This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There's never a bad time to visit and hike in Moab, but May is especially good there.
It's warm but not too hot. All the restaurants and shops are open, but tourists haven't crowded the town yet, and you can find a lot of tranquility on the trails.
So here's nine great hikes in and around Moab. We're omitting trails in the national parks, but you can click here to find some trails in Arches or Canyonlands national park.
• Faux Falls: This hike is good in the spring when water should be pouring down the falls. At just 2 miles, it's good for small children, too. The trail head is at Kens Lake.
• Corona Arch: This is one of Moab's iconic hiking trails. Corona Arch shouldn't be missed. Bowtie Arch is on the way. The trail head is along U-279.
• Hidden Valley: The 4-mile trail provides a view of the La Sal Mountains and an overlook of Behind the Rocks, an area of magnificent stone formations.
• Moab Rim Trail: This 8-mile trail has some strenuous sections but provides a great overlook of Moab and the Spanish Valley.
• Hunters Canyon: Be ready to cross streams on slickrock on this 4-mile hike.
• Negro Bill Canyon: Not everyone likes the name, but with red rock, vegetation and a natural bridge, the canyon shouldn't be missed. It's a 4.4-mile trail.
• Fisher Towers: This is another of the Moab area's iconic trails. The 4.2-mile trail leads to towering spires of red rock.
• Clark Lake: Moab has more than slickrock. Take a trip into the La Sal Mountains and enjoy a pine and aspen forest as you hike 2.2 miles to and from Clark Lake.
• Portal Overlook Trail: The 3.6-mile hike gives a view of the Colorado River and the city of Moab.
How many of these have you hiked? What are your must-do hikes in Moab? Tell us here or on Twitter @UtahHikes or on our Facebook page.
— Nate Carlisle