Body: Naturally, the amount of time you spend at the La Sal mountain range will depend on what it is you’re thinking of doing there. If you just want to get a taste of the area’s natural beauty, then you can take the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, which involves between two and three hours of driving. Add time for stops at the gorgeous scenic overlooks, and you should be able to get a sense of the mountains in three or four hours. Keep in mind that there are no accommodations along the scenic loop road, so make sure you have a few hours’ worth of food and water when you set out from Moab.
If you want to explore the mountains properly, you can easily spend a whole day or more just taking the most popular hiking trails. We especially recommend taking the Oowah Lake Trail, Geyser Pass Trail, or Warner Lake Trail. There are several different biomes represented in the La Sal area, from the red rock desert of Castle Rock to the alpine forests at the peaks of the mountains, so you should take the time to explore each one if you can.
The La Sal mountains are also a great place to spend a few days camping if you’re an outdoorsy type. There are a few designated campgrounds in the area, but the real attraction is the chance to do some dispersed camping. Because the mountain range is located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, visitors are allowed to hike out into the woods and set up a campsite anywhere they like – as long as they don’t leave anything behind when they leave. If you plan on camping in the forest for an extended period of time, know that you can only spend up to 14 days at a single site before you have to pick up and move at least 10 miles away. National Forest rangers take littering and poor fire safety very seriously, so make sure you’re conscientious of your surroundings.
To make the most of your trip, check out our La Sal Mountains Self-Guided Driving Tour, or you can sign up for Action+ and gain access to over 100 tours for a single yearly price.
