Add another destination to your must-experience-while-in-Moab list: Sorrel River Ranch. Located 20 miles northeast of the city along the banks of the Colorado River, the sprawling 240-acre property offers luxury, seclusion and serenity, plus plenty of options (from low-key to intense) for the adventure-seeking kind.
Equal parts majesty and mystery, Moab, Utah, which sits near the state’s eastern edge, reveals a glimpse of its history – and destiny – among the soaring red rocks, towering mesas and dramatic deep slot canyons that part of the country is known for.
Whether this is your first (or fifth) visit to the Moab area, there are endless ways to explore, beginning with the sweeping, out-of-this-world vistas to the variety of choices for adventure, thanks to its proximity to Arches and Canyonlands national parks, the Colorado River, miles and miles of scenic by-ways, biking and off-road trails, and acre upon acre of national forest lands.
Now add another destination to your must-experience-while-in-Moab list: Sorrel River Ranch. Located 20 miles northeast of the city along the banks of the Colorado River, the sprawling 240-acre property offers luxury, seclusion and serenity, plus plenty of options (from low-key to intense) for the adventure-seeking kind.
On any given day, the ranch is humming with activity. Complimentary morning hikes and yoga classes are on the schedule several days a week, and to wind down your day, there are opportunities to catch live music during dinner or partake in Astronomy Night with a local astronomer. For families, there are horse stables and a petting zoo, with daily animal feedings, should you want to spend quality time with four-legged friends. Other family friendly happenings include Mesa Movie Nights under the stars, bonfires hosted by a “S’mores Concierge,” and complimentary pony rides for the little ones.
The Colorado River, most known in Utah for whitewater rafting and its powerful rapids, snakes along the northwestern edge of the property. But this stretch of river may just be its most peaceful. The stunning calmness of the water against the crimson cliffs, combined with the feel-good surroundings of the only luxury resort in the Moab area, almost convinced us to settle in and stay on site – almost.
STAY:
SORREL RIVER RANCH RIVER STUDIO
Sorrel River’s custom-built cabins afforded us the most tranquil of settings, beginning with a front porch complete with Adirondack chairs and a double swing that beckoned as we approached. Inside our River Studio accommodations, a warm, welcoming hearth and living quarters appointed with plush bedding and subtle décor touches set just the right tone. The adjoining bath, a spacious, Zen-like space with a view – and by view, we mean the Colorado River – ensured the utmost in comfort and relaxation. The nightly turndown service is a treat, literally, with chocolate mints or cookies left on the nightstand to induce sweet dreams.
One favorite activity was to “sip and swing” on our private terrace, soothed by the sounds of the river. Nothing compares to witnessing the early rays of sunshine along the riverbank while taking that first sip of morning coffee, or indulging in steaming mugs of hot chocolate at the end of the day with a front-row seat to the most spectacular of sunsets.
For reservations, visit sorrelriver.com.
SAVOR:
RIVER GRILL AT SORREL RIVER RANCH
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, River Grill is not only convenient (just steps away from our cabin), but it also boasts a menu that rivals any other fine-dining establishment in and around town. Because the ranch has its own garden, you know that every selection is inspired by the season and comes with a farm-to-table approach that’s committed to using local and regionally sourced ingredients.
For breakfast, we recommend the Cowboy Burrito stuffed with beef brisket and the House-Smoked Pork Belly Benedict, both made with local eggs and hearty enough to prepare you for an action-packed day of sightseeing, hiking and other activities.
Lunch options comprise of soup, salad and sandwich entrees, including French Onion Soup with house-made sourdough, Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad with fresh farm greens, and a Basil Falafel Wrap with … you guessed it, more farm-fresh goodness.
Dinner showcases starters such as a local charcuterie sampler of cheeses, jam and crackers, as well as Braised Lamb Meatballs with farm vegetable ratatouille. For the main event, mouthwatering selections include Brown Sugar Brined Pork Chop with roasted sweet potatoes and caramelized farm apples, onions and winter squash; and Colorado Rack of Lamb with sautéed turnip and parsnip, Italian farro and huckleberry compote.
