Located about 20 miles south of Moab, the La Sal Mountain Range is the second-tallest range in Utah and a popular spot for hikers, fishermen, and other outdoor enthusiasts. The La Sals are a fairly compact mountain range, covering only about 10 miles, but the peaks reach close to 13,000 feet above sea level, making them an exhilarating climb for experienced hikers. At one time, the Sierra La Sal (“Salt Mountains”) were most well-known as an important landmark on the Old Spanish Trail, but today they’re famous as a terrific place to hike, fish, take photographs, and more.

The La Sal Mountains are a part of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, so the wilderness and natural beauty there have been preserved for future generations. The best way to experience the La Sals is to take the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, a 60-mile scenic loop that takes you all the way around the mountain range before depositing you back near Moab. There are some tight switchbacks on the loop, so we wouldn’t recommend taking a trailer or RV down it, but it’s otherwise very safe and relatively easy to drive. The entire loop is paved, so a regular vehicle shouldn’t have any problems.

The loop road takes between two and three hours to drive and there are no accommodations along the route, so make sure you bring enough food and water to last you for a little while. The road gives you a nice tour of the different biomes in the area, from the red rock desert of Castle Rock to the alpine peaks of the mountains themselves. Make sure you stop and check out the overlooks as you go since the views are truly spectacular.

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.