – and what better place than down the street in Moab. First, we’ll head to Snake Oil Coffee for a fresh cup of joe to get us in gear for the long days ahead. Next up: the Moon Flower Co-op. It has all of the healthy, fresh ingredients I need for cooking up nutrient-dense meals roadside. As we make our way out of town, we’ll hit up Dave’s Corner Market for bags of ice, some firewood, and any other last-minute convenience items. Sometimes we’ll get lucky and get to say hi to the previous mayor of Moab and owner himself.

Carved into the sandstone walls of the high desert are drawings from another time: petroglyphs. These carvings depict people, animals, battles, birth, hunting. Dating back to nearly 5500 BC, they’re a physical reminder of what life was like for Native Americans centuries ago. Moonflower Canyon Petroglyphs, Birthing Rock Petroglyphs, and a handful of others lie in and around Moab, oftentimes close to our climbing destinations or well-known hikes. While not usually our main destination, these are an easy addition to our itinerary and never cease to impress me with their historical and cultural importance.

Sitting on the edge of a canyon, it's easy to see the expansive changes carved by water over many millennia. A hike through a slot canyon provides a more intimate view – how each layer of sandstone was smoothed into the orange and red waves they are today. But maybe the most extreme view of all is one that comes from the air – for base jumpers, that is. A bird’s-eye view of the canyons out here isn’t easily earned nor easily forgotten. Canyons are a defining feature of this landscape that are deserving of a stop along your journey.

Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few spots around Moab that offer world-class bouldering. This style is incredibly versatile, allowing novices and highly experienced climbers to attack a boulder in completely unique ways that suit their skill levels. The most well-known location of Big Bend offers plenty of options for climbers, but the wide high desert holds even more. Taking time to discover new boulders and routes is truly my bread and butter out here. Over the past couple of years, crack climbing has become my go-to. Because of the way water and wind shape the face of sandstone with hard cutouts and stories-tall cracks, the high desert has become a world-famous location for this style. It’s not a style for beginners, requiring quite a bit of creativity, as no crack stays uniform in depth or width. But it’s exactly this kind of demanding mental and physical challenge that keeps me on my toes and coming back for more.

At dusk, you get an incredible light show. You’re surrounded by this vivid and fiery intensity – the rocks, the sky, the sun – it’s all ablaze. One of my favorite ways to appreciate this view is against the backdrop of the southwest’s most iconic forms: its sandstone arches. The landscape is littered with them: big, small, hikable, protected, and even those that have crumbled under a final strike of wind or rain. They are 15 million years of history on display and my favorite kind of stop on our way back from a long day of climbing.