The best way to plan a day trip to the La Sal mountain range is to follow the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, a 60-mile scenic loop that offers breathtaking views from the mountains as well as plenty of trailheads if you want to explore the area in more depth. You can drive through the entire loop in about three hours if you don’t stop, but we’d recommend taking your time and stopping frequently to enjoy the sights.
You can start your day trip in the nearby town of Moab, then head east along Highway 128 until you see signs for the loop. Unfortunately, the loop takes you down a few different roads with different names, so it can be a little tricky to follow it all the way – just keep an eye out for signs marking FR (Forest Road) 062 and you should be fine.
The loop route starts in Castle Valley, a stunning red rock desert landscape filled with towering sandstone pinnacles. After several miles in the desert, you’ll reach the foothills of the mountains themselves. As the elevation rises, the landscape is quickly transformed from red rock spires to alpine forests, eventually turning into stark granite peaks as you reach the top of the mountain range. The La Sal mountains are the second-tallest range in Utah, with peaks reaching close to 13,000 feet above sea level, so you’ll be able to see the scenery change drastically as you drive higher and higher.
The scenic loop takes you all the way over the top of the mountain range and back down the other side, eventually depositing you back in the desert about six miles from Moab. Along the way, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop at overlooks and enjoy the grasslands, brush fields, and forests of aspen, ponderosa pine, spruce, and fir trees. It’s truly a beautiful part of the country and we highly recommend taking your time and drinking in the vistas.
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.
