Moab

Moab, Utah, is the adventure sports capital of the American Southwest — a small town of 5,000 on the Colorado River that serves as the gateway to two extraordinary national parks (Arches and Canyonlands), some of the finest mountain biking trails in the world and a landscape of red sandstone so dramatic it has provided the backdrop for innumerable films and car commercials. Arches National Park (10km north of town) contains the world's greatest concentration of natural stone arches — over 2,000 documented arches, including the famous Delicate Arch (Utah's state symbol, visible on the license plates) and the vast Landscape Arch. The views from the Windows section and from the Fiery Furnace are extraordinary. Canyonlands National Park (35km north) is more remote and less visited but arguably more spectacular — the vast canyons of the Colorado and Green rivers create a landscape of planetary scale. Dead Horse Point State Park, where the Colorado River loops dramatically below a 1,829-metre cliff edge, is one of the most photographed overlooks in North America. The Slickrock Bike Trail, a notorious loop on petrified sand dunes, is one of the world's most famous mountain bike routes. White-water rafting on the Colorado River runs from gentle to serious. Visit April–May and September–October; summer is very hot.