Moab has a reputation for expensive guided tours and pricey lodging, and that's not wrong. But there's a genuinely strong free and cheap layer here that most visitors walk right past. Actual dinosaur footprints in rock, a free desert wetland, sand dunes that cost nothing, and BLM trails that rival any paid experience — you can do a full Moab family day for under total. Here's how.
Completely Free Activities in Moab
Corona Arch — Free The best free hike near Moab. A massive natural arch — bigger than Delicate Arch — accessible via a 3-mile round trip with a chain-assisted scramble section. Kids feel like real explorers on the chain section. Zero fees (BLM land). Rated 4.8. Pack 2L+ water per person and start before 9am in summer. This is the one to prioritize.
Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite — Free Actual dinosaur footprints embedded in rock. Your kid can stand next to a Jurassic-era track and compare their own foot. Completely free, rated 4.5, and criminally undervisited because families rush to the national parks. Combine with the nearby Mill Canyon Dinosaur Bone Trail for a full free paleontology morning.
Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve — Free A surprise desert wetland with beavers, great blue herons, and songbirds. Nothing here looks like the rest of Moab, which is the point. Rated 4.6. Pair with Nature Conservancy Kane Creek next door for a full free morning of riparian nature walking.
Rotary Park — Free One of Moab's best local playgrounds with access to Mill Creek. Rated 4.6. Kids wade in the creek on hot days — free natural cooling. Bring extra clothes.
Old City Park — Free Shade trees, playground equipment, and open lawn in a peaceful setting away from Main Street chaos. Rated 4.6. Pack a picnic from City Market — this is a fully free morning outing.
Lions Park and Bike Path Trailhead — Free Free access to Moab's legendary bike trail system along the Colorado River. Rated 4.8. If you have bikes, this is a morning that costs nothing. Bike rentals in downtown Moab run –/bike/day if you need them.
Moab's Sand Hill — Free A real sand dune where kids run up, roll down, and sandboard. Bring a plastic sled or a piece of cardboard. Pure unstructured fun at zero cost.
Moab Swingers — Free Neighborhood playground with swings and climbing equipment. Visit first thing in the morning before temperatures climb — Moab heat is serious even in spring.
Old City Park Playground / Moab City Recreation — Free All Moab city parks are free. Playgrounds, open lawns, and sports courts throughout town. Combine multiple stops into one outing. Rated 4.3.
Moab Tourism Center — Free Not a destination itself, but stop here first. Staff help you match activities to your kids' ages and abilities — potentially saving hundreds in poorly-matched tour bookings. Rated 4.5. Takes 20–45 minutes and pays for itself.
Under Per Person — the Sweet Spot
Moab Museum — approximately – per person Adults –, children –. Family of four lands around –. Rated 4.6. Dinosaur fossils, ancient rock art, and the full story of how humans have survived in this extreme landscape for 10,000 years. One of Moab's genuinely good deals — context that makes everything outside more interesting.
Moab Recreation & Aquatic Center — approximately – per person Adults –, children –. Family of four runs –. Rated 4.3. Indoor and outdoor pools, water slides. Essential summer cooling at a fraction of what commercial water parks charge.
Canyonlands National Park — /vehicle or annual pass The America the Beautiful Annual Pass covers all national parks and pays for itself after two park visits. If you're also doing Arches (/vehicle), the annual pass is the obvious math: vs. for two separate passes, with unlimited national park access for the year. Rated 4.8.
Arches National Park Visitor Center — /vehicle or annual pass Same entry covers Balanced Rock and all other Arches formations. Rated 4.7. Pick up Junior Ranger booklets at the visitor center and turn the whole park visit into a kid-led activity.
Moab Arts & Recreation Center — Free for public events; – for classes Gallery visits and public events are free. Classes and workshops run – for a family. Rated 4.9. Check the MARC website before your visit — free programming exists alongside paid classes.
Worth Paying For (Best Value Paid Attractions)
Hole 19 - Moab Indoor Golf — – for a family Golf simulator technology where you hit real balls into a giant screen tracking shots through famous courses. Rated 5.0. Split one bay as a group — no separate fees. Open until midnight on Saturdays. Good value for an evening or rainy afternoon.
Coconut Cove — – for a family Tropical-themed indoor playground with slides, climbing, and seasonal splash pads. Kids – each; adults often free or reduced. Rated 4.7. Check for punch cards or family passes.
Hole 'N' The Rock — approximately – for a family A 5,000-square-foot home carved into a sandstone rock wall, plus exotic animals including camels and zebras. Rated 4.3. Tour is – per person; budget extra for the animal exhibit, which is the part kids actually love.
Gravel Pit Lanes — – for a family Retro bowling plus an arcade. Bowling runs – per person per game; arcade tokens extra. Rated 4.5. Ask about family packages. A rare find in a town that's all trails and red rock.
Climb Moab Gym — approximately – for a family Indoor climbing gym. Day pass – per person; gear rental extra. Rated 4.6. Significantly cheaper than any guided outdoor tour and the right introduction before kids tackle the real rock.
Money-Saving Strategies for Moab Families
- Buy the America the Beautiful Annual Pass () before your trip. Covers Arches, Canyonlands, and every other national park. If you're visiting two parks, it's already paid for itself over individual vehicle passes.
- Pack all food for park and trail days. Arches and Canyonlands have no food vendors. City Market in Moab has good deli options. A packed lunch saves – per day for a family of four.
- Stack the free dinosaur sites. Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite and the Dinosaur Bone Trail are both free and within a few miles of each other. A full free half-day of paleontology.
- Combine Matheson Wetlands with Kane Creek. Two free nature areas side-by-side. One morning, zero cost.
- Go to the Tourism Center first. Free advice, and staff can steer you away from activities that don't match your kids' ages or abilities. Worth the 30 minutes.
- Split bay rentals at Hole 19. One bay rental covers the whole family — no per-person charge.
- Visit Sand Hill for free sandboarding. Bring a plastic sled or cardboard. Real dune experience at zero cost.
- Shared adventure tours cut costs significantly. If you're going to do a guided 4x4 tour, shared group tours cost far less per person than private family bookings.
Seasonal Free Events to Watch For
Moab has a handful of annual events that are free or low-cost:
- Moab Arts Festival (May) — visual arts festival in the park, free to attend
- Moab Music Festival (September) — some outdoor concerts in canyon settings; ticketed events plus free community programming
- Uranium Tailings cleanup community events — educational and free; check Moab City events calendar
- Night sky events — Moab sits in dark sky territory. Canyonlands has ranger-led astronomy programs seasonally, often free with park admission.
Bottom Line
A solid free Moab family day looks like this: Corona Arch hike in the morning (free), packed lunch at Old City Park (free + – groceries from City Market), Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite in the afternoon (free), and Rotary Park creek time before dinner (free). Total cost: under . The national parks and guided tours are where the real Moab magic lives, but you don't have to spend /day to have a great trip.