Moab in Summer: Is It Too Hot, and What Should You Do in July and August?

Short answer: Moab in July and August regularly hits 100 degrees, but the heat is manageable if you plan around it instead of ignoring it. The rule is behavioral, not seasonal avoidance: do anything strenuous at dawn, and save the seated, moving, wind-in-your-face activities for midday. A 3.5 hour U-Drive tour with the wind coming through an open-sided UTV beats a 3.5 hour hike in full sun by a wide margin, and it is exactly the kind of activity summer heat doesn’t rule out.

Why summer isn’t a reason to skip Moab

A lot of visitors write off a summer trip to Moab assuming the heat makes everything miserable. That is true for strenuous, exposed activities like a long midday hike, but it is not true across the board. The fix is not avoiding summer, it is matching the activity to the time of day.

The behavioral rule that actually works

Push anything physically demanding, hiking, climbing, walking long stretches of exposed trail, to early morning when temperatures are still manageable. Save the activities where you are seated and moving, with wind actually hitting you, for midday when the sun is highest and a hike would be miserable. That single rule reorganizes a summer Moab day into something that works with the heat instead of against it.

Why a UTV tour beats a hike at 100 degrees

A 3.5 hour drive with wind constantly moving across you in an open-sided UTV is a fundamentally different heat experience than a 3.5 hour hike with no shade and no airflow. You are not standing still and radiating heat, you are moving through it. That difference is exactly why a midday off-road tour holds up in summer heat in a way a midday hike does not.

Best departure times in July and August

Early morning and late afternoon departures are worth prioritizing if you have flexibility, since they trade the most extreme heat window for cooler light and often better photography conditions. That said, the wind-cooling effect of a UTV tour means a midday slot is genuinely workable too, not just a fallback.

How this fits the rest of your trip

For a fuller month-by-month breakdown of what Moab weather looks like across the year, see our Best Time to Visit Moab guide. This page goes deep on summer specifically; that one covers the full calendar if you’re still deciding when to go.

Frequently asked questions

How hot does it get in Moab in the summer?

July and August regularly reach 100 degrees. It is Moab’s hottest stretch, but manageable if you plan activities around the heat rather than through it.

What is the best time of day for a summer off-road tour?

Any time works, since a UTV’s open sides keep wind moving across you. Early morning and late afternoon offer cooler temperatures if you have flexibility.

Should I hike or drive in Moab summer heat?

Drive. A seated, moving activity with wind hitting you handles 100 degree heat far better than an exposed hike with no airflow.

Is summer a bad time to visit Moab?

No, it just requires planning. Do strenuous activities at dawn and save seated, wind-cooled activities like a UTV tour for midday.