We are planning a trip for late March and are trying to decide how many days in spend in the Moab area. We would like to visit Arches and Canyonland NP. Our first thought was four nights to allow three full days of exploration. Is this too long for the area?

AOTR - I think four nights is about the right amount of time to see the area. One day in Arches, one in Canyonlands, and one for the city and a drive up the river. You could spend two days in Canyonlands with a stop at Dead Horse Point State Park.

Have fun with your planning.

I was in Moab a few years ago and agree with Dutch, your time estimates are about right. We stayed at teh Gonzo Inn which was fine. Recently I found this location
http://www.moab-utah.com/camelot/ which looks quite interesting. Enjoy your trip!

Always,

I basically agree with Dutch and cmcfong, but it depends on your interests and level of acitivity.

If you really enjoy hiking and photography - add more time. At least one more day.

If you want to include a raft trip of some sort (many different ones available, but March may be too early) or a little off-roading, add more time! Another day.

try canyoneering, if you are adventurous. www.deserthighlights.com

there is a lot to do around moab, 4 wheel drives, endless hikes.

Three full days will not be to long. As other have mentioned, you might want to spend longer if you have the time. Arches is a great place to hike and it's only 4 miles from Moab so you don't have to do them all in one day.

Canyonlands and Dead Horse State Park can be done in one long day.

While in the area, you should also check out Scenic Hwy 128 from Moab going east along the Colorado River to Fisher Towers. You can also drive west along the Colorado river on the Potash Road and Kane Creek road. Both roads have petroglyphs and are very scenic drives.

4 wheel drive roads and hiking have already been mentioned but dirt biking is also big in Moab.

Utahtea

We spent 4 nights there in the middle of July - it was the right amount of time for me because of the HEAT. My husband would have liked being there longer. But if you will be there in March, you may want to consider adding another night or 2 if you can. There is so much to explore. Canyonlands is huge. Our next visit there will be during a different season than summer.