Hiking and canyoneering
Moab Cliffs and Canyons, six guests per guide
One of the longest running guiding companies in town, and the one that sorts its canyons into a clear beginner, intermediate and advanced ladder. Three hiking routes alongside, and a hard cap of six guests to one guide on everything.
The short answer
Best for: people who want a small group without paying private rates, and canyoneers who want to see exactly where a route sits before they book.
Rates are on enquiry rather than published, which is normal for this kind of guiding. The thing worth booking them for is the ratio: never more than six guests to one guide.
On foot
Three routes, all outside the parks
Every hiking trip they run is on public land outside Arches and Canyonlands, which means no park entry queue and no permit lottery. It also means shade and water, which the park trails mostly do not have.
| Route | Distance | Character | Shade | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fisher Towers | About 4.5 miround trip | Moderate | Very little | Photographers, anyone who wants the most dramatic rock near Moab |
| Grandstaff Canyon | About 5 miround trip | Moderate | Good, plus a creek | Hot days, families, first time desert hikers |
| Professor Creek | About 9 miround trip | Strenuous by length | Partial, in the water | Strong walkers who want a full day and wet feet |
Distances as published by the operator, checked September 2026.
Grandstaff Canyon is the one to ask about in summer. You walk up a creek bed under cottonwoods, crossing the water repeatedly, and finish under a natural rock span often cited at around 240 feet across. It is the closest thing Moab has to a cool hike in July.
Professor Creek is a different proposition. Nine miles, much of it walking in ankle deep water, finishing at a waterfall in a narrow box canyon. Good footwear you are happy to soak matters more here than fitness does.
It sits on BLM land about half an hour up the river road, so no entrance fee applies and it is open when the parks are at their busiest. The trail has a short exposed ledge and a ladder section, which is exactly the sort of thing a guide is useful for if you are uneasy about drops.
Canyoneering
A ladder sorted beginner to advanced
Most operators list canyons by length. This one sorts them by how committing they are, which is more use when you are choosing your first.
Beginner
Bow and Arrow, Ephedra's Grotto, Chamisa
Short days with a small number of rappels and straightforward walking between them. This is where a first canyon belongs, whatever your fitness. The skill being taught is trusting the rope, and that takes as long as it takes.
Intermediate
Fins and Things, Upper Granary, Hypatia, Little Sinbad, Pleiades
Longer days, more rappels, more scrambling and downclimbing between them. Reasonable for a fit first timer with no fear of heights, and the obvious step up if you have done one before.
Advanced
Full Granary, Hanksville canyons, Cedar Mesa
Long committing days, sometimes with a drive to reach the canyon. Expect a full day on your feet, sustained rappelling and a genuine walk out. Previous canyon experience helps.
Guided canyoneering is prohibited in Arches National Park under the park's own permit conditions, so every commercial canyon trip near Moab runs on BLM land or in Canyonlands backcountry. That is true of every operator in town, not just this one.
Group size
What six to one actually buys
Group size changes a guided day more than price does, and it is the thing least often listed. A cap of six per guide sits between a private trip and a vehicle tour carrying twelve.
- Cap
- 6 guests per guide
- On a quiet day
- Often smallerask when you book
- Against a park tour
- Half the groupor fewer
- Against private
- Cheaperrates on enquiry
On a canyon trip the ratio is not a comfort question. Six people going down one rope is a queue, and the guide can watch six sets of hands. Twelve would be neither. This is one of the places where the number in the small print does real work.
On a hiking trip it decides whether you get answers to your own questions or listen to somebody else's. If that matters to you and the budget stretches, private guiding is the next step up.
Before you book
What to ask when you ring
Rates are quoted on enquiry, so a phone call or an email is part of booking rather than a nuisance. These are the questions that change the number or the day.
- What is the rate at our group size, and does it change if somebody drops out.
- How many guests are already booked on the date we want.
- Is transport to the trailhead included. It matters most for Fisher Towers and Professor Creek, both well outside town.
- Which canyon do you suggest for us, described plainly. Say if anybody is nervous about heights, because it changes the recommendation more than fitness does.
- What happens if the forecast turns. A reputable operator cancels canyon trips on a flash flood forecast, and you want to hear that answer before you pay.
- What is the cancellation window, and is a deposit required.
We do not run trips, own gear or employ guides, and no operator pays to appear here or to appear higher. Details below are from each company's own published material, checked September 2026. Full disclosure.
Common questions
Questions
What hikes does Moab Cliffs and Canyons offer?
Three guided routes, all outside the national parks: Fisher Towers at about 4.5 miles round trip, Grandstaff Canyon at about 5 miles, and Professor Creek at about 9 miles. Grandstaff has shade and a creek, which makes it the summer choice. Professor Creek involves walking in water.
How much does Moab Cliffs and Canyons cost?
Rates are quoted on enquiry rather than published, which is normal for small group guiding where the price depends on route, group size and season. Ring or email with your group size and date. For comparison, published Moab hiking rates run about $100 to $350 per person.
How big are the groups at Moab Cliffs and Canyons?
Six guests per guide is the stated maximum on both hiking and canyoneering trips. That is half the size of the largest vehicle based park tours in town, and on a quiet date the group is often smaller. Ask how many are already booked when you ring.
Which canyoneering route should a beginner choose?
The operator sorts its canyons into three tiers. Bow and Arrow, Ephedra's Grotto and Chamisa are the beginner routes, with short days and a small number of rappels. Fins and Things, Upper Granary, Hypatia, Little Sinbad and Pleiades are the intermediate step up.
Can you go canyoneering in Arches National Park with a guide?
No. Guided canyoneering is prohibited inside Arches under the park's permit conditions, so every commercial canyon trip near Moab runs on BLM land or in Canyonlands backcountry. This applies to every operator, not just this one.
Next step
Compare the alternatives
Routes, tiers and group caps from the operator's own published material, checked September 2026. Menus change seasonally.