In addition, the kitchen offers a Saddle Bag Menu for those on the go. The meals come with either a salad, sandwich or wrap, a drink and a side of fruit, chips or a granola bar. A la carte items are also available, including local meats and cheeses, nuts, dried fruit and other trimmings like house-made fruit jam, olives and bread, if you prefer to customize your portable meal.
Need a nightcap? The adjacent Epic Bar is just what you need, with a drink selection that features classic cocktails, as well as Southwestern-themed signature sips.
During the warmer months, the ranch hosts a once-weekly al fresco Garden-to-Table Communal Dinner. Sorrel River partners with local farms and purveyors to create inventive four-course meals served at its Homestead Garden. Seating is limited and reservations are required.
THE SPA AT SORREL RIVER RANCH
Every type of massage imaginable, from Hot Stone to Deep Tissue, is on the menu, but what’s most appealing about the spa is its signature and seasonal offerings. There’s a Salt of the Earth Experience that combines a mineral scrub, wrap and massage using Great Salt Lake minerals to exfoliate, hydrate and relax. For fall, the Autumn Harvest Ritual is touted as a “farm-to-spa” treatment that uses pumpkin pulp and seed to cleanse and exfoliate, a pumpkin honey mask and wrap to pamper the skin, and ends with a pumpkin body butter massage.
Guests can also make their own complimentary bath tea bag to take back to their room for a good soak in the over-sized tub.
SEE:
UTV TOUR OF ONION CREEK CANYON
While Onion Creek’s sandstone canyon is only a few miles north of the ranch, it can be quite remote and inaccessible – unless you have a horse or a UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle), an off-road recreational vehicle that allows for up to four passengers..
Lucky for Sorrel River guests, the property has an exclusive fleet of UTVs; and whether you select the two- or four-hour guided tour, this, by far, is one of the top experiences available at the ranch. We opted for the two-hour tour, during which our guide, Maxwell, expertly maneuvered the vehicle into the canyon. The UTV climbed a couple thousand feet up the narrow gorge, barreling through flying snow and wet red clay and onto some magnificent buttes and mesas and a view of the La Sal Mountains in the distance.
Near the top, we stopped at Hideout Campground, where it’s said legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy and his gang sought refuge near the turn of the 20th century. But the highlight of highlights took place during the steep descent – perfectly timed by Maxwell the guide – as we captured the stunning sunset, which seemed otherworldly, as if we were on Mars.
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
Sorrel River Ranch offers an attractive full-day hiking package for Arches, but there’s no stopping you from visiting the park at your leisure. No matter how you get there – the park is approximately 20 miles from the ranch – this bucket-list destination is a marvel to behold!
Find yourself surrounded by the iconic arches, towering mountains, sand dunes and rock fins, borne from the earth some 65 million years ago, that continue to evolve over the ages. The 76,000-acre park is home to the largest concentration of natural arches in the world – more than 2,000 of them, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
Arches is one of the most accessible of America’s national parks. You don’t have to leave your car to take in the views. A number of the park’s famed rock formations, such as Balanced Rock, can be seen from the road; a short hike is needed for some.
Overall, there are 18 miles of jaw-dropping landscapes to drive through; and many more trails to hike, bike or backpack to celebrated landmarks like the Delicate Arch, Double Arch and the North and South windows, or the complex, vertigo-inducing Fiery Furnace, a cluster of narrow sandstone canyons that require some advanced skills to explore. Arches is also home to almost 500 species of plants, 185 species of birds and dozens more assorted mammals, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
But what’s front and center here are the arches, with each one more breathtaking than the last. Arches National Park is considered a “landscape in motion” by the NPS, as erosion, water and gravity have caused the ground to shift over time. For instance, there is concern over a crack found in the North Window arch, indicating change and the potential for rockfall. Who knows if the North Window will be around 200 years from now? Likewise, research suggests new arches are being formed at a similar pace – a testament to the park’s continued evolution. nps.gov/arch
While this was our first adventure in Moab, we have traveled across Utah on many occasions, intent on exploration and rejuvenation. With every visit and without fail, we discover something new that ensures a return trip. This time, it’s Sorrel River Ranch.
For more information about Sorrel River Ranch, visit sorrelriver.com.